MattMPS

in this case, no new rotary car is the last of our problems

Drumm09

Ahhohh Please

There will be a new rotary engined Mazda in the future. THe Rotary is for Mazda what the M division is for BMW. The Quatro for Audi, the AMG for Mercedes.

I will believe it when there is an official word from the big boys in Hiroshima.

L337fpc

iTrader: (4)

i still have my hopes up for the end model rx8 to have a mazdaspeed trim. I can only hope.

77mjd

Keep dreamin'

PhillipM

Glad I'm not the only one...

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

I agree. I think they're close with the consumption now (16X) and are attacking the emissions to achieve 'Skyactive' standards.

Paul.

TALAN7

True, Mazda really loves the rotary but that may be the problem. They may be unwilling to cede that it might no longer be a viable alternative. Really, has it been a successful alternative to the piston engine? I think not! Very poor sales, hardly any recognition attest to that.

When I tell people I have a rotary engine with no pistons they look at me, like what?
Almost everyone I mention rotary to don't know what it is or means. I'd like to find out how many shoppers who go to Mazda and happen to look at the 8 who don't know anything about rotaries buy it. I bet that is a very low amount.

What could help? Another more prestigious manufacturer (Audi) developing some type of rotary engined vehicle re-establishing that rotaries come from Europe anyway. Also, some really big technological breakthrough that to be honest we know Mazda doesn't have the resources to develop.

Mazdas' biggest issue is when they do make a new rotary engine it's not really class competitive. They should make a 400 hp rotary that really exclaims to the world "I am rotary", something that has to be respected. They need a supercar that really champions rotary power. The 8, although a good car is not really respected for it's engine. Even critics who love the car believe it's too quircky.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

So, the rotary is a high-dollar "boutique" subdivision of the Mazda corporate structure that is kept in place to sell race-bred or supercar versions of existing, high-volume product lines with superior performance at a premium price-tag?

pdxhak

iTrader: (2)

Audi Quattro is their AWD system. Their S cars are the high performance models.

jiggawha1

RX8 was/is Mazda's flag car, why not bump up the the motor to a 20b and raise the price. Are they really profiting off the rx? why not give it some bragging rights. No one cares about the MPG of a supercar. I mean if it comes down to either killing the entire rx line or making something most of us can't afford...i'd at least like to see the car carry on..jus my 2cents

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Mazda doesn't build "super cars".
The death of the RX-7 was it's price-point.
Toyota and Nissan quickly followed suit.

Chibana

Glad I bought mine when I did. Originally I had planned on waiting for the 1.6L, and then I kept hearing about delays, and I thought, "Why wait? I know I love the RX-8. If or when this 1.6L powered car comes out, I may not even like the styling." Glad I didn't wait. I love my 2009 RX-8.

I hope we see something out of the 1.6L eventually. Personally, I don't believe it has to make tons of horsepower or torque--just as long as it's more than we have with the RENESIS and the car is smallish and light. Give me a 2600 to 2800 lb. rotary car with 280 hp and I would be happy. If their sales goals are modest, and the car can improve upon efficiency and emissions, I think it might just be doable. Increase the amount of shared parts and design elements with the next generation MX-5, and they could have a low volume winner.

At least in the U.S., aren't the new fuel efficiency requirements based on sales volumes just like the old standard? If so, a low volume car like the RX-8 shouldn't hurt Mazda's numbers much.

jiggawha1

Yea i forgot Nissan doesn't have a supercar being currently sold or anything...nor toyota...COUGH LF-A COUGH

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

I went to a local Z show and a guy had a mint 300Z TT with the sticker and all and the price back in 93' was almost $35,000.00. They had a brand new Nismo 370Z for about the same price at the show.

This sucks but we will just have to wait and see. as for the GTR, they have only sold like 300 total in NA or something like that. I bet the LFA figures will be similar.

ASH8

Not going to happen Paul....for ALL the Reasons above...plus a few more.

1. YOUR Dollar is crap (notice the Cost of parts going up, most cases 50%), so what is that doing to importing costs of Japanese cars??
2. Without a booming US economy it wont happen, (program here said the US has at least 5+ more years of pain, 8-10% Unemployment).
3. Strong Yen makes it even worse.
4. Risk is WAY too high for Mazda to take.
5. I cant see anywhere where there is a market.
6. Mazda Again burnt too many RX-8 owners (Engine).
7. Rotary name is CRAP....again.
8. Mazda don't make cars of sales on average 100 a month in US, 50 a month for rest of world...50-100 a month in Japan
9. What price would a new RX-? be, 35-40K US, nope, wont happen.

UNFORTUNATELY..

And YES, we know Mazda have been working on this and that, and they have made statements about this and that, DOES anyone think at this stage they would say anything else...they Do Not want their share price to fall with a "Final" announcement.

The Rotary has inhibited Mazda from growing, I just cant see where they will get all these SKY % gains from, I really can't.

Shareholders will only allow Mazda to make cars that will sell in high volumes...

Sadly

Yes, there 'may' be a Rotary but NOT as we know it.

Don't get me wong...I REALLY want the Rotary to continue, BUT I also want Mazda to survive...!

ASH8

Perhaps they may make it in Russia..
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20110121D21JFA24.htm

zoom44

1. Yours is crap
2. You have no idea whether this is true or not
3. Yen makes it difficult agreed
4. Doomsday prediction with no basis in fact
5. You dont.
6. opinion again.
7. Rotary name has always been crap to "the masses". nothing "again" about it . actually "the masses" don't have a clue one way or the other. they still havent heard of it.
8. They made enough RX-8s to sustain it for 8 years.
9. $32k top end maybe $35k at a stretch with dealer add ons.

the Rotary has not stopped Mazda growing as a company. Their schizophrenia between "being safe" and really pushing forward with their great engineering has hurt them. They like to be BOLD... in little steps. One of the reasons the lost Franz was their hesitance to put their newly developed materials into production.

Mazda' Survival isnt dependant on the rotary. As far as high volume, Mazda doesnt produce anything in "high volume". Their entire production of all vehicles is less than one vehicle from other brands. Its not volume but return on investment that makes or breaks the company.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

The GTR and the LFA came many years after the death of the 300Z and the Supra.
That said, the sales numbers for the GTR are relatively dismal (it is a NOL) as are the LFA, which you can't technically "buy" since it doesn't belong to you when you do.
When was the last time you saw an ad on TV for either?

BTW - Are you (or anyone else for that matter) willing to spend $100k for an RX-8 (or any other Mazda that doesn't stack up to the GTR or the LFA in performance)?
I didn't think so...

ASH8

Mazda have not made much at all out of the 8 if Anything,

How many engines replace in NA alone, some are saying close to 100% once the 8 year warranty ends, at how much $5K a car, how much do you thing they (maker) makes out of a car.??

Let alone other warranty costs.

The Rotary is a Warranty cost that Mazda cant claim back or forward onto another Vendor like say an Alternator (Mitsubishi), so Mazda bears ALL the warranty cost, and 5K is conservative, let alone those who have had multiple replacements.

So you are permitted an OPINION but I am not??..

neofreak

iTrader: (1)

I have the (previous owner's) invoice for my 1995 RX-7 and it was 39k. The RX-8 is a bargain!

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

In 1993 (senior year of high school) my store director (grocery store) had a brand new RX7 and as I pushed shopping carts around I would drool over it. But I remember he had a Porsche 911 before that and he said the RX7 was close in price

zoom44

where did i say that? opine away. just expect me to counter "the sky is falling, the end is nigh" posts


"some are saying"... some are also saying it hasnt reached 20% yet

stinksause

iTrader: (5)

note to self: Don't go reading popcorn threads on rx8 club after .... I got really emotional ... the soundtrack was spot-on! *sniffle* A+

Kevin McMahon

The perception thing makes a huge difference. Look at plasma tvs. They provide bigger screen sizes for the cost of LCD's, better blacks, more realistic colors, no motion blur, and people still think LCDs/LED(backlit) tvs are better. Sometimes no matter how good a design something is, those early years and horror stories and kill it forever.

ASH8

BTW: Our Australian Dollar is not Crap, it has been at parity and at times worth more than the US Dollar, this is the first time in History our Aussie is at parity...ours has improved over 35% where the US has fallen about that amount, that is what happens when you print money to keep country going, down goes the value of the greenback.

So, for we ones here , Importing is dirt cheap, particularly from the US., up to $1000 AU at a time with NO tax or duty, you can do this as many times one likes as long as the combined total in a day does not exceed $1000..

Retailers here hate it, because on-line shoppers pay little tax, well get used to it, Large Stores are really History...Plus many are greedy bastards as they have not passed on currency savings, just pocketing it...Like Mazda here and all imported cars, they are making a fortune in profit, greedy bastards.

I wish I could import a new car from the US or Japan for half the price or less here.