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I'm emphatically NOT an RX-8 (or -7) hater.
But the engine makes too many major sacrifices and give far too little in terms of benefits. Is it small? Yes. Is it lightweight? Not as much as some would like to think. In an era of 3300 lb. Zs, 3000 lb for the RX-8 isn't bad, but then the S2000 is 150-250 lb. lighter. And the FR-S/BRZ is 200-300 lb. lighter. I doubt that their engines are much heavier than the Renesis.
I love high-revving engines. I daily-drive a 9000rpm S2000. But that car gets me 27mpg on average for my commute, where an RX-8 with less power would get me 22 at best.
Not being able to turn the car off immediately without flooding isn't "user error", it's just another drawback to the rotary. As is oil consumption. And shortish expected lifetime.
Rotaries are neat, but the RX-8 would have been better served with an engine like the F20C/F22C in the S2000. IMHO of course...
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