Unfortunately for some, the RX-8 will not be available in Snow Flake White Pearl in Australia, not that it will affect any of you guys.

For those who are interested, The Australian RX-8 model will have:
4 versions: 4sp Auto-154kw-222Nm
4sp Auto with leather (translates to GT package)
6sp Manual-184kw-216Nm
6sp Manual with leather package.

Fuel capacity 61 Litres
Features standard on non-pussy 6sp Manual with leather(GT) package
18 inch alloys
ABS with EBD
DSC
LSD (for the hippies I guess)
Cruise control
Driver + passsenger airbags
side and curtain airbags
6 disc CD player
Leather
Xenon headlamps
Fog lights
BOSE
Power drivers seat
Aluminium pedals
Colours for all models:
V/Red L/Yellow W/Blue N/Green S/Silver T/Grey B/Black

Unfortunately for me and my dad, no word on the heated seats or moonroof, but there is a little note at the bottom of the brochure that specification, accessories and model features may change without notice so here's hoping!

Does anyone have any idea what the options will be on the 8 in Oz?

From what I can gather from articles read - sat nav is out because of compatibility issues and the moon roof option is also a no go.

If this is the case, firstly, I'm extremely disappointed Mazda has shafted the Australian market by offering less than the overseas product.

Secondly, why is there sat nav system incompatible with Australia - it's not as if other cars on the roads here don't have sat nav systems?

Thirdly, why deny us the moon roof option - surely there couldn't be a technical reason for this ala the sat nav system?

Any info or thoughts appreciated.

Originally posted by dueckes
...If this is the case, firstly, I'm extremely disappointed Mazda has shafted the Australian market by offering less than the overseas product... Hey, you guys get factory backed turbo Miatas, don't complain ;) ...Secondly, why is there sat nav system incompatible with Australia... Because all of the maps are shown upside down South of the equator ;) ...Thirdly, why deny us the moon roof option - surely there couldn't be a technical reason for this ala the sat nav system? All the bad, worn out Southern Hemisphere jokes aside, I assume that moonroofs/sunroofs are available in other new Japanese makes, correct? Is the sunroof in the Mazda6 available in Australia too (it's basically the same size with the same mechanicals)?

---jps

Dammit... i was dreaming of a kitted white RX-8 with black rims.... arg... maybe i'll go the black on black or white wheels....hehe... what color u guys deciding on?

Moonroof would've been nice.... got one in my 320i and it doesn't seem to take any extra room...??

1. Moonroof is out because it's impractical due to the reduced cabin space, trust me, I asked. I'm short by the way so that pisses me off.

2. Heated seats impractical due to climate, trust me, I asked. Anyone been to melbourne in the middle of winter at 9am in the morning?

3. Sat nav, I dunno, I know my way around anyway.

4. US gets higher output engine option, more KW, by the way, Aus has 1 person per square Km.

5.No-one cars about MX-5's. MX-5's are gay, and while you're in this forum, you will call them MX-5's not Miata's.

Does anyone know how much it costs to import a Jap. or US spec from Japan. Maz Aus cannot help with personal imports, trust me I asked.

I do feel cheated by Mazda Australia. I mean, I'm 15 so I see things differently to the rest of you, Why can't Japan release just the US spec ( the best in my opinion) and let the dealers in Aus and wherever else to talk to Mazda Aus or wherever, and order say 20 US fully loaded red etc, 10 black manual w/ sat nav and whatever? Seems stupid to me.

Heated seats and sat nav should be options.... they are on bmws. As is the moonroof.

US gets higher spec engine? Where u read that? i'm pretty sure it's the same one coming to Aus.... Aus/Jap spec (engine wise) finally seem to be the same for once i think...?

"Due on sale in Australia on July 1 at a competitive $56,170 after making its domestic debut at next month's Melbourne motor show, the stylish new coupe-like four-seater heralds a golden new era in rotary motivation from Mazda and an entirely new and daring approach to practical sports car packaging."

"Describing the RX-8 - the third new mainstream model in Mazda's millennium plan - as the only true exotic car priced under $60,000, Mazda Australia has thrown a curve ball the way of Nissan, which will begin deliveries of its 350Z coupe in February at a starting price of $59,990, with top-shelf versions stretching to $67,790."

"Interestingly, however, while the 1320kg RX-8 packs 184kW in manual form, the more expensive auto version makes do with a more breathless 154kW iteration of the new Renesis twin-rotor engine, and it's also the sole powerplant available in some unfortunate countries.

As such, Mazda Australia expects the majority of RX-8 sales - expected to number between 980 and 1050 units in the second half of 2003 and tick over at a rate of 70-80 per month thereafter - to be manuals. About 100 eager customers have already placed firm orders for RX-8, with a further 1500 expressing strong interest."

"The sports suspension specification will be standard on all Australian RX-8s, along with 18-inch wheels/tyres, and there are ventilated discs all round, with 323mm rotors up front with single-piston callipers said to be more responsive than RX-7's four-piston unit thanks to larger discs and master-cylinder and booster improvements. "

"Mazda Australia says peak power is achieved using the recommended 95 RON premium unleaded, although occasional use of regular 91-octane unleaded is okay."

"The Euro-spec cars we drove came fully loaded with satellite navigation, which is not compatible for Australia, but were otherwise indicative. That means a stylish dashboard with tactile controls, dominated by a large central tacho reading all the way to 10,000rpm and incorporating a prominent digital speedo."

"Still, it's a trade-off we are prepared to accept and while the tyre roar from the 225/45-section Bridgestone Potenzas was not, we are told Australian production models will come fitted with different Bridgestones that are quieter and just as grippy."


Full article here:
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/NT01875442

Also, here's an article about the RX-7:
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/NT018D1746

Originally posted by RX-3_13B_Tommo
1. Moonroof is out because it's impractical due to the reduced cabin space, trust me, I asked... Something tells me that you only got part of the story.

---jps

Originally posted by Sputnik
Something tells me that you only got part of the story.

---jps

hmmmm? What u mean? U got something u ain't telling us...? ;)

Originally posted by Atlas
hmmmm? What u mean? U got something u ain't telling us...? ;) No, I don't have any insider information. Think about it: are Aussies taller than the rest of the world, making that little bit of headroom loss acceptable everywhere except in Oz?

It just sounds a lot like someone made that up, either to hide the real reason, or because they didn't know the real reason. I highly doubt that a sunroof would be any more impractical there than anywhere else.

---jps

5.No-one cars about MX-5's. MX-5's are gay, and while you're in this forum, you will call them MX-5's not Miata's.

you better watch yourself 'tommo you forgot you were talking to sputnick. he can moderate you right outta here if you make him mad ;) :p

Originally posted by Sputnik
No, I don't have any insider information. Think about it: are Aussies taller than the rest of the world, making that little bit of headroom loss acceptable everywhere except in Oz?

It just sounds a lot like someone made that up, either to hide the real reason, or because they didn't know the real reason. I highly doubt that a sunroof would be any more impractical there than anywhere else.

---jps

Ah ok fair enough, didn't think about it like that :) I don't see the problem with a sunroof either... all cars i previously owned had sunroofs and didn't seem to have a problem with headroom... the seats can be lowered for a reason!

this is from an e-mail I recieved from MazdaAus.

The RX8 in Australia, will not include heated leather seats, as they are not
a high demand feature in our market. Also, it really is not possible to
option an item like heated seats, because they are totally different seats
with revised wiring looms required.

> As far as moonroof is concerned, we felt that the cabin was comfortably
> snug in Mazda Sports car tradition, and a moonroof would intrude into that
> space by lowering the interior roof level. It was a judgment call on this
> car, but again moonroofs are becoming a less popular option on a number of
> our higher spec models.
>
Regards
Martin Benders
National Marketing Manager
Mazda Australia

Maybe moonroofs became less popular on top line models because people didn't wanna fork out extra cash for a sunroof to go with their $70,000+ RX-7 and the insurance?!:mad:


The Bastards!

This is from the Presskit ok.

US 6sp Hi-power=247kw @ 8500rpm
US-4at Hi-power=207kw @ 7200rpm

Jap. and Aus hipower manual gets 184 kw and Eu. hi-power is 177 for man. and 147 for auto, that kinda sucks, but does this have to do with petrol? Aus provisional figures are for 95RON petrol.

huh wtf... since when did US cars start getting higher-spec engines than the Japs?? Especially from a Jap car maker?? Japs are the ones with 100 octane fuel!! Americans are hard pressed to find 95+ let alone 100!!

Those figures sound a bit like HP to me....

Not only that, but the US auto is not going to be allowed to rev up to 7200 in the first place. I don't think those numbers are accurate.

*EDIT* I was wrong about the 7200 rev limit, sorry *EDIT*

As far as the moonroof, you can see in their response that they even mention that they don't expect it to be a popular option. Impracticality is a more "marketingly correct" (as opposed to politically correct) than say, they don't think that demand is high enough, so to make things easier/cheaper (just like the seat heater situation), they won't bring it in.

It's not that they don't have a legitimate and valid reason, it's just that sometimes you'll hear a "marketing reason" instead.

---jps

Maybe a stupid question but is sunroof still an option?

Originally posted by RX-3_13B_Tommo
This is from the Presskit ok.

US 6sp Hi-power=247kw @ 8500rpm
US-4at Hi-power=207kw @ 7200rpm

Jap. and Aus hipower manual gets 184 kw and Eu. hi-power is 177 for man. and 147 for auto, that kinda sucks, but does this have to do with petrol? Aus provisional figures are for 95RON petrol.

Umm i just downloaded your 'presskit'... and it lists as indicated below:

High power unit
Japan USA Australia
max. power 184kw(250PS/247HP) @8500rpm
max. torque 216Nm(22.0kg-m/159 lb-ft)@5500rpm

Europe
max. power 177kw(240PS) @8200rpm
max. torque 211Nm@5500rpm

rev limit 9000rpm

Standard power unit
Japan USA Australia
max. power 154kw(210PS/207HP) @7200rpm
max. torque 222Nm(22.6kg-m/164 lb-ft)@5000rpm

Europe
max. power 141kw(192PS) @7000rpm
max. torque 220Nm@5000rpm

rev limit 7500rpm

Well I'm sorry but I've looked at my presskit 100 times and it still says what I said earlier.

i dunno why ur being so stubborn.... also look at what i posted... look at the HP figures... they're IDENTICAL to the figures u posted which u thought were in kw...

OK here's the thing. You're figures do make sense, but I'm looking at the presskit right now and it says plain as day, that US gets 207kw and 247kw! Maybe they stuffed up, but I'm reading this thing right, ok. I can tell the difference between kW and HP!

Now that I'm a senior member, does that mean that I get discounts and stuff?:D

The press kit I downloaded 2 weeks ago coincides with Atlas' figures, so I gotta agree with him on this one.

Also regarding to sunroof - I took Sputnik's advice and checked out the features of the 6 and sure enough it has the sunroof as an option, so I suspect it will be same for the 8.

I don't know if the fact that it's in the 6 means that it will be available in the 8 in Australia. It was just that if they offered the same "impractical" sunroof as an option for the arguably more practical Mazda6, then they're using "impracticality" as an excuse.

---jps

yeah, I'm 100% that the moonroof ain't coming down under.

Originally posted by RX-3_13B_Tommo
[B]1. Moonroof is out because it's impractical due to the reduced cabin space, trust me, I asked. I'm short by the way so that pisses me off.

Not me... waay too tall for the 200sx with moonroof. Ate into 1.5'' of headroom

5.No-one cars about MX-5's. MX-5's are gay
Hey!!! I resemble that remark!!!

They may be gay but they go around places like Winton faster than nearly ALL of those HSV haysheds we race against! Even my pitiful little 1.6!!

Originally posted by RX-3_13B_Tommo
Now that I'm a senior member, does that mean that I get discounts and stuff?:D

No, it just means that you *might* run the risk of becoming a post-whore!!! :D

Hey, I resemble that remark

Maybe you RESENT that remark. :D

We kinda grew out of using 'gay' as a negative adjective about 20 years ago here in Europe, or is it just because you're a little kid RX-3_13B_Tommo?