Car and Driver
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,510
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From: Santa Cruz, CA
Re: Re: Car and Driver
Originally posted by Mrsideways
I talked to the editor of a magazine that had recently driven the Rx-8 and I asked him what he tought of it next to a 350z (he was a Z guy by the way) He felt the 350 lacked the Sports car feel that it needed when compared to the Rx-8. In his opinion the Rx-8 dispite lacking power (compared to the Z) would be a far more competetive car. It wouldn't surprise me that the Rx-8 won dispite loosing all the tests simply because it is probably the sportiest of all the cars there. It was also the lightest car there. Track laps mean nothing as that can be very driver bias. I let people run laps in my S2000 and they run slower then they do in their own cars which are often family sedans. Does that mean that a Maxima is a faster autox car then an S2000. Nope, it means that their driving style is more suited towards their own car. I can tell you i'm not very impressed with the driving i've seen from these magazines, So think of it like this. If they come into every corner grind to a complete hault and punch it for every straight away then of course the mustange is going to win. It's the fastest in a straight line. Alot can also have to do with tires. What tires were the cars on. I garantee you if you put Coper Cobras on a Z06 it would get out laped by a Kia on Race rubber (maybe a bit to much, but just catch my drift please). IMHO after seeing how competeive the Rx-7 has been and Knowing mazda's ability to set up really great handling cars I would be willing to say that if the Drivers were talanted and had enough time to maximize each car and the tires were even on all cars the Rx-8 would win around the track hands down (as long as the straight wasn't extremely long). Now you never know maybe mazda blew it on the suspension with this car but I highly doubt it after talking to people who have driven it. Look at mazda's recent cars. Mazdaspeed protege is an glorfied econobox that a 350z owner on this board openly admitted handled better then his 350. The Rx-7 will still on occasion beat a Z06 at autoxs in SS. Infact it's one of the few cars to be left in the same class as the Z06 even the E46 M3 was moved because it can't compete. For some reason mazda makes cars that when driven right will really put in some hot lap times.
I talked to the editor of a magazine that had recently driven the Rx-8 and I asked him what he tought of it next to a 350z (he was a Z guy by the way) He felt the 350 lacked the Sports car feel that it needed when compared to the Rx-8. In his opinion the Rx-8 dispite lacking power (compared to the Z) would be a far more competetive car. It wouldn't surprise me that the Rx-8 won dispite loosing all the tests simply because it is probably the sportiest of all the cars there. It was also the lightest car there. Track laps mean nothing as that can be very driver bias. I let people run laps in my S2000 and they run slower then they do in their own cars which are often family sedans. Does that mean that a Maxima is a faster autox car then an S2000. Nope, it means that their driving style is more suited towards their own car. I can tell you i'm not very impressed with the driving i've seen from these magazines, So think of it like this. If they come into every corner grind to a complete hault and punch it for every straight away then of course the mustange is going to win. It's the fastest in a straight line. Alot can also have to do with tires. What tires were the cars on. I garantee you if you put Coper Cobras on a Z06 it would get out laped by a Kia on Race rubber (maybe a bit to much, but just catch my drift please). IMHO after seeing how competeive the Rx-7 has been and Knowing mazda's ability to set up really great handling cars I would be willing to say that if the Drivers were talanted and had enough time to maximize each car and the tires were even on all cars the Rx-8 would win around the track hands down (as long as the straight wasn't extremely long). Now you never know maybe mazda blew it on the suspension with this car but I highly doubt it after talking to people who have driven it. Look at mazda's recent cars. Mazdaspeed protege is an glorfied econobox that a 350z owner on this board openly admitted handled better then his 350. The Rx-7 will still on occasion beat a Z06 at autoxs in SS. Infact it's one of the few cars to be left in the same class as the Z06 even the E46 M3 was moved because it can't compete. For some reason mazda makes cars that when driven right will really put in some hot lap times.
.Also, the RX-8 I saw at Laguna had the same RE-040's that we have on the Z, but with 225's all around. I wonder if we put 225's all around on the Z (or 245's all around) how the balance would change? Maybe it would also feel more sporty because the back end would come around easier.
As far as money goes, I guess the argument can always be made that the mags put the most advertised vehicle in front, but I've never seen anything conclusive that suggests that. Since favorite cars are almost always based on pure subjective feel, it is practically impossible to just look at numbers and know which car is "better". One car might PERFORM better, but that doesn't mean it will FEEL better when you are driving it. Therefore, I will say again that, IMO, the outcome of the test is not really that important, but rather it is the impressions that are what make ther reviews worth reading. That way you can choose your own favorite based on how those impressions match your own tastes.
-D'oh!
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 224
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From: Peachtree City GA
Re: Re: Re: Car and Driver
All it boils down to is "oppinion" really...
and we Alllllllllllllllllllll know what they say about opinions....
drive whatcha like...and respect others for doing the same
period
and we Alllllllllllllllllllll know what they say about opinions....
drive whatcha like...and respect others for doing the same
period
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Richmond, VA
It boils down to Mazda payin for the crack the drivers were smokin at the time.
Car & Driver is full of ****, and it's only the second mag in my subscription so far. They basically rank the Rx8 at the top on fun to drive sportiness, but later in the same mag, they rate the nissan murano 10 or 10 on fun to drive but give the honda top honors. They could at least be consistent.
They also said the Rx8 was the harshest ride. Combined with the best braking of the 3, if that doesn't result in better lap times, then you can make one conclusion: The Rx8 is an inferior vehicle to either the Cobra or the G35c. Rx8 should be 3rd. 1 and 2 should go to preferences around luxury vs. raw power which is the real comparison here. The Rx8 is out of its league with these two cars, yet somehow C&D put it on top. Complete bias.
Car & Driver is full of ****, and it's only the second mag in my subscription so far. They basically rank the Rx8 at the top on fun to drive sportiness, but later in the same mag, they rate the nissan murano 10 or 10 on fun to drive but give the honda top honors. They could at least be consistent.
They also said the Rx8 was the harshest ride. Combined with the best braking of the 3, if that doesn't result in better lap times, then you can make one conclusion: The Rx8 is an inferior vehicle to either the Cobra or the G35c. Rx8 should be 3rd. 1 and 2 should go to preferences around luxury vs. raw power which is the real comparison here. The Rx8 is out of its league with these two cars, yet somehow C&D put it on top. Complete bias.
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