Mazda's Secret Fighter

[Replica]

An MSP with some work is still just a Protege sedan with some work. The RX-8 is still a sports car.

A 4 door sports car? Hmm...

 

[KpaBap]

It is faster than 2 2-door sports cars. Yeah, I'd call it a sports car. You can nibble at the details all you want, I haven't the time.

 

[warrier04]

im sure a group of mazda engineers could get more power out of a s/c renesis if they wanted to.

quote from article:
"Some of us feel that the stock Renesis rotary's character is too much like that of Honda's VTEC-equipped engine, where it needs a big handful of revs to realize max horsepower. Mazda's dissenting crew of engineers thought so too, so they bolted a supercharger to the 2-rotor Wankel. Now, not only does the rotary retain its robust top end, it gets a hearty helping of mid-range too. The Eaton blower feeds off air forced through an intercooler, mounted atop the engine, hence the hood scoop. Mazda officials would not allow us to disclose particulars of the size and location of the supercharger, but it's definitely there, evidenced by how the car behaves on the road."

isn't the wankel the older rx engine? and the renesis the newer one?

 

[Dexter]

Wankel is the guy who made the rotary engine

 

[shaolin]

Yes, all rotaries are wankels...thank Dr. Felix Wankel for that...a German engineer.

This car was supercharged to get more midrange power. READ: useable power.

There's several turbocharged 8's running around, and I have a deposit on a greddy kit, but I'm having second thoughts...I may get a supercharger instead. The turbo cars make higher peak power, and pull slightly faster quarter mile times, but I'm more concerned with useable power and corner exit. The supercharger is more instantaneous...

By the way, the Greddy equipped 8's have been making 240-250 whp at 5 psi. Not bad if you ask me. A little tuning and I'm sure 300 whp is attainable...

 

[Pretzellogic]

<--- humping the screen.

 

[JOS3]

Seriously...did no one read the 3rd page? It lapped Willow Springs faster than a Boxter S and the 350Z. You can't have it both ways. Balance is the key to a truely amazing street car.

i thought i was the only one who read that this is by far, the nicest rx-8 i have seen yet.

 

[goku4658]

the new hotness!

 

[AZDriftR]

sweeeet!

 

[EviLMaN]

they prob didnt have the sc Pushing super hard too so u can prob up it a lil lol

 

[Super Matty P]

"The horsepower of the revitalized rotary is estimated at 275 bhp, with 200 lb.-ft. of torque peaking at about 5500"


so from 238bhp to 275bhp with an intercooled supercharger...a gain of 37bhp....maybe I should go work for Mazdaspeed and give them a little help?? I love the RX8 and anything that can be done to give it some extra grunt in the low-range is fine by me but NOT for Mazda likes to charge for MS cars.

 

[Mr. Win]

excellent...

 

[shaolin]

Seriously...did no one read the 3rd page? It lapped Willow Springs faster than a Boxter S and the 350Z. You can't have it both ways. Balance is the key to a truely amazing street car.

This is no surprise. The stock car got the same time as an M3 around the top gear track. The suspension and chassis is what you can thank for that, and this is an even more potent version.

But it is true, Mazda is going to want alot for this car IF it comes out. Much better off building your own RX-8 unless you're concerned with warranty.

 

[Super Matty P]

yeah, I don't see why anyone would pay the $5-7K premium for this MS-RX8 when they can buy a $25K RX8 (base) and a $3600 Greddyt turbo kit and make 50whp more. Personally I'm waiting to pick up an RX8 when I see them hit sub-$20K range.

p.s. love that graphic in your sig, shaolin

 

[Mr. Win]

if it handles like a porsche then the cost seems justified to me.

 

[Dexter]

its not a production vehicle and its not a "mazdaspeed" vehicle either. its not for sale and they dont have to please anyone.

 

[vindication]

yes, they have to please me, everyone has to please me (bj)

 

[Super Matty P]

the article I read mentioned that it came out of the Mazdaspeed facility and they were told it WAS a MS vehicle. Maybe I misread something.

 

[vindication]

you might have missread. it's just a feeler car. but they might turn it into a MS vehicle, but they dont say in this article.

The Project RX-8 is the brainchild of a few hard-core engineers who were curious to gauge the RX-8's true potential. They wondered, as we did, if and how the car's power, handling and appearance could be improved.

Let's hope the brass at Mazda realizes that their engineers are onto something with the Project RX-8 and sets out to develop a car along these lines (perhaps with the Mazdaspeed RX-8 or the next-generation model).

 

[anarchistchiken]

Wow, looks great, yay for mid range power.... but I didn't realize that beating a 350Z around the track was cause for huge celebration. I mean I know they're fast and they're one of my favorite cars, but wasn't the rx-8 designed and build to compete with them? I'm not trying to down the 8 at all, cause I love it and would gladly buy one to have factory insured FI and new suspension and that uber-sex body kit, etc. But at the amount of money they put inot it, I would hope thay could claim to be able to beat something more potent than a 350Z and a poor mans porsche.