For those who haven't seen these old photos of the RX-8's lineage...

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Nice pics HIX8, I like the mirrors and rims on the Evolv. Where are the door handles to?

Is that a Japan 8? The back windows are different from those on the US models.

Best I can gather is that these were taken ~Jan2000, possibly in Irvine, CA near (at?) the Mazda Design studios. I seem to recall that this was from the RX-EVOLVs first exposure in North America.

(Someone may want to jump in with better info.)

It looks to me that the door handles are there. Just hard to see.

Here's a different photo of the RX-EVOLV that gives a better view of the flush door handle design.

(I have no idea why they designed an external rear door handle if the front had to be opened first.)

I don't mean to be ignorant but I still can't see the handles. It looks more like a reflection to me but I do see something resembling a door handle... I need new glasses

The handle design on the RX-EVOLV was the type that springs flush. All you can see of them is the outline of the spring panel.

Maybe you can see them better in this photo of the purple EVOLV...

i3man:
Is that a Japan 8? The back windows are different from those on the US models.

Lots more than just the windows are different. My understanding is that the entire roofline (and wheelbase) of the EVOLV was changed for the RX-8 to make it more sleek looking at the expense of rear knee/headroom.

OH! I see it now, thanks HIX8. Gee I must be going blind or something lol I thought at first maybe the RX-Evolv had voice recognition or remote doors lol ...now that would be cool ;)

I'm not too excited about either door handle design, actually (EVOLV/8). I thought that the 2nd Gen 7s had a nice balance of form/function, and with remote unlocking I don't know why the designers of the 8 didn't erase the keyhole off the design.

Yeah, a mechanical door opener would have been sweet. The first time I got into a car with one of these was in 1985 (left rear door on a Tokyo taxicab). So freaky cool. But here we are a couple of decades later and were still using keys that get grinded!

If I worked for Mazda Design I would spec something like a USB2 thumbdrive key that carried my MP3s and whatnot.

Elaborating on door handle issues...

RX-EVOLV handles looks nice and clean, but they fall way short in function. My experience with flush handles is that they feel extremely awkward, like my finger joints are going to get stuck in the door or something.

RX-8 handles seem to be designed with the philosophy that the handles are a work of art in and of themselves. I belong to the school of thought that there are certain parts of a car that attention doesn't need to be drawn to.

Maybe some day I'll get bold enough to take a hacksaw to the doors of my 8 and make them more like the ones my trusty RX-7 had. No, I'm not talking 3rd Gen RX-7 here. I don't want to contort my wrists if I happen to reach for the door with the wrong hand.

RX-7 2nd Gen work great for me. They look fairly clean. I can open the door with either hand. No big deal that I need to go palm up. I'll take a clean looking door for that "sacrifice" any day.



(Mazda, I hope you're listening.)

...but I must say that I'm ecstatic that we didn't get 350Z door handles!

good thing they changed the design, that thing is ugly :(

They could have kept the slit in the front, installed a red beacon that slewed from side to side and called it the "Mazda Cylon":

http://webhome.idirect.com/~tk421/cyEYEgif.gif

Ha!

Actually, I fell in love with the RX-EVOLV from the first moment I saw it on the cover of the Jan(?) 2000 Automobile Magazine (I was in an airport).

I've been a die hard rotary driver since '86 and the kids were getting too big for the RX-7's back seat. Mazda's new sports car came along at the perfect time for me. I thought the EVOLV was one of the most beautiful four-seaters ever designed. Improvements for the 8's design were quite the bonus.

I'm glad they came to the final body style we have now. If it was to be left as the EVOLV i would not have bought it.

those are pics from when the Southern California RX-7 club went to see the RX-Evolv at the R&D center in Irvine.

I have the complete series of photos myself. -- I will post them as soon as I find them.

**found -

goto www.mazdasportscarstampede.com/familyaffair

or

to view the originals (not resized) goto www.mazdasportscarstampede.com/familyaffair/rx-evolv

oh yeah and it was my mistake.. it was the So-Cal Miata club not the RX-7 Club.

RX-Evolv nice. The rear window goes back way too far tho. I like the front lights, wonder why they didn't end up using them.

Just FYI but the Evolv had rear door handles because the orginal design called for true suicide doors that were independant from the fronts. Also the front lights did not meet DOT standards for height and had to be changed. Overall the RX-8 is a prettier package than the Evolv, but not as distinctive.

Keith, thanks for the full set of pix!

I like the idea of fueling through the trunk hatch. With a pipe going to the top corner and having an adequate splash guard and runoff channel, I don't see why this couldn't be done for production.


Matt, actual suicide doors?!

These might have helped stopping distance by using them as speed brakes! But I certainly wouldn't want suicide doors in my car. Perhaps Mazda did some smart design where the rear door latches were activated only when the car was stopped.


Back to the family photos...

The RX-8 has been out for many months and I have yet to see a good photo of one next to all three 7s (let alone a Cosmo, etc). The only I've seen is this one display at Sevenstock:

I liked the side-mirrors on the Evolv, pretty trick. Nice pics.

Originally posted by HIX8
Keith, thanks for the full set of pix!

The RX-8 has been out for many months and I have yet to see a good photo of one next to all three 7s (let alone a Cosmo, etc). The only I've seen is this one display at Sevenstock:

no problem, in the immortal words of 'The Terminator', "I have detailed files" :) (over 5 GB of RX-related crap on my PC) anyhow, if your interested in comparing the lineup, come out to our next club meeting on the 6th. I am sure we can arrange a 1st gen, 2nd gen, 3rd gen RX-7 and a RX-8 to line up in a myriad of poses for your shutterbugging pleasure.

DrKillJoY:
no problem, in the immortal words of 'The Terminator', "I have detailed files" :) (over 5 GB of RX-related crap on my PC) anyhow, if your interested in comparing the lineup, come out to our next club meeting on the 6th. I am sure we can arrange a 1st gen, 2nd gen, 3rd gen RX-7 and a RX-8 to line up in a myriad of poses for your shutterbugging pleasure.

I'd like to see that. Count me in.

:)

you have been counted.

Love the pics!