[zebra]

as for my opinion on the RX8...

i've driven 2 of them & loved it! it handles so well - very balanced and smooth weight transitions. the manual mode for the auto was a little disappointing. it's only a four speed (or at least that model was), the idea of not lifting off the gas was a bit weird. the 6-speed stick, however, was awesome. it has a pretty short throw & is very tight. clutch was pretty comfortable & easy to feel. the steering has little play & the car turns on a dime. that rotary engine is something else. it'll wind right up & is pretty responsive from the mid-range RPMs & up. interior is nice & controls are easy to access. seats are really comfortable.

some things i didn't like are the fact that there wasn't a lot of room for my size 13 skis, but it was acceptable (much better than a miata). also, it's pretty bad on gas. i also hear you gotta watch the oil level because rotaries use it like a mug. rear & 3/4 visibility is hampered by the high back end, but it wasn't too much of a problem for me. (i'm used to suburbans & excursions that you can't see crap around there)

overall, i'd like to have one, but not as a daily driver.
hope that helped