I just found this interesting site on the Gas Guzzler Tax and how this might affect our beloved 8!

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/26/4064.html

and all this money is going where, i wonder?

Sounds crazy ! Anyway the 8 shouldn't fall under that law according to EPA estimates on paper tag

But it would if my assumptions are correct...The average MPG of the RX-8 would be roughly 20 MPG, if you average the city with highway milage...that means that we'd have to pay at least an extra grand...

EVERYBODY VOTE THIS DOWN!!!!

sorry, I might be wrong average is 21

Can't vote something down that has been public law for at leat 10-20 years. This tax would be added to the sticker price along with standard(?) processing fees and sales taxes to be paid when taking delivery.

As the law says, ''fuel economy' means the average number of miles traveled by an automobile per gallon of gasoline (or equivalent amount of other fuel) consumed, as determined by the EPA." That's what shown on the sticker, not what we're actually getting on the road. In that sense, I guess we can be glad Mazda overstated the mpg.

Yeah if the EPA found out that we were averaging 16-18 mpg then we would be paying an extra 3 grand for our cars!

Well, they wouldn't come after us for the money, but maybe new buyers. And I think they would be a little p.o'd at Mazda.

This tax has been around a long time. The purpose of the Gas Guzzler Tax was to discourage the production and purchase of fuel inefficient vehicles. The tax is paid by the manufacturer, but is disclosed on the automobile's window sticker since manufacturers attempt to pass it on the consumer.

The tax is based on a combined EPA MPG figure, calculated as follows:

(1/(.495/city MPG + .351/highway MPG))+.15

So... since the sticker on the MT RX-8 is 18/24, the calculation is:

(1/(.495/18 + .351/24)) + .15 =

23.88

Since 23.88 is more than 22.5, $0 Gas Guzzler Tax.

Thanks for the wonderful info on the guzzler tax...this is yet another reason the RX-8 is better than an M3...well, maybe one.

this has been discussed before on the site. The RX-8 barely makes it.
The Mustang Cobra is one mpg to low and you pay $1000 (?) tax on it.

I learnt from that other thread that if the car weighs over 6000 pounds, the law doesn't apply. That's why the new hummer weighs just a bit over 6000 pounds.. hence no such tax at all, in spite of it's thirst (7 mpg?)

The gas guzzler tax is right, but they should revise it that those H2 owners get to pay their $7000 tax.

Gas Guzzler tax does not apply to light trucks, and SUV's.

Well they should consider adopting a gas guzzler's tax to SUV's and trucks as well. Basically lowering the cost for cars and adding a little for SUV's. It's freaking ridiculous that a small car can be taxed a grand when a Exursion weights double the weight of a Mustang Cobra, and drinks double that in gasoline. MOST OF THE TIME THEY ARE DRIVEN BY A WOMAN TALKING ON A CELL PHONE IN ONE HAND AND HOLDING A CUP OF STARBUCK'S COFFEE IN THE OTHER!

I totaly agree with you....

I heard the new GTO got slapped with a pretty large tax....