Mustang vs RX-8

parrish5o · #1 12-04-2003, 10:46 PM

OK, I have been waiting all day to get home and post this. On my way to work this morning half asleep I notice a new Madza RX-8 pulling onto the highway. Cool car I thought. A few minuets later he is right on my bumper. To drive a really fast car day in and day out takes alot of self control and respect for the car. Otherwise, well I don't even have to say. So I subdue my first reaction and just go about by business(I have a clean driving record and want to keep it that way). After about 30 seconds he pulls up right on my ass. I'm not real fond of running my car on the street esepecially in town, but I don't like being prvoked either. OK, there is a light about 1/2 mile ahead but damn, my bottle is empty. I fill it in Panama City Fla. which is about an hour from my house so I keep an extra full bottle in my shop but guess what, it's in my shop doing me no good whatsoever. O well, I don't think I need it anyway for this one. Sure enough he changes lanes and pulls up beside me and revs a couple of times. After the usual nod and a short wait were off. I launch as gently as I can so not to lite up my Nitto drags which I run on the street. Being early morning the dew was not completely dry on the road so I spun all the way through first and finally caught about halfway through second. Expecting to be looking at his taillights after my sorry driving to my surprise I had him by about half a car length. I hit third and began to pull on him like a Yugo and finally got him by about 5 car lengths. WHAT just happened, I thought the RX-8 was supposed to be fast, but I haven't read anything about it yet, or talked to anyone about it so I don't really know. I assumed it would be faster than the RX-7, but it didn't look that way. I drove a friends stock 7 a few years back and that thing was unreal. That tiny rotary motor is bad. So whats the deal with the 8? I've had closer races with stock Camaros and Supras. Could he just not drive or is this new Madza really slower than the RX-7? If anyone has any input let me know.

eillob · #2 12-04-2003, 10:52 PM

You got me I thought they were pretty fast too. Maybe you scared him.

DiggerStang · #3 12-04-2003, 11:50 PM

From Car and Driver:

RX-8

Weight: 2940 LB
HP: 250 @ 8500 RPM
Torque: 159 Ft-Lb at 5500 RPM
0-60 MPH: 5.9 sec with 8000!!! RPM clutch drop
5-60 MPH: 7.5 sec
1/4 mile: 14.5 sec @ 96 MPH

Elsewhere on the Car and Driver website, they claim Mazda overated the HP. Actual HP:

238 Manual
197 Auto

The low torque surprises me. Even my 4-Banger 'Stang has 130 ft-lb's (not that I am comparing my 4-banger to a RX-8 in any way, shape, or form).

Mendari · #4 12-05-2003, 11:06 AM

The RX-7 was indeed a pure sports car. Ultra light weight with sequential turbos on a 1.3 liter rotary with a 8,000+ RPM redline and a matching insurance premium.
The RX-8 is more of a passenger car with four dours, four seats and lower insurance. Also, no turbos, not even one. But hey, at least it's a Ford.

Los · #5 12-05-2003, 11:44 AM

RX-8s are sweet machines. Though not even close to the 7 variant, they deserve nothing but praise. Those are absolutely beautiful cars.

Ace$nyper · #6 12-05-2003, 12:42 PM

yea the 8 is a nice ride but as far as speed goes no 7. I've driven one its got nice pull smooth ride more of a quick cruiser then a true sports car like its older bro.

nacho_nissan · #7 12-05-2003, 06:22 PM

im sorry,but just because ford own mazda(or something like that) doesnt mean mazda is a ford...
I think ford is far away from what mazda can do. I dont think the mustang can beat a rx-8. Maybe if the mustang has good driver and is moded,and the rx-8 driver sucks,and its stock. Yah the rx-7 is a little bit faster than the rx-8,but the rx-8 is a really good car;perfect weight distribution,sporty suspension, this is a really good car..

Patmack18 · #8 12-05-2003, 06:38 PM

Perfect weight dist. dosen't mean crap in a drag race. The driver of the -8 sucks, might have been an auto, but it's also not a light car. No torque also has a lot to do with it. I doubt he had it spooled up to 8K like it needs to be.

Mendari · #9 12-05-2003, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nacho_nissan

im sorry,but just because ford own mazda(or something like that) doesnt mean mazda is a ford...

Lighten up, now you're just disecting the semantics of my post. Competition improves the breed and the end consumer always benefits from this. For example, the SVT Focus was created in response to the burgeoning sport/economy car segment. You know Ford is getting serious when they put in a 6 speed Getrag transmission in a Focus.

Mendari · #10 12-05-2003, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patmack18

Perfect weight dist. dosen't mean crap in a drag race.

Correct. 50/50 weight distribution isn't always the best design for street driving either. While driving slow or moderately fast it is good. However,when cornering at a high enough speed, 50/50 becomes a liability. This is because it is easier to predict the motion of a sliding car when their is a slight bias either to the front or the rear. When the car is 50/50, you have to drive through corners as if you are on skis. You have to quickly jerk the steering wheel opposite to the direction of the turn, then quickly turn and hold the steering wheel in the direction you want to go. After that you hope that you entered the turn correctly because your polar momentum is now perpendicular to the curve.
I prefer a slight front weight bias. But if I owned a Porsche, I'm sure I would prefer a slight rear bias.

SkyLineUSA, you have all wheel drive, what do you think?

nacho_nissan · #11 12-05-2003, 07:28 PM

i have a question..
Why do domestic people always only care about drag racing?? I think autocross is harder,and you need better cars to win on that,not just going straight..why do ya'll even have steering wheels??

eillob · #12 12-06-2003, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nacho_nissan

i have a question..
Why do domestic people always only care about drag racing?? I think autocross is harder,and you need better cars to win on that,not just going straight..why do ya'll even have steering wheels??

Who gives a crap about autocross? Mustangs are muscle cars, drag racing is what we do. THAT IS WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. I think your in the wrong forum.

DiggerStang · #13 12-06-2003, 12:40 AM

Nacho, you remind me of The Evil Dr. Smith from that Lost in Space show. Your always up to no good, but somehow I just can't bring myself to dislike you. Yet.

Patmack18 · #14 12-06-2003, 01:05 PM

Whens the last time you were at a stop light on the line, and challenged the guy next to you, to a cornering competition? And if you wanna go there, my 'stang will take your 91 Sentra on whatever road course you'd like to try and keep up with me on....

rerun · #15 12-06-2003, 03:10 PM

LOL...
i can hear it now; to guys pull up to a light: "take a left ,then a another left, then a right."

and drag raceing requires balls and it is a very fine art of a man and machine, autocross stuff (though i love trans am racing) is slower and is all driver stuff with the work behind the sceens.

when u drag professionaly it involes straping your ass down to a 6000hp+ monster with only 1/4" think fiberglass protecing out from the wind going by at 300MPH+. How much you wanna bet this dude would pussy out when they started it up?

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