What is your say on the Rotary engine of the Mazda RX 8 ???

[he7lius]

you can see the details on this page:
http://www.mazdarx8.co.uk/upclose/specs/specs2.asp

Only 654cc (x 2-rotor) ??????

And you can see how it works on:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/rotary-engine.htm

[godspeed06]

sorry man but if it has a 1.3L and more than two wheels it isn't for me. i wouldn't want to drive a car with no torque daily.

[TeflonTron]

I say it's a load of old Wankel.

[Ziploc]

i like the car

its totally different and does its old way and can still match the pace of a M3 and has still been the best bang for your buck TG performer

and if it does so well in europe it will wipe up everything in canada seeing as the coupe class is a bit wanting

[phatlee]

I dunno, seems to me that the RX8 makes its power too high up in the rev range to be of real use.

[snacky]

Originally Posted by Ziploc (RX8) can still match the pace of a M3 and has still been the best bang for your buck TG performer

That is the reason I hate the way TG conducts their tests. How in the world can a 250 hp RX-8 match pace with a 340-hp M3? How? cuz the Stig slide both cars all over the track. Dont get me wrong, it's a TON fun to watch, but I think I would trust Best Motoring more for relative performance testing.

[BADMIHAI]

hahaha....Stop saying stuff like "it's alot of power for a 1.3 L"!!! It's a rotary engine, so its displacement cannot be compared to a cylinder engine of the same displacement. If you'd compare it to a cylinder engine, it would be somewhere in the 2.5, 3 L class.
I haven't driven a RX8, but I have only heard god things about it. And one more thing: the rev limit at 9000 rpm seems high, but, as Clarkson said, even at 9000 rpm, the engine is SMOOTH! You even get a buzzer to remind you you have to change gear..close to redline, because it's hard to tell the eninge is so high in the revs. Overall, it's a great car, and I hope I can own one one day.

[fedezyl]

I trust Best Motoring much less they are very biased towards japanese cars and you can see how they push some cars to the limit and not others...
Plus they don't drive so well, all they do is drift the shit out of every car....

But it's always fun to watch

[fedezyl]

you don't really use torque low down on the rev's unless you are drag racing at every traffic light...

Sure it's nice to have torque on the mid range, but I have to say that the Rotary engine has come a long way since it first came out and it will get better and better..

[levensnevel]

I really love Mazda's RX8.
If, heaven forbids all Cheese Wedges would have disappeared from the face of the earth and I had to buy a brand new car she would be the undisputed #01 on my shortlist when it comes to daily runners. The engine will be OK as Mazda did win the LeMans 24hrs a few years back in a car with a rotary engine. Only the fuelconsumption is a bit above average I guess :fadein:

[oldsnail]

i love the RX8, at its price range. not many other manufacturers can touch what it offers..
its curves or the exterior and interior are so crisp and clean.
i havent driven one, but i bet i'll enjoy it when i do drive it.
esp the one with the slick 6 speed gearbox.

[Keessie20]

Sound of the engine isnt specteculair but the revs are !
Nice pice of enginering

[sickx]

Like the S2000, very little torque, and you have to rev it to its life to get any power. Not saying it's bad--depends on your driving style and personal preference. It would be fantastic on a track, but a bit cumbersome in day-to-day driving, where you realistically won't be cruising down the boulevard at 6K rpm, just to be in the sweet spot of the engine.

Regardless, Kudos to Mazda for sticking their necks out and being willing to be different--they have supported the rotary with all-out commitment!

[TeflonTron]

Originally Posted by brembo Originally Posted by TeflonTron I say it's a load of old Wankel. I cant agree with you on this one, this engine is named the engine of the year 2003 so a load of old wankel would be the wrong name for it in my opinion. http://www.ukintpress.com/engineoftheyear/ieoty.html check it out its not a bad engine, I think its great with light weight engines-cars. The engine is smooth as "mihai" wrote and this helps with the tourqe coming abit late in the rpm`s.

I personally think that the engine is very clever, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a cheap pun. The designer of the rotary engine was called Wankel, and "a load of old wank" is a saying here is England, so I merely combined the two for a cheap joke. Sorry.

[DMbaseball1604]

I like the idea of the engine I guess but I think the car itself is as ugly as sin so I would never buy one..but a lot of people like them so I guess thats a good thing.