Well said. People "here" don't seem to take Mazda seriously even though they have an illustrious sports car racing heritage. Mazda 6's beat up on the various Acuras in the speed GT series. Those who fine the RX8 ugly most also not like their S2000.

 

Simple answer = s2k is better

 

I dislike the rx8 and I have spent a lot of seat time in there. I like the gauge cluster more and the fact the radio controls are on the steering wheel just like the M3 but thats about it.......and the sound of the engine lol. The shifter feels like its too far back, it's not that comfy to shift. The engines blow up when it gets too hot, don't try to argue with me either because I am on the rx8 forums and that is one of the major problems. In the winter the engine floods. The hassle is just too much for it not being a supercar.......I would understand if it was a lamborghini though lol

 

The price? Supply greater than demand maybe? I don't know..
It is an attractive car to me tho.
I test drove one several months ago, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Not that nimble compared to an S, but the chassis felt good and I liked the shifter as well.
Oh, and I just LOVE that engine whine!
Honestly I'd even consider buying one if it had more power and better mileage.

Dan

 

Sorry, those were Cobalt SS, not Cavaliers. They were disqualified for being too loud. From what I saw in that race, they were a lot faster than other cars. The Cobalt SS Stage 3 makes 260HP and 260lbs. Blueprint engines are allowed in T3. They could have enormous power advantage over the RX8s and S2000s. GM races Cobalt in many venues, including WTCC. This show that factory support can turn an otherwise cheaper car into a superior track car.

Mazda also race RX8 and many of its other cars, as others have point out.

As far as I know, all racing S2000s are privateers. If you want to get support from Honda, you need to get one of those Type-R cars.

IMHO, RX8s are not substandard on the track or strip. It is a good thing that they are more affordable. A lot of time we don't appreciate the great cars we got until they are a few years out-of-production.

 

Dude, I understand people respecting RX8 but that comment is just fcked up man. Hardtop s2k mistaken as RX8? That comment gives me nothing except an urge sincerely ask you to tell whoever said that to get a laser eye surgery. How does some retard mistaking s2k as RX8 make RX8 not ugly? Now I don't mean to bash RX8 anymore but in terms of look and reliability, a lot of people can't stand it.



btw for that dependability list, I didn't know buick and cadillac were that dependable...

 

the rx8 isn't a bad car, probably not exactly the supercar most people were expecting, but still an overall decent car. jeremey clarkson from top gear rated the rx-8 as the BEST car he has tested all year in it's introductory year. in that episode, he praised the rx-8 for it's superb handling and overal versatility. looks-wise, i'll agree with most on here that it isn't the prettiest car in the lot. but it does offer an extra set of doors and seats, a much much smoother engine (thank the rotary design for that), and excellent excellent handling. if not for the horrendous gas mileage (thank the rotary design again for that), the rx-8 is in fact a very similar car to the s2000.

i think a lot of people bash the rx-8 for it's performance (straight line, acceleration) because they believe it is supposed to somehow be a sucessor to the FD rx-7. keep in mind, that was a twin-turbo rotary. the mileage was just as bad as the rx-8, and reliability was worse due to the twin-turbo design. if you take the rx-8 for what it was designed to be (not a sucessor to the FD), then it is actually quite a bargain. still wouldn't take it over the s2000 though.

 

That was just really funny!

 

Man, lots of horribly misguiding and ignorant responses here (and also some great ones).

The RX-8 can be bought at similar discounts to the S2000, sometimes more (a local guy bought one for nearly $10K off sticker), so they're definitely cheaper (on average) to buy. The lends itself to higher depreciation as well.

The RX-8 handles extremely well. I actually prefer it to a Miata and S2000 in some ways but regardless, it's a very capable car. It's not as quick as an S2000 in a straight line but I'll bet most of you could actually drive the RX-8 quicker through the corners because it's a little easier to drive fast. I also prefer the RX-8 brakes over the S2000, though actual capability is about the same. The RX-8 has a great shifter, light clutch, and quick steering.

In short, the RX-8 is a great little car that offers twice the functionality of the S2000 for slightly less money at the expense of some fuel and a few less turned heads.

Still, it's a sports car. You're not buying it for fuel efficiency (I hope), so really the only knock against it is that it's a bit slower in a straight line and potentially a little less reliable.

Based on some of the responses, I wonder how many on here have even tracked or done autocross in an RX-8... I'll bet it's around 5%.

 

I can't believe we have people still arguing over this topic. lol