Which car? Your opinions please

[veejayy]

So let's say you can't get a Lotus (reasons I won't go into here) and you don't want a Porsche or exotic or bike.

Out of the following cars which one would give me even a small part of Lotus experience. (talking about feel and fun factor

Miata with upgrade suspension
s2000 cr
RX-8 or if you driven it RX-8 R3 version


(I have driven Exige and admit that nothing else is even close but I face tradeoffs so try to be gentle in your comments).

thx

[aschen]

Id get a mazda speed miata or an s2k. RX-8 gets very poor gas milage and has a few idiosycracies.... I wouldent bother with the CR unless you gan get a good deal or are trying to win A-stock autocross national......

[LARRY]

Get a used Mazda RX-7 or a Porsche 914.

Cheap and a blast to drive (big fun factor in each).

I owned both and they are sort of like the Lotus experience...but nothing is a Lotus except a Lotus.

[LARRY]

And you can always turn that RX-7 into this...

"With its Muscular Silhouette and Gleaming Rotary Power could this be The Ultimate RX-7?
By Evan Griffey

Being impressive means making an impression. Whether you are a fan of performance or aesthetics, making an impression comes down to the fine details. Paying attention to the details and being precise and deliberate about the building and tuning of an engine can be the difference between respectable power and a ground-breaking performance. Style-wise, checking the fine print when addressing paint and polish as well as dreaming up modifications and treatments that have rarely, if ever, been seen help elevate status. A problem with such intense concentration is that it can lead to tunnel vision where a single aspect is scrutinized exclusively. Performance dominates and style doesn't even get a second or third thought, or style is prevalent, but there is nothing under the hood but road dust. True visionaries are able to focus on all aspects while keeping their quality standards high. There are less than a dozen of these elite tuner/fabricators out there and Alex Chen of SP Engineering is definitely part of the club. Over the past two or three years, we have featured many of his creations in these pages. Including Andrew Chu's wicked RX-7, he has landed two covers in 2001 and this is only the eighth issue. Why is this? His street cars make big power while looking like museum pieces.

It is a given that one cannot be an expert at everything. This is true with Chen. When it comes to bodywork, he finds someone with similar high standards. He has a few avenues to pursue, but for the RX-7, he enlisted the skills of Kevin Blakely. Blakely had a hill to climb; the Mazda was slated to wear crazy eye-popping R.E. Amemiya flared body armor. The kit was so finely molded onto the car, it looked like sheetmetal stamped at the factory. The transitions between kit and car are seamless and the wild Lambo orange paint was applied so carefully it looks like the Mazda is still wet.

The Mazda's sparkling 13B illustrates that the engine bay is where Alex and SP are most at home. The list of polished pieces is a long one with some of the more notables being the radiator and mounting bracket, GReddy intake plenum, piping, alternator, catch cans, turbo shield and, of course, the twin turbo system. The weapon of choice is a package featuring twin 2835R GT series turbos with .61 A/R compressor housings and 56-trim compressor wheels. HKS Racing wastegates and a Blitz i-D SBC controller rope in boost to a conservative 19 psi. A custom 3.25-inch SP downpipe ensures the turbos can spool to their heart's content, while a Blitz front-mount intercooler puts the chill on the charge.

Fuel enrichment is handled by a Cosmo in-tank pump, -6 Earl's lines, a custom fuel rail and SX regulator. The staged fuel injection set-up consists of 850cc primaries backed by two 720cc secondaries, all controlled by a HKS AIC. The stock ECU is still the main engine management component, but it has been ROM-tuned by SP Engineering for maximum efficiency. On the spark side, an HKS Twin Power amplifier boosts current to a set of NGK plugs by way of Ultra wires. SP's Jason Reinholdt grafted the fuel and ignition components into place.

Power meets pavement through the stock Mazda gearbox, an O.S. Giken clutch and flywheel combination, a carbon fiber driveshaft and a trick Japan-spec R.E. Amemiya rear-end with a 3.73:1 gear ratio. G-forces are subdued by a Tein coil-over system. Tein Circuit Master RA Type suspension system. The Tein system consists of four shocks, four main springs, four helper springs, spacer spring seats, thrust washers, bumper cushions, dust boots, upper pillow ball mounts, height measuring gauge and damping adjustment tool. The dampers are aluminum bodied mono-tube designs that utilize large diameter piston rods and big piston valves and feature 16 points of adjustment. Racing Beat bars add further stabilization to the suspension, which sees a good deal of g-load when the proper conditions present themselves. Brembo four-piston calipers put the bite on big drilled rotors, enhancing Chu's confidence when heading into a hairy apex or panic stopping in traffic. With the labor-intensive body tuning performed on the Mazda, upgraded brakes are excellent insurance policies.

Chu's RX-7 will be tuned as a driver delivering its power at a conservative 19-psi.

[Timmah]

I've been a fan of the s2k since it came out.

[Vulcan Grey]

Early S2k with glass rear window... fairly racy feeling
I like them, though I am too tall. Smallest two seater Honda interior ever! Knees smashed into dash.

I can stretch out in Del Sol, Crx, NSX, Insight, Elise. And the S2k is even a bit worse than my Esprit. Not sure why they made the S2k so small inside.

[407Driver]

Find a good Miata and update the stuff you want. It aint no Lotus but probably the best a car I ever owned.

[fitfan]

i like the rx-8....

[skibum]

S2000 - Hands down. Nice power & handling, modern looks, & tons of aftermarket. I am on my second s2k and the car is a blast. Plus you can get a 2004 s2k for 17k.

[RelativePants]

Miata

[jhnmdahl]

Another vote for the Miata. They're inexpensive, there are tons of parts and upgrades available, and it's as close to the Elise as you'll find "on the cheap" other than a kart. You should at least take one for a test drive before making up your mind. Good luck,

John

[...m...]

...mx5...

[polojcp]

Miata would be my choice.

[RacyTracy]

I had an S2000 before my Elise and LOVED it, I often wish I still had it.....I don't have any experience with the others.

[RichS]

Miata.

Having been in plenty of cars I can honestly say that the Miata is the best bang for the buck in streetable cars that exists. I think the Lotus is actually the second best because of the cost differential - it is more fun than the Miata, but it is not twice as much fun as a Miata even though it costs about twice what a Miata costs.

[cadfael_tex]

Mini Cooper - will handle a lot better than either the miata or the s2000 and can get setup just about anyway you like it.

[RichS]

Hmmm....

I know that a Mini Cooper can be a lot of fun, but that's the first time I've ever heard anyone say that it handles better than a Miata. The Miata is quite good, but I've not personally driven a Mini Cooper in anger. Have you done both?

[RelativePants]

The BMW Mini Coopers are front wheel drive. I'm assuming you would want rear wheel drive

[veejayy]

thx very much for your replies.

[aschen]

Originally Posted by cadfael_tex

Mini Cooper - will handle a lot better than either the miata or the s2000 and can get setup just about anyway you like it.

while mini coopers handle well for fwd, they are light years behind an s2000. s2000 rules A stock in autocross. Mini coopers rules G stock (many classes lower). Even with hoosiers, low hp, and LSD inside wheel traction is an issue..

MR-S is another good choice but I dont think it makes much sense over a miata. There are so many practical advantages to owning a miata that come from it being the best selling sports car in history...