I haven't...we showed it the back end of a 99 SS Camaro.

 

RX-7 has what 232hp vs 287hp and the torque ratio is even worse I believe. I don't recall the weights but I doubt any of them will hit 13's with those specs. The s2k is lighter I think and has 240hp, and with a very good driver can punch a 13.8-9 run. Average person, 14.1-14.4. Don't think they will be matched like the hay day rx-7tt/z32tt/supratt days where a little tuning could make a world of difference.

 

350z spanks the rx8

some guys on another 350z website have spanked a bunch of rx8's...
I wouldnt consider them a beast next to the 350z. I pass by a mazda dealership on the way to work, and I see a bunch of them parked out in front. I guess they aren't selling too well?

 

Re: 350Z Sales Have Slowed Also

I agree that the RX-8 is not selling too well, but the Nissan dealers in my area are not moving a lot of 350Z's either. I go past Troncalli Nissan and Performance Nissan twice a day and the same 350Z's are always parked in the same place. I stopped by Troncalli two weeks ago while driving my wife's Maxima. I just wanted to check out the differences between my 03 and the new 04 model. When I walked over to the cars I realized that half of them were un-sold 03 models. I didn't tell the salesman that I already own an 03 model. In fact, I really did not need his assistance because I only planned to stay for a few minutes. As I walked from car to car, the salesman told me that I could not drive the car unless they ran a credit application. This came as quite a shock because I didn't even ask him to unlock the car, let alone take one for a spin. I asked him if that policy also applied to the 03 models and he said "yes". At that point I basically told him that he and his dealership could kiss my ass. If they are pulling that crap with all of their potential customers then I can see why they are not moving cars.

 

Re: 350Z Sales Have Slowed Also

I agree, Atlanta Nissan dealers are treating the Zs like if they were brand new 911s. I can only imagine how they'll treat Skyline (if it makes it to the US) customers? Probably full background checks!!!

 

I raced an RX8 in my Z last weekend. I was out hanging out at the local cruise spot and there was also an RX8 hanging out there as well. I went to leave and he saw me heading out so he got behind me and we were first and second at the left hand turn light. When the light turned I kept it in first and got in the right lane so we could line it up and he got next to me but didn't seem to take the bait. I thought he didn't want to run so I put it in 2nd and I hear him nail it. He got a little jump on me and I was at 3000 rpm in 2nd so I wasn't really in the powerband, but by the top of 2nd I got a little bit past him and pulled a little more in 3rd before I shut it down. We went down the road a bit more and I held it in 2nd and this time it was a bit more fair. We both punched it at roughly the same time and I easily pulled a car from him in 2nd and if I would have kept on it in 3rd it would have been a full fledged raping.
I know the car was broken in since I talked to him two weeks earlier and asked him to run but he said he didn't want to until it was broken in. The outcome was about what I expected and with equal drivers the Z should take an RX8 pretty easily.

 

COME ON! The RX8 is a glorified Saturn sedan. They look like a sedan, they drive like a sedan, they even sport the Saturn tricked out door of a sedan. I weep for Mazda these days, to think that the RX8 is the descendent of the once admirable RX7's that you could put against a Z any day.

Why not ask if anyone has raced a Kia Sophia next time.

 

RX8 is not selling well because, there is a major buy-back process underway.

The car has less h.p. than advertised. Owners are given the choice of $500.00 or Mazda will buy back their RX8 for the price they paid.

 

s2000, rx8 etc are decent if u look at the numbers but in real situations u need a smooth powerband and torque early to race.... these cars are wimpy cars overtuned to get these hp numbers.... u need such high rpms to get any decent torque that it isnt practical in a race.... 350z in the other hand has excellent powerband and bags of torque too... and lets not forget excellent handling... even if rx8 or s2000 has similar hp.... its not going to give you the punch that u need time and time again without flooring the gas every turn

 

Says something that the Mazda "sedan" undercuts the 350Z(X)'s "sports car"'s weight by 300 lb., and has better weight distribution! If you say it drives like a sedan, you haven't driven one. BTW, the RX-8 is NOT intended to be a new RX-7.

The RX-8s aren't selling at all at the dealerships I've been to, and the sticker has apparently gone down(?). Looked at one w/ leather and 6-spd 2 months ago, sticker was just under $35k. Last week I looked at another w/ leather and 6-spd, sticker was $31,xxx.

More's the pity they're not selling, as now Mazda may think twice about bringing us a new RX-7, which they've been openly considering.

 

Weak performance and ugly looks makes it hard to justify $30,000.

 

awwwww... c'mon, the 350Z isn't THAT ugly ;-)

Just kidding, if I were to dump my S2000 (and get another 2 seater) the 350 is the car I would get (hardtop... they missed on the cvt.).

Of course my wife wants me to dump the S2000 and get something that seats 4... I looked at the RX8 (and test drove it)... it is ok. I would actually consider it if it was priced in the $24-$27K range... $30k+ is just not worth it.

 

the 350z should have no problem killing the RX-8...

even with the "inflated" numbers Mazda first put out, the 350z still gets the nod. now that mazda has admitted that their numbers were b.s., the 350z shouldn't have any problems.

mazda's buyback claims that they overestimated by only 5% on the horsepower, but looking at the RX-8 forums, the members there are dynoing their cars at 170 and 180 rwhp. seems like a little more than just 5% to me.

 

Dan,
Good point about Mazda considering the forthcoming Rotary replacement sports car (the renderings show the car to well designed). You have to wonder then why Mazda didn't bring the RX7 replacement first (maybe they needed some real world test development miles on the new Renesis engine before installing it into a "sports car") and then making the RX8 to replace the Mazda 6.
Who knows what Mazda is up to?
Maybe they should have installed the new engine in a Miata which would have given them a challenger for the Honda S2000.

 

Re: 350Z Sales Have Slowed Also

> Atlanta Nissan dealers are treating the Zs like if they were brand new 911s

The irony about this many inexpensive car dealers treat their sports cars differently than expensive car dealers. This was noticeable when I bought relatively recently.

On one hand:

1. Chevrolet balked at letting me test drive a Corvette, making a huge deal about it! They claimed they would only let me drive one if I put money down. They finally relented, but the whole experience was ridiculous.

2. BMW wouldn't even let me test drive a regular 3-series after I put money down on an M3. I eventually cancelled my order (but that's another story)

3. 1 Nissan dealership was making a huge deal about allowing me to test drive a Z. Where I bought the Z, they were great about letting me test drive.

On the other end of the spectrum:

1. Porsche was happy to let me test drive a Boxster and a 911 Carrera. I was indifferent on the Boxster, but the Carrera was great!

2. Mercedes let me test drive an SLK as many times as I wanted. They just tossed the keys to me and let me drive it all day if I wanted to. I ended up buying the SLK, but I sold it because it was so unreliable.

3. Volvo tossed me the keys to a T5 (their twin turbo sedan) to drive without a sales person, but I think that's because we were buying my wife's V40 at the time and they were giddy about the sale.

 

The month Rx-8 was due to hit the showroom I called up the 2 local mazda dealers to see what day they would get there and if I could drive one (the only reason they have ANY appeal over the Z is the joke back seat as opposed to no backseat/crappy hatchspace) Both dealers told me NO WAY/NO HOW I could possibly get one of these cars cause the demand was too great....... after a couple drive bys one dealer has like 8 on the lot and the other dealer has like 6..... sold out my ass.... Glad I got a Z

 

It is a mystery why Mazda introduced the RX8 the way it currently is. I think they were trying to come up with something to counter the new 350Z. They certainly got a lot of magazine buzz, but the car is just too weird for me. Why do they need a back seat? You can't fit anyone into it and it just adds weight to the car, not to mention the rear door doesn't add to the sports car look. They should have come out with the new RX-7 instead. A light two seater with more horsepower. The Z rules.