Had my 1st test drive on Monday (thanks Roy) & this is the first time I've had access to computer since!!

Took the wife along & now think that she is more excited than me!!:)

Drove a red high power with red black leather:-

WHAT A RELIEF:eek: I love the red/black interior, i had agonised over this option before ordering as i thought it looked a little garish in the photo's that i had seen. However in the flesh it looks great, even the two tone steering wheel.

The only colours at the dealers were red and silver. Must say I agree with what most people say about the red. It was half in sun & half out & what a difference the sun makes. Have still to see a black in the flesh but am happy to read KEFs comments!!

Test drive:

Me & wife in front & salesman in the back out onto nearby dual carriageway. A brief wait in convenient layby to let local jam sandwhich get out of range let me calm down & take in a bit of the interioir detail & play with the bose. Very well laid out & quality finish & the brief listen to the bose seemed fine.

Anyway radio off, indicator on, right foot floored HOLY SH!T what a fantastic noise & in STEREO too :D :D

My fuel economy is going to be totally abysmal because that noise is just addictive (am having withdrawal symptoms now!!)

Anyway had a bit of a play down dual carriageway to local town dodging the speed cameras when salesman suggested an alternative road back. Single carrigeway with a few twisties again confirmed what has already been talked about by others; rock solid.

The got stuck behind a Jag 3.0 S-type following a waggon & got tucked up ready to overtake. This must have slightly upset him because couple of mins later hit a small stretch of dual carriageway & he floored it. Well so did I!!:D

Was admiring how smooth the pull was & thinking must be going about 80ish when a quite, ever so polite, voice from the back said "excuse me but we are now travelling at XXXmph" (actual figures hidden to protect the not-so innocent!!)

OH MY GOD!! Super stable & very very license losing:cool: :cool:

Another reason I really loved this test drive is that my wife NEVER ONCE told me to slow down as she felt completely safe. BONUS POINTS to Mazda.

Was very sad to have to take it back to the garage Oh well only 4 weeks to wait.

I know that there's nothing new in the review but was so blown away just wanted to share my excitement.:D :D :D

I am excited for you...when you floor it - there is nothing better. Recently drove a 147GTA to 7,000 rpm - close, but no cigar...

rich606,

Not wishing to hijack your post but it seemed an appropriate place to confirm and agree with your appraisal.

Arrived at showroom ten minutes early.
Velocity Red on display in showroom for looking only.
Wait while the dealers demo car is cleaned, as the boss took it home last evening. Another Velocity Red HP with SatNav and red/black leather.
Started test drive at 10.20am.
Completed test drive by 10.45am
Signed paperwork and paid deposit (Still only a grand) 11.00am
Still on cloud nine at 5.50pm, anyone got any tranquilizers.

I seriously cannot add anything constructive to the already glowing reports of test drives that others have made. Smooooooooth in every respect from the gear change, acceleration, braking, cornering all appear effortless and controlled. Suprised a couple of unsuspecting fellow road users as this thing whistled past them, and I do mean whistled.

This car floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee (even sounds a bit like one, if you use your imagination) and packs a mean punch. As for lack of torque I dropped revs to a minimum in the higher gears and there was no stutter at all. OK it did not take off like a rocket but it was certainly respectable and started from a standstill in third gear without a tremor and without my slipping the clutch, just a few extra revs and that was'nt difficult.

All the superlatives you guys have been extolling over the previous weeks and months have been understated. When I first saw the car I was overwhelmed by it's presence, having now driven it I am totally in LUST with the car.

Wife persuaded me that at my age I should have grown out of 'boys toys' and so let her talk me out of Red or Yellow and have had to settle for the more subtle Winning Blue, with leather, no sun roof on account of my bald spot and no SatNav, on the basis that if I do not know the route I can spend more time driving around trying to find the correct way.

Seriously though I will be spending what I save, by not having SatNav, on all the other bits I want for this car. And before I get flamed for lining Mazda's coffers, this car is cheap and well spec'd compared to a lot of others I have considered and for supply and fitting, the accesories are really not that expensive. There I've convinced myself.

Thanks for all of those who have contributed to the forums and for pointing me in the direction of the RX-8, and sorry if I upset any of you by telling you that I have been told I can probably expect delivery before Xmas. Apparently because of the success of the sales so far, (now over 2000 and climbing??) Mazda have supposedly ramped up production of UK cars in order to get showroom stock to dealers. Then the salesman hedged his bets and said latest January. Now that has a familiar ring to it.

I just hope Santa does not let me down, I really have been such a good boy.

Had my test drive yesterday in a silver, the dealer also had a tit. grey in the back along with my black. Gotta say the black is absolutely stonking, def the best of this trio. Apparently the dealer sold three more black cars during the weekend after showing them mine!!
The other two looked great also, just that mine looked even greater
:D