RX8 gets the Axe
08-22-11, 05:38 PM
#1
RX8 gets the Axe
http://www.egmcartech.com/2011/08/22...lly-gets-axed/
I honestly am not surprised. Especially after seeing how low sales where and basically a 50% decrease in sales since 2 years ago? Yikes!
I think Mazda can (And will) build a better car in its place.
I honestly am not surprised. Especially after seeing how low sales where and basically a 50% decrease in sales since 2 years ago? Yikes!
I think Mazda can (And will) build a better car in its place.
08-22-11, 07:09 PM
#3
RX-8 was a very nice car.......but it was no where close to the legendary RX-7 FD, plus there's just too many other that outpeform it......its stock NA rotary just not enough......300+ HP seem to be the new standard
08-22-11, 08:43 PM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
Rotary-engined sports cars have never been about maximum straight-line performance....they just don't have that much torque, even with turbos. The RX-7 twin-turbo of the early-mid 90s owed much of what acceleration it had to low weight, not torque. Give it the 300+ HP you suggest, and it still probably wouldn't make that much difference, because that added HP wouldn't necessarily translate into that much added torque (which is necessary for acceleration).
RX-7s and RX-8s, both, however, DO handle...their road-manners are superb, even by sports-car standards. The ultra-light rotary engines up front, especially set back towards the firewall like they are, yield almost perfect front/rear weight-balance and a low center of gravity.
The ultra-low weight and instant steering-response of that superb-handling 90's vintage RX-7, however, came at a price......lightweight aluminum underbody parts that sometimes bent or broke when driving over sharp bumps and potholes. The lack of sound insulation and tinny sheet-metal (which kept the weight down) also meant a LOT of road/tire and wind-noise,
The Mazda rotary engines, though, both turbo and non-turbo, even after the hard-starting/flooding characteristics of the older ones were addressed, still have two big problems......they go through both gas and oil faster than Lindsay Lohan goes through hooch-bottles. They are also not known for particularly good long-term reliability, especially the rotary-tip-apex-seals, which correspond to the piston rings in a conventional gas/diesel engine.
Last edited by mmarshall; 08-22-11 at 08:56 PM.
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08-23-11, 08:00 PM
#8
Pole Position
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The Mazda rotary engines, though, both turbo and non-turbo, even after the hard-starting/flooding characteristics of the older ones were addressed, still have two big problems......they go through both gas and oil faster than Lindsay Lohan goes through hooch-bottles. They are also not known for particularly good long-term reliability, especially the rotary-tip-apex-seals, which correspond to the piston rings in a conventional gas/diesel engine.[/QUOTE]
Man, you're not kidding about the oil. I had a 1975 RX-7 GL and I had to add about a quart of oil a month. Still a blast to drive though.
Man, you're not kidding about the oil. I had a 1975 RX-7 GL and I had to add about a quart of oil a month. Still a blast to drive though.
08-23-11, 09:58 PM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
It was a bit of a sales dud from day one. I still remember when people found out the car were not putting down as much power as the manufacturer stated and they were pissed. I like the neutral handling and relative light weight but we need more torque to hang with competitors like the G37, Mustang V6, Camaro V6, 350/370 Z,etc. I am looking forward to the next generation. I am assuming they are going to stick with rotary .
08-24-11, 06:15 AM
#12
Lexus Champion
08-24-11, 06:24 AM
#13
Lexus Champion
i was never an rx-7 guy so i never cared for this car. i went and drove it when it came out and it was a huge disappointment for me... wasn't a true enthusiast car as the FD was..
