5.0L V8 vs Rx-8?

[maverick0716]

When's the last time you raced somebody by seeing how fast you could stop?

When you race somewhere that has sharp corners (for example an autocross event) you NEED good brakes. Acceleration isn't everything.

 

[Michael Yount]

drexebo - talk to people that actually race where you have to turn. WAY more passes are made with brakes than are ever made with HP....you've got some things to learn grasshopper.

 

[drexebo]

yeah... but the fox body mustang... or any mustang for that matter wouldn't really have been my first choice if I was interested in autocrossing. I'm sure you could make a pretty mean autocross mustang with thousands of dollars in your suspension... but it's way more fun seeing how fast you can get these babies going in a straight line!

 

[Sicarius428]

The rx8 is not a good 1/4 mile car. To get a good launch ive been told that you have to drop the clutch at 7K rpm. The 5.0 will have no contest on th 1/4 mile. Stick the rx8 in autocross which its his element, the 5.0 will loose.
Kevin

 

[maverick0716]

... but it's way more fun seeing how fast you can get these babies going in a straight line!

To you me and a lot of people, yes. But still, a whole lot of people also find autocrossing more fun than drag racing.

 

[Michael Yount]

....and I'm talking about road racing....you know, where you have to turn, stop, accelerate and have top end. With 30 or 40 other cars in close proximity trying to keep you from doing all that better than them. Often for an hour or two at at time.

 

[Ray III]

sounds like fun where do I sign up?

 

[Michael Yount]

I did my time for about 8 seasons in the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America). I was the SouthWest Division ITC champion in '89 and '91 racing a 1.6L 'hemi' (2TC) Toyota Corolla.

 

[shorty1993]

i am with Micheal, dragstrip the Stang has got it. but on any type of street course the RX8 will take control.

 

[Icepick]

People line up their cars at redlights all day long, but what percentage of people and what percentage of time are cars driven on autocross? Virtually never! RX8 = owned by 5.0

 

[Michael Yount]

Florida - land of straight (and flooded) roads. Here in east TN, we have these things called hills and mountains which cause the roads to actually have turns in them. In fact there's a section of Hwy. 129 called the Dragon that has 318 turns in 11 miles. At the motorcycle shop at the end of that stretch they sell tee shirts - "I rode the Dragon - 318 turns in 11 miles". They also sell tee shirts that say "Ride Florida - 11 turns in 318 miles". Yup - we use brakes and turn the car regularly in other parts of the world, and cars/motorcycles have actually been known to enter into contests to see just who can cover that kind of terrain more quickly - every day in fact. We're kind of annoyed by the stoplights as they interfere with our getting to the mountains.

 

[04sleeper]

Sounds like one of those roads you see in car commercials.

 

[Michael Yount]

People come from all over the country to ride that stretch of rode. Car & Driver picked it as one of their "10 Best" a few years back. During the summer, some motorcycle flies off it about once a day. I've helped 3 or 4 people get there bike back up from the bottom of some hillside over the past 8 years or so. Sometimes it's not pretty. You won't see too many tubbed cars with skinnies on the front there, if you get my 'drift'.

 

[Da pony]

Well, assuming the motor, trans, and driver all all equal, i would have to go w/ the rx8. This is due to the fact the rx8 is only 3000lbs compared to the 3200-3300lbs of the fox.

My Lx 5.0 has been weighed at 3100 pounds.
Nothing has been removed.

 

[shorty1993]

Florida - land of straight (and flooded) roads. Here in east TN, we have these things called hills and mountains which cause the roads to actually have turns in them. In fact there's a section of Hwy. 129 called the Dragon that has 318 turns in 11 miles. At the motorcycle shop at the end of that stretch they sell tee shirts - "I rode the Dragon - 318 turns in 11 miles". They also sell tee shirts that say "Ride Florida - 11 turns in 318 miles". Yup - we use brakes and turn the car regularly in other parts of the world, and cars/motorcycles have actually been known to enter into contests to see just who can cover that kind of terrain more quickly - every day in fact. We're kind of annoyed by the stoplights as they interfere with our getting to the mountains.

i am a member of the Bama Mafia and they have made several trips up there and love it. i didnt go last time cause i felt subframes and a brake upgrade would be beneficial before the trip. and they all came back with the shirts you were refering to.

 

[Icepick]

*MY* you're missing the point, you're not going to race up and down the mountain at least i hope you're not, and if you find me a hill to race a RX8 against he will get double owned, torque gets you moving uphill and they have ZERO!


p.s. My GT Vert weighs 3215.

p.p.s. Don't think i'm argueing with you, i appreciate your automotive knowledge i just disagree with you about the asskicking ability of the RX8.

 

[88POSLX]

I've never seen such a pathetic show as that RX-8. I had the local Mazda dealership owner's son pull beside me at a light. He was reving like crazy for the launch. When I launch on the street I come out just off idle and hammer it, my car doesn't spin at all. By the time I was going for third he was well back in the rearview.

 

[Zombietime]

Some of you guys really need to do some research before posting...


RX8 according to Edmunds.com

Exterior
Length: 174.3 in. Width: 69.7 in.
Height: 52.8 in. Wheel Base: 106.4 in.
Ground Clearance: 5.3 in.
Interior
Front Head Room: 38.2 in. Front Shoulder Room: 54.8 in.
Rear Head Room: 36.8 in. Rear Shoulder Room: 53.2 in.
Front Leg Room: 42.7 in. Rear Leg Room: 32.3 in.
Luggage Capacity: 7.6 cu. ft. Maximum Cargo Capacity: 8 cu. ft.
Maximum Seating: 4

Performance Data
Performance
Base Engine Size: 1.3 liters Base Engine Type: Rotary
Horsepower: 238 hp Max Horsepower: 8500 rpm
Torque: 159 ft-lbs. Max Torque: 5500 rpm
Drive Type: RWD

Fuel Data
Fuel
Fuel Tank Capacity: 15.9 gal.
EPA Mileage Estimates: (City/Highway)
Manual: 18 mpg / 24 mpg
Range in Miles: (City/Highway)
Manual: 286.2 mi. / 381.6 mi.

 

[Michael Yount]

Icepick - I understand your point completely. I don't think you understand that just as you "play" at the lights on the public roads (I hope you're not racing! ), other people on other types of roads in other types of cars play. And on those roads, the other attributes of the car come into play. And down, or even up the mountain, the Rx8 will walk away from a fox body 5.0L -- the handling is FAR superior. The twistier the road, the more the advantage. Just because there aren't straight roads and stoplights doesn't mean that people don't want to test the performance envelope of the car. And they do it just as often as you do from light to light.

 

[Ray III]

I love driving down twisty roads. I usually have to drive ~25% slower with a mustang than I would with most other cars though. Of course I love fox mustangs so when I get my hands on a good project car I will be fiddling with the suspension some.

Is it true the Mustang II had double wishbone front suspension?