RX-8 tunning potential

[Razor1973]

Audi S4 owner here, but seriously considering the RX-8.

I was wondering what the tuning potential for this car is, based on the previous RX-7. Not sure if the rotary engine is tune-friendly.

Specifically I'm thinking chip for starters. Will they be available? Will they offer large gains? Will they be overly expensive?

TIA![/SIZE=3]

 

[p5sundevil]

Well I know they are planning a release of a mazdaspeed version of the rx-8. So there is definately tuning potential there and there definately will be an aftermarket of at least mazdaspeed competition parts. As of right now I dont think a Whole lot is going to be availble since they just came out in other countries and america still has a few weeks to go before they hit dealers.

I know autoexe already has a body kit deisgned for it that looks really really nice.

And figuring on it being a rotary and redlining at 9grand I know it can handle a little boost. I just dont know how much, Im think a few people are gonna have to blow the egnine to find out but I would think it should be able to handle 4 or 5 hundred hp.

I am going to keep my p5 for 2or3 yrs and wait for the mazdaspeed version to come out. Then Ill get mine =)

 

[LinuxRacr]

Accually they are already at dealers and on the road.

 

[REMillers]

Yep passed a black on in Northern VA today was very nice to see it driving down the street.

Can't wait to see what parts come out for it.

 

[sundevilMP5]

yeah they've already hit the dealers....i was at camelback mazda yesterday and they have three available (hopefully if my buddy is willing it will be down to 2)...anyways the guy was an idiot and didn't know squat about rotaries but he was doing a good job trying...don't try when you have two rx7 owners there...lol

anyways as far as tuning goes...the future looks good...as of now the only plans for mazdaspeed are the bodykit which is already available through some shops...no performance upgrades from mazdaspeed yet or from what i've heard none have been planned...as said before autoexe already has a kit and i'm sure more on the way...

my buddy just told me that an rx7 guru is gonna be opening a dedicated race shop/team for the rx8 here in az...he's hoping to make it to speedvision series next season...so i think the performance tuning is coming on strong

 

[AustinG]

hey Razor1973, what kind of A4 do you have? i'm thinking about getting a 1.8T. do you have any issues with it?

 

[Jeph]

Rotary=no pistons

 

[Razor1973]

hey Razor1973, what kind of A4 do you have? i'm thinking about getting a 1.8T. do you have any issues with it?

I have an S4, not an A4. That's a 2.7L Twin Turbo, quattro AWD system, 6-speed, sport-tuned suspension, blah... blah... blah...

The 1.8T has great tuning potential too, if that's something you're looking into.

They're nice cars, especially if you get quattro.

 

[Razor1973]

Chips usually only offer LARGE gains on some turbo cars, like your Audi... and I guess some automatic cars like older GM cars and GM trucks, because the chip modifies the shift points and things like that. I doubt you would see large gains from only a chip modification to an engine like the RX8 rotary, since its already pretty highly tuned from the factory. A chip for it would be more to tune the car after OTHER mods are applied, like I hear a lot of guys with turbo kits on thier P5's want or are using.

But I did read an article in Road and Track where they interviewed the chief engineer for the RX8, and he distictly mentioned that they built the car with the intention of supporting tuners who would develop turbo and supercharger kits for it, thereby allowing owners who wanted more power an easy path to getting it. I have never seen a manufacturer openly welcome heavy modification, so it was cool to hear Mazda supporting our industry. And, it also tells me that they might have engineered the engine to handle a lot of bolt-on power gains without having to swap pistons or other internals.

Great feedback. Thanks!

 

[ZoomZoomH]

And, it also tells me that they might have engineered the engine to handle a lot of bolt-on power gains without having to swap pistons or other internals.

they don't have to swap pistons or other internals, because THERE ARE NONE!!!!

 

[Jeph]

Hell yeah, i want to see any other car put over 200 horses out of a 1.3 liter engine. Thats sick

 

[kakarot]

I'm sure it will take while for tuning support to show up. It is a completely new engine and it will take people a while to learn what they can do with it. I've seen several magazine articles say that Mazda IS planning a turbo system for the Mazdaspeed version. I've also read that HKS is already working on a turbo kit for the RX8. I'm sure once the aftermarket learns the in's and out's of the car there will be TONS of aftermarket support. With the history of the RX7, i don't see why this car will be any different. Just a matter of time.

 

[EXA4DRIVER]

hey Razor1973, what kind of A4 do you have? i'm thinking about getting a 1.8T. do you have any issues with it?

I had an A4 1.8T before I got the P5. Great tuning potential. Plethora of aftermarket products.

 

[AustinG]

Yeah that's why i'm getting the A4, the 1.8 has 150 hp but with a 400 dollar stage 1 mod chip i can get 210 hp, with exhaust and intake. now i'm up to about 218, then i can always upgrade the turbo. That bets getting a turbo for a mp3 and blow my motor!

 

[DrPhill]

i saw 3 rx8's at sunnyvale mazda today(woowoo) badass shizer

 

[YuYuRena]

Well the new rx8 has different porting design than rx7. they also shift the exhaust port from peripheral to side so that makes it interesting in how people would tune the car. As far as internal goes. the equivalent of replacing pistons in rotary would be apex seals. Those are the first thing to go. If you want, I slap a turbo on that baby.

As far as engine goes, it's totally different than a piston engine, well maybe except 2 stroke, cuz they both share the same method of opening "valve" (ports) Rotary have no vibration due to it's inherent rotating design (if the rotor is balance). Therefore you can rev that baby high, actually really really high, but then your seals would go and you get chatter marks. But the rotary won't break like in piston with a broken rod or wrist pins destroyed.

Audi S4 and the new rs6 are great cars, but for the rest of the audi lineup, I think they're worthless. I think of them as more expensive VW. Quattro system is legendary, but I think Audi relies on it too much as for chassis control and vehicle dynamic for their commerical cars. And i'm glad you're switching, but you might miss that low end grunt that S4 gives you if you switch to rx8. But it revs so fast you wouldn't even notice it