MazdaSpeed RX-8

In the next year or so I'll be in the market for a new car, and I have my favorites and the RX-8 is one of my favorites. Still while I love the look and all-around performance of the car, I still wish it had more power. So when I heard about the mazdaspeed RX-8, I started drolling. I figuered since all other mazdaspeed versions such as the miata and protege had turbos, I figured this would be the case for the RX-8 also. But in some early reports on the car it seemed more and more, like Mazda was going to concentrate more on the handling and look of the car, and not address the power issue, is this case? Or will the MazdaSpeed RX-8 have a turbo and/or more power? I figure for me to buy a RX-8 over an EVO, STI, or 350Z it would need to make atleast 270HP, do you think Mazda will do that?

From what Ive heard they will probably only work on the suspension of the car but in the next few years they will probably add more power.

yea from what i have seen handling seems to be the main area of concentration, but I have heard about an exaust system that would post between 8-15hp gain... not 270 but might get mazda back up to that originally posted 250hp mark

From what i have seen, Mazdaspeed is concentrating more on the suspension and the look of the car. Depending on what trim you would get on the 350z you would be better off getting the Mazdaspeed RX-8 and purchasing a turbo and putting one in it with the money you would save on the 350z( for example if you got the track trim on the 350z it would cost 34k you would have 2 or 3 k left over to buy a fairly good turbo kit) and also the new MazdaSpeed RX-8 has 250 HP so just add a new exhaust close to what the other guy was talking about and it will put you at 165 at most which is close to the 270 you were talking about :evillol:

It is hard to judge between the 350Z and the RX-8. I would choose the Z for it's look and, somehow, straight line performance! But I rather have a rotary engine since it's smoother, has higher RPM, and a neat 1.3L engine! You can download their Top Gear from any P2P program aJust to make you decide better.

-- Good luck.

PS: They both had the same finishing time in the lap test. Something about 1min 38sec.

Its more like a 2.6 liter, but thats a totally different debate.

I wouldnt bother putting an exhaust on there, from what i've heard people have seen power decreases. The factory exhaust is great until you Turbo

i chaged my exhaust from my rx-8 and it is a difrence,a small one but there is.i race my mazda here in romania and i am pleased.of course i want more power but for the moment there is no one who can make the electronics for this cars. i gain fron the exhaust about 10 hp but i chaged the whole sistem from back to the catalyctic converter.the dealer from mazda told me thea i will lose the warranty if i changed the catalyctic converter but but with those things down i will gain 25 hp so friends with the exhaust 10hp and the k&n typchoon air filter 9.5 hp there is aditional power.but i need more ,and i descoverd turbo for rx8 but the price is verry hight $6250.http://www.speedforceracing.com/index.php
so we can hope for some engine electronics.

I'd take (and probably am sometime in the future :)) the 8 over the Z. Much more practical, better looking, it'll out handle it, the Z sounds choked, feels porky, and higher redlines are more fun.

And i'd take better handling over straightline speed anyday. The RX has enough straightline speed, you can only go so fast (unless its a dedicated track car) but taking a corner requires more skill and feels better IMO.