Hi guys,

it's not written on the front page, but l'auto-journal actually had a preview of the RX-8 in their last number.

Basically, they liked it. Except the fuel consumption.

Sorry for the non french-speaking readers, just enjoy the pictures! (like the rear passenger, showing how a 1.80 m tall guy fits in there)

Arnaud

 

Merci Arnaud !

Un autre essai là :
http://www.motorlegend.com/dossiers/vehicule/mazda_rx8/

 

Merci Arnaud.

That's the first time I've seen the black leather niterior. I didn'trealise the front seats foldered back ike that either.

 

Am I right in thinking that they also fold forward slightly to improve access to the rear?

Also, I was surprised at how many cubbies / drinks holders etc there are on the transmission tunnel. I can't imagine they are very deep though.

Chris

 

I dont think they are, 3inch deep at rear at most I'd guess.

 

The rear one looks large enough to keep CD's in, from the picture any way.

Chris

 

Did anyone else notice on the motorlegend review that it referred to a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty ("trois ans kilométrage illimité") in the summing up on page 10.

I wonder if we will get this in the UK (not that I could afford the petrol to drive it more than 60000 miles in three years).

 

I think we get the same as all mazdas in the UK.

From www.mazda.co.uk

"
Warranties

Mazda vehicles are backed by one of the most comprehensive manufacturer's warranties offered in the UK.

Every Mazda new car and commercial vehicle warranty is a full manufacturer's warranty.

The warranty is valid for 3 years or 60,000 miles from date of registration, with unlimited mileage in the first year.

All new Mazda vehicles come with a 6-year anti perforation warranty and a 3-year, unlimited mileage, paint and surface corrosion warranty.

The Mazda 3 year manufacturer's warranty includes Mazda Assistance.

The Mazda Assistance package covers the vehicle and any driver or occupant. It is free of charge and includes the following:


24 hour, 365 days per year, home or roadside breakdown cover

- Mechanical
- Electrical
- Accident
- Theft


Immobilisation due to driver error. For example, loss of keys or running out of fuel


Hotel costs, rail or air fares


Vehicle recovery


Pan European cover for passenger vehicles in 32 countries, including repatriation of the vehicle, driver and all passengers


A legal helpline"

 

My GCSE French is failing me - whats the general consensus of the French article?

 

I didn't get very far with the one that was scanned in, apart from the headline "Delirium of the Rev-Counter" I think!

I read the web article using babelfish but you still have to guess at quite a bit of it. They thought the handling was great, the ride was good with not too much body roll. The performance was very good but it didn't feel very fast - you only realised how fast you were going when you looked at the speedometer. They liked the engine sound. Brakes, equipment and price were also good points. And they really liked the rear-end styling for some reason.

They weren't that keen on the dashboard plastic (a bit too shiny in places). They seemed to have dificulty finding a comfortable driving position. And the fuel consumption is poor.

The engine sound was "envoutante" (with a circumflex over the u) which doesn't appear in any online dictionary. A bad point was "guidage de la commande de boite" which babelfish helpfully translates as "guidance of the order of limps" I suspect boite is box and it's something to do with the gearbox, but what?

 

Please don't say shiny.....I had convinced myself that we had drifted away from the cheap Japanese plastic shiny interior look and incorporated a more European matt affect.

There must be some Frenchies who can aid us uneducated slobs.

rael

 

I hope that they have left the shiny plastics for the French and Yanks.... I dont expect the quality of materials to match the TT, but I wont accept cheap plastics...

 

You got that one right!

They liked the styling of the rear lamps, and how the plastic parts inside participate to the good look of the car, and the bumper and the small spoiler.

They found strange the shiny front for the radio. But the rest (matt) was ok.

Correct, it's not the first time I read it. However once found it was very comfortable.

I don't have a good translation for envoûtante, but they liked it *a lot* ;-)

That seems strange, in the scanned article they say it's direct and perfect.

 

that bit is supposed to look like japanese black laquer work. i hope they have got it right and not just out a bit of shiny plastic there.