Where the RX-8 isn't too practical is in the ride. The R3 is equipped with Bilstein dampers and a sport-tuned suspension with a urethane-foam filled front crossmember; these are not ingredients for a comfortable ride. Perhaps our roads are to blame, but man was it rough. I felt like my spine was being compressed a good 2 inches every time I hit a crease in the road. While it makes for fantastic cornering, daily driving tends to get tiresome.
However, once you hit the open highway, or any stretch of open road, you'll forget all about your sore backside. You might think the 1.3L engine couldn't possibly deliver enough power to enjoy behind the wheel, but then you probably haven't experienced the responsiveness of a RENESIS rotary engine, especially when the revs increase.
The engine delivers its 232 hp in a surprisingly linear fashion. Nothing much happens at first but as the engine's speed rises, so does the 13B's urgency and eagerness to go ever faster. The fury of the twin rotors will carry all the way to the 9,000 redline, with the 6-speed manual transmission. I swear, at 9k rpm, the RX-8 sounds like a surface-to-air missile.
The noise will keep you coming back for more. Thanks to dual exhaust pipes and the high-revving bi-rotor engine, your RX-8 will make its place known on the road with a symphony of fantastic gurgles and growls.
Where the RX-8 falls rather short is in fuel consumption. Despite the small displacement engine, I still managed to burn through a surprising amount of gas throughout the week and averaged around 14.5 L/100km - not the best numbers! But it was so much fun to drive, that I didn't care how many times I had to stop at the pumps.
With a starting price of $41,995 MSRP, the Mazda RX-8 R3 is actually cheaper than the GT version which comes with the automatic transmission and less-powerful engine (at 212 hp) and doesn't feature all the fancy exterior extras that the R3 sports.
Despite being a sportscar, the RX-8 R3 can be quite a practical car, and perhaps that's why I let it slip into the many memory files in my mind. While it is a fantastic car to drive, and one of my favourites I think, I file it away with all the other fun-to-drive-everyday cars instead of the fun-to-drive-in-a-wild-way sportscars which are few and far between.
You'll be feeling rambunctious, racy and rowdy behind the wheel of the R3 (much better than the 3 Rs we grew up memorizing...), which makes this ride a winner in my books.
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| You might think the 1.3L engine couldn't possibly deliver enough power to enjoy behind the wheel, but then you probably haven't experienced the responsiveness of a RENESIS rotary engine. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |
However, once you hit the open highway, or any stretch of open road, you'll forget all about your sore backside. You might think the 1.3L engine couldn't possibly deliver enough power to enjoy behind the wheel, but then you probably haven't experienced the responsiveness of a RENESIS rotary engine, especially when the revs increase.
The engine delivers its 232 hp in a surprisingly linear fashion. Nothing much happens at first but as the engine's speed rises, so does the 13B's urgency and eagerness to go ever faster. The fury of the twin rotors will carry all the way to the 9,000 redline, with the 6-speed manual transmission. I swear, at 9k rpm, the RX-8 sounds like a surface-to-air missile.
The noise will keep you coming back for more. Thanks to dual exhaust pipes and the high-revving bi-rotor engine, your RX-8 will make its place known on the road with a symphony of fantastic gurgles and growls.
Where the RX-8 falls rather short is in fuel consumption. Despite the small displacement engine, I still managed to burn through a surprising amount of gas throughout the week and averaged around 14.5 L/100km - not the best numbers! But it was so much fun to drive, that I didn't care how many times I had to stop at the pumps.
With a starting price of $41,995 MSRP, the Mazda RX-8 R3 is actually cheaper than the GT version which comes with the automatic transmission and less-powerful engine (at 212 hp) and doesn't feature all the fancy exterior extras that the R3 sports.
Despite being a sportscar, the RX-8 R3 can be quite a practical car, and perhaps that's why I let it slip into the many memory files in my mind. While it is a fantastic car to drive, and one of my favourites I think, I file it away with all the other fun-to-drive-everyday cars instead of the fun-to-drive-in-a-wild-way sportscars which are few and far between.
You'll be feeling rambunctious, racy and rowdy behind the wheel of the R3 (much better than the 3 Rs we grew up memorizing...), which makes this ride a winner in my books.
 |
| With a starting price of $41,995 MSRP, the Mazda RX-8 R3 is actually cheaper than the GT version which comes with the automatic transmission and less-powerful engine (at 212 hp). (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |
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