In the latest edition of the e-mail magazine Mazda Japan send out about the RX8 they've put out a questionairre. It doesn' t tell us much new but I'll translate as best I can. The most interesting thing is the option list but the tradegy is I can't get the nuance between what would you like to be able to choose and what would you choose...quite a difference I know.

No seat insert details either but this is the most concrete news I've seen in Japan.

 

1) The Web
2) Some kid whispered to you
3) Been having hallucinations since 1999
blah blah

 

1) Styling & Interior design
2) Engine
3) Function & Utility
4) Price

 

Exterior: Red, Yellow, Orange, White, Silver, Gunmetallic, Black, Dark Blue, Blue, Dark Green, Green
Interior: Red, Black, Tan

[No details on permissible combinations, inserts or cloth options]

 

We know this one

 

Our old favourite

 

Looks good - sorry I don' t know how to inline

 

Japans favourite car colour

 

Silver is on my avatar if you wondered where that went

 

If you like cleaning

 

My other choice

 

Vibrant

 

Eco

 

You can choose "none of the above" but I don't know they'll be offering custom jobs!

 

yeah i got that and took the pole by flipping back and forth between the japanese version and a babelfished version. it took awhile to figure out the context and im still not sure i answered correctly on some of them. i wish there was a way to get an english version of the newsletter. if there is so far i havent found it.

 

Actual translation is "what equipment do you want?" - hard to know if they mean as standard or available as option but given the choices I'm assuming they're options.
1) Discharge headlights
2) 16" wheels
3) 17" wheels
4) 18" wheels
5) DSC [Dynamic Stability Control - like IS300 (hope you can switch it off)]
6) ABS
7) LSD
8) Scuff plate [I guess this is the silver bit saying RX8 on the bottom of the door frame]
9) Leather seats
10) Recaro seats
11) Fabric seats
12) Leather steering wheel
13) Wood steering wheel [Oh no!]
14) Strengthening brake [??? Bigger discs maybe?]
15) Dark glass
16) Water repellent glass [! I thought you just did this with a spray!]
17) Car navigation
18) Premium audio
19) Side airbag
20) Curtain airbag
21) No airbags
22) Other: specify

 

These are Japan numbers converted to dollars so take with an extreme pinch of salt. You'll need to think about import + on the road costs etc.
Under $17,000
Up to $21,000
Up to $30,000
Over $30,000

 

[They must have read the demographics thread!]
1) None
2) 1
3) 2
4) 3 or more

 

Last question was how many kids - sorry.

Rest of survey is what car you have at the moment, what you've had in the past and some odd questions about what governs you decision making regarding buying cars, i.e. new only, same as everyone else (!) etc.

I'm in bed with flu so going to lay back and get on with sweating and shaking now!