By the time 2010 comes around, you can bet your bottom dollar Nissan and other European makers will be pushing ahead with a new model to grab the sports car market, and there are some interesting times ahead.

Theres talk of a new RX8 with 20% more power with 20% better economy, turbocharging, supercharging, hydrogen power, direct injection, and even triple rotors. Having said that I still feel our car will be in demand, and we'll be the last of an elite group of people owning a rotary engine as we know it today.

However, nothing has generated more emotion than the price of the RX-8 in Japan/US vs Australian markets, and I can't find a thread for what people think the price of the new 2010 RX-8 will go for.

Going by Mazdas mark up and overseas pricing, I think the new RX8 starting price = 80K+.....any other takers???

 

Elite group of people? Man, get your hand off it!

$80k is reasonable, but sorry, I'm not paying that for a Mazda!

 

I figure Mazda are going to pour so much money into the new project they'll have to get their money back somehow...

...and besides its going to take one hell of a motor vehicle (and money) for me to go back to piston power!

 

remember that $80K here might be 30K-40K back in Japan. I wish I can just import one from there, will definitely be cheaper even after the compliance and such.

 

My take is that Mazda is throwing so many straws in the wind, it's difficult to say which way they're going. Those on the Mazda mailing list will have got their newsletter with the two concept cars featured. The Ryuga concept sort of looks like the sort of car which will occupy the RX-8 slot, but it would seem that this could be a front wheel drive. Interesting times.

 

After the FD, I very much doubt Mazda will be trying to flog a rotary for $80K plus, unless they move up a big performance step and make a Skyline GTR competitor.

I think it more likely to see only an incremental power/price hike, if the RX8 is updated at all.

Frankly, my only safe prediction for 2010 (assuming i'm still around) is that I'll turn 40.

 

I'm not really hanging for a new Mazda ... I have a feeling I'll be getting something like a Jaguar XK next, which is kinda why I'm planning on keeping this one for a while.