Rotary Car Club - View Single Post - Turbo on RX-8

Chibana · 08-11-2009, 01:47 PM

While I can agree that compared to older rotary powered vehicles the RX-8 is heavy, this isn't a fair comparison. All modern cars are heavy. Compared to almost any other car you could compare it too, the RX-8 is lighter, sometimes by several hundred pounds. I think Mazda did a good job in keeping it's weight under control when so many other performance cars and supposed sports cars are pushing 3500 or more pounds. Hell, the new Camaro is what, 3900 lbs. with the V8? Even with the V6 it's still over 3800 lbs., I think. I'm all for a smaller, lighter 16x powered car for the next generation, but then again, I may not fit in such a car (the MX-5 was out for me for just that reason).

Having said that, I'm curious as to why the RENESIS is not as good at producing higher power numbers as older Wankels. As far as I can tell, it's the side exhaust port configuration, resulting in that 90 degree bend in the exhaust path. Are there other issues?

08-11-2009, 01:47 PM	#103
Chibana The Michigan "WANKEL" Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lansing, MI, USA Posts: 61 Rep Power: 17	While I can agree that compared to older rotary powered vehicles the RX-8 is heavy, this isn't a fair comparison. All modern cars are heavy. Compared to almost any other car you could compare it too, the RX-8 is lighter, sometimes by several hundred pounds. I think Mazda did a good job in keeping it's weight under control when so many other performance cars and supposed sports cars are pushing 3500 or more pounds. Hell, the new Camaro is what, 3900 lbs. with the V8? Even with the V6 it's still over 3800 lbs., I think. I'm all for a smaller, lighter 16x powered car for the next generation, but then again, I may not fit in such a car (the MX-5 was out for me for just that reason). Having said that, I'm curious as to why the RENESIS is not as good at producing higher power numbers as older Wankels. As far as I can tell, it's the side exhaust port configuration, resulting in that 90 degree bend in the exhaust path. Are there other issues? __________________ 2005 Winning Blue Mazda3s 4-door 2009 Sparkling Black Mica RX-8 GT http://www.mattharrell.net/personal/cars.html Last edited by Chibana; 08-11-2009 at 01:51 PM.