RX-8 !

http://carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/news/blankstory.asp?ID=5650

Some may argue that is not a good thing. The P76 won in 1973 :) (Good choice actually :p)

Cheers,
Hymee

Edit - fixed year for the Leyland to be 1973.

Oh shit... it really happened!!!

I am going to buy a bunch of the mag and hang it up on the wall!!1 :D

Looked through the list of finalists the other day, and it seemed to me the choice was the RX-8 or the 350Z … and we all know the answer there. :p

For those trying to get price breaks -- I wouldn't hold my breath :(

… and I notice they are featuring a Velocity Red car in the press material :D

I just knew you'd have to say it timbo * grin *

Takahashi, seek professional help about that magazine thing - it's getting out of hand * larf *

Mark, we should have taken money on it - 10:1 odds that the RX8 would pip the 350Z * grin *

Wonder if there are any bookies that offered odds on it?

I guess the local population is going to experience an influx - perhaps we'll have enought to organise an anual, national migration north to south and back * hmm *

--dez;

We all getting very excited isn't it... sure. If the picture is good. Sound like it would be a Velocity red... damn I will mount it professionally if a brillant black show up in the poster.!!! Certainly the cover will be on the wall ASA I got the mag!

I just realize I have 2 wheels COTY in my garage. The RX-8 and the barina - both are black :D

Here is my "old" wheels car of the year:

http://www.hymee.com/images/roadp76s.jpg
http://www.hymee.com/images/parkp76s.jpg

Cheers,
Hymee.

It was always going to be chosen (by always, I mean from looking at the 2003/2004 yearbook). They had about 8 motoring writers choose their top 5 cars for the year, and I think 5 or 6 chose the RX8. No other car got anywhere near as many nominations.

After coming back from the land of rum and pizza, and rejoining civilisation after driving the lancer hirecar for 2 weeks, having the RX8 to play with again is like having a brand new car again. You can easily forget how much fun it is, and how it can easily switch from docile pussycat to cheetah-on-the-hunt.

Hymee, are you going to do a "Hymee Black Plastic Rear Window Cover" for the RX-8. ;)

Ahh - the Aunger rear "Louvre". Hehehe

Sorry. I have seen one on a BG Astina (well the sexy ones with the pop-up headlights) and it looked shit. But they suited the Leyland quite well.

Cheers,
Hhymee.

Originally posted by Hymee
Here is my "old" wheels car of the year:.

One of the great features of the P76 was the ability to carry a 44 gallon drum in the boot -- closed. RX-8 is not quite as , er, spacious (thank goodness)

Lol... yeah, you need the louvres! :D

Cool! Glad to hear the 8 is getting awards all over the globe... it deserves it! :)

BTW Timbo... I visit the Oz forum all the time... it's one of my favs! :)

Originally posted by racerdave
BTW Timbo... I visit the Oz forum all the time... it's one of my favs! :)

Good stuff!! It must be the sun, beaches, beer and babes ;)

No Hymee Louvre then.. bummer for the Yellow owners... sure they would have liked one ;)

Lol Timbo... BTW, is that Avatar a pic of the cartoon "Tim Conway" from a Scooby Doo episode (or similar cartoon... can't remember for sure)??

Oz forum is great because you don't seem to have the "Fast and Furious" type of mental migets that the US has plenty of. :)

Plus, every Aussie I've ever met has been cool... :)

And, it's good to see Mark Webber and Troy Bayliss doing so well. They're tough competitors that are fun to watch.

Just went and picked up the Wheels magazine.

A bright yellow RX8 from above and front, in a dark alley with Xenon headlights blazing.

"Car ot the Year"
Bold Brilliant RX8.

Then, on the cover underneath the car :

"Close, but no Cigar!"
"The cars the RX-8 smoked ... and why"

(inside, the runners up were the Kluger, the Honda Accord Euro, and the Prius II)

Kluger must have been a shoe-in for "Worst car name of the year"

CAR OF THE YEAR .AWESOME .

IN 2001 when the Discontinued Nissan200sx won COTY car of the year sales jumped by 40% ASsoon as the award was published .

Hymee start churning out the Grills and the Hymee exhausts .

Resale values have just about been gauranteed to be better than before the announcement.

Kev , i heard that all the sales being made after the announcement have ordered RED .he he he.

Won the award , hey i should contact Wheels MAGAZINE and let them drive my car with the STAGE1 KIT .(INSTALLING IT TOMMOROW TOGETHER WITH HYMEE on wednesday 21st january .

Yes we will post results etc .(just send your checks to po box 888 rotary for further info..ha ha ha.

BY crikey i am excited .

Michael

Originally posted by racerdave
Lol Timbo... BTW, is that Avatar a pic of the cartoon …

Time for a new Avatar :cool:

this is a terrible news....
I will lose my bargaining power at the dealers =) hahahah
no, seriously, this is just awesome but somewhat expected~~ heheh
whooray to RX-8~
long live the ReX ^_^

Fantastic news! Congratulations to Mazda - a well deserved win!

As someone who ordered an RX-8 back in November - this award certainly confirms that I'm going to have quite a car on my hands in February...

It appears my work colleagues, friends and family are more excited than me.

Since around 2pm I've had 6 sms, 3 calls and 5 emails ....

Its great recognition for a great car but of course we all know that the real reward is getting to drive it !!

ZOOM .. ZOOM ... ZOOM !!!!!

The featured car RX00-8 is a dentist a few doors down from me. havent actually spoken to him, ever. Just never crossed paths.

He also drives a yellow porsche on daffodil day and has some other sportscar, or so the rumours go..

How the hell can dentists afford such a fine array of toys?????????

wow... COTY! now i feel good!
i might take the 8 out for a spin tomorrow.... :D

eric

hey speak for yourself mate... AMG I am sure you earn in 7 figure and driving and RX-7 and RX-8... oh I saw them last time didn't I?

certainly did, but a Porsche is a Porsche.

Even my mother-in-law rang my wife, to tell her to tell me...

Don't you just feel "so right" :)

It feels like "I" won the award. All my staff are ecstatic, and all my patients are saying "Hey, did you hear...." I just smile in approval.

It's been like that for me too! Got lots of congratulation sms and calls too.

Ps like your new avatar timbo!

Twice a WINNER i picked the RX8 as "Wheels Car Of The Year'.

And yellow lightining as the best colour for the RX8 .HA HA HA

Wheels Magazine featured the lightining yellow RX8 in 13 photos including one on the Front cover of wheels .

Kev , go and stamp your feet some more ................

michael

I noticed "The Age" (aka "The Spencer Street Soviet") played down the award to the RX-8 by emphasizing the higher ("V8") fuel consumption, comparing it to the Toyota Prius. The even gave time to the Toyota Oz CEO who said predictably "we wuz robbed". Of course, the tank-like Toyota Kluger was in the running too...

Actually, I think "The Age" has great environmental credentials. It makes a superb garden mulch.

Sounds like "The Age" gets a lot of Toyota advertising dollars.

Prius ... HA

I believe that the country is serious about fuel economy, and the environment in general, when we have a safe network of cycle ways and a driving code of conduct that respects cyclists.

Yes, I'm also happy if bike couriers get fined for riding on the footpath and running red lights - they should be registered too!

Well said!

Kev for PM

Written and spoken by Hymee for the RX8 Party, Australia.

Go for it Kev, but be careful making generalisations about the values of non-rotary drivers :D

I have been reading the magazine tonight. Funnily enough, I wasn't so much interested in what they had to say about our car, since I think that we had all come to the same sorts of conclusions that the Wheels judges made.

I have to say that if I had been looking at a "sports sedan" instead of a proper sports car, the new Honda Euro would have to be my pick. My impression is that after the Europeans fought back during the '90's, the Japanese have once again raised the bar, and their combinations of quality, performance and shear value for money makes you wonder why you'd ever look at BMW, Audi or Alfa in that class.

Gosh, there's so much excitement elsewhere in the forum, I thought I'd just mosey back here and report that since Wednesday's announcement, I have had a whole new round of stares, looks inquiries, nods, winks, waves and, of course, nosemarks on the windows when I've parked the car. :eek:

The most interesting and common comment is "You are so lucky to have that car" to which the only reply is" Yep, I sure am". :p :cool:

Yeah, got some long looks today from some guys in old Holden. Mohawks, tatts, arms hanging outside the windows. "Carjackers?" I thought. A person can't be too paranoid these days....

Yes, it did cross my mind that sometimes attention has adverse consequences....

Originally posted by labrat
I have been reading the magazine tonight. Funnily enough, I wasn't so much interested in what they had to say about our car, since I think that we had all come to the same sorts of conclusions that the Wheels judges made.

I have to say that if I had been looking at a "sports sedan" instead of a proper sports car, the new Honda Euro would have to be my pick. My impression is that after the Europeans fought back during the '90's, the Japanese have once again raised the bar, and their combinations of quality, performance and shear value for money makes you wonder why you'd ever look at BMW, Audi or Alfa in that class.

Our mazda 6 is every bit as solid as the audi 80 avante we had before it, and about $35K cheaper. We looked at the euro at the same time as the 6 ... the A pillar on the euro was too prominent for me to fee comfortable in the car, plus the driver seating was short on headroom for me.

I'd like the honda engine in the mazda though :(

When I told all my friends back in May last year that I was putting down a deposit for a car that I hadn't even seen let alone driven, some had there doubts. Now I feel vindicated.

Hooray for the RX-8, and all of us that knew it was a winner before we even saw one!

I'm expereincing the same reactions with stop and stares even more frequent that before (if thats possible).
The coach of an NRL team questioned me about the car earlier tonight too - I guess he likes winning!!!
So when will Mazda send us our stickers???????

COTY04 - who got that one ???