Obviously the answer probably isn't as cut and dried as I'd like it to be, but lets assume both cars have equal upgrades. ie, if one has a turbo the other does too.

Which car is faster?

I'm in an ongoing debate with another person and they keep claiming that if they turbo charged their 5 they would be able to smoke my stock 8, even if I also added a charger. He's also got carbon fiber hood and hatch, cold air and did a cat back.

the protege 5 could not or would not compete with an rx8 .... plain and simple.

if he upgraded the engine BIGTIME and transmission...anything is possible....lmao

lets start from the stock vs stock, the 8 has 240hp, the 5 has 130hp. If he turboes it it may come in at the stock hp of the 8. You slap the same turbo on the 8 that you just put on the 5 and you have another 110+hp gap, it's just that simple. They're both very close in weight, the 8 is lower and more aerodynamic. the 8 is rwd the 5 is fwd. Simply put the 8 just outclasses the 5 in ever category. He'd be lucky to beat a stock 8 in a turbo 5.

for drag purpose, it just matters how much money u put into either car. for track and road course, 8 is much better platform to work with. rwd vs fwd, 8 is more balanced and has stiffer chassy.