Anybody  remember what the 3rd gen RX7 EPA mileage rating
was? Mazda is claiming the RX8 will come in at 18-19
city and 23-24 highway according to the Jan Motor Trend article.

Is this the 40% they claim?

Paul Lamar

Edmunds.com displays historical data on used cars. It quoted the 1993

RX-7

as having the following fuel economy:

EPA Mileage Estimates: (City/Highway)
  Manual: 17 mpg / 25 mpg

  Automatic: 18 mpg / 24 mpg

  Barry Gardner, Wheaton ,IL

Thanks Barry. As I suspected the improvement is mainly
in the city. No where near 40% however.

Paul Lamar

Brett & Tiana Campbell wrote:

Those numbers sound closer to the mileage I was getting with all three of my
1st gen rx7s, but those cars (12-A) were only 101hp. The rx8 is supposed to
produce about 250 hp, so in light of that, these figures sound like an
improvement.

A Porche Boxster is about the same weight and HP. Its numbers are
19 city 27 highway.

An Olds Aurora V8 250 HP 3800 pounds 18 city 26 highway. 15.7 #/HP

Nissan Maxima  V6 255 HP 3315 pounds 20 city 26 highway. 13 #/HP

Infiniti V6 255 HP 3400 pounds 20 city 26 highway 13.3 #/HP 
(sounds like a Maxima)

Looks like the RX8 is right in the ball park with a lot of 250 HP sedans
but the RX8 is 500 to 700 pounds lighter in weight.

Should be a real performer for a driver that knows enough
to step off the clutch at 9000 RPM :-)

Paul Lamar

The only car I have found so far other than the Boxster that weighs about 
2900 pounds and has about 250 HP is the cramped and noisy  Honda S2000 
sports car. 4 cyl 240 HP at 8300 RPM, 2896 pounds, 20 city 26 highway.
12.1 #/HP

It would be interesting to plot the power to weight ratio of
all cars over 2900 pounds or over 250 HP and compare the numbers. 
If anybody has the time to do that I would love to publish it.

The new Nissan 350Z weighs 3363 pounds and has 287 HP 11.71 #/HP.
20 city 28 highway. Only two passengers.

Mustang Mach 1 weighs 3471 pounds 305 HP 11.38 #/HP 17 city 25 highway.

The RX8 is 2933 pounds 250 HP  11.7 #/HP  18-19 city 23-24 highway.  

Since in road racing weight is a major factor the RX8 would clean
up unless it is handicapped severely. Knowing the SCCA that is 
highly likely. 

Paul Lamar
 
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