ASH8

LCD and LED are better, Plasma are energy hungry..lol

I have 3 LCD HD Digital Sony's, 2 x 32" and a 50", 200HZ 1080, PAL ALL Beautiful, I compared with Plasma and others, at the time LCD consumes less power and IMO more reliable, I guess time will tell.

Plus I have 17" HD screen on my M17X notebook.

HD is great, Aspect Ratio 16:9, you can see a single hair on the shoulders on commentators they are that good, I have not had ANY motion issues or blurring.

3D Digital is now the thing here, IMO not worth renewing sets, anyway if it is not made and broadcast in 3D it is useless...IMO 3D will die.

BTW, are all the US stations broadcasting in 16:9, so much US stuff we get here is still 43.
Even news stories yesterday..why?

Sorry for off topic....slap!

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

i agreed with ASH, our dollar in fact is compete crap. they're talking about QE3 already and we all know what that means.

Strong yen is another problem, well, our great government been trying to "force" other currency to go up while "devalue" our dollar to get better trades. but seriously, this **** never work and in the end will just kill everybody.

Mazda will not release anything (rotary wise) unless they see a "good" future 4-5 yrs down the road. Its just pure business point of view. release anything right now is purely suicide

ASH8

I am trying to re-call which Mazda Part I looked up on US Trademotion site of Montgomery's, I had a recent price which I recorded about a month ago (now lost it), but new Stocks must of arrived from Japan, and no kidding that same part had gone up by half (50%).

Now I am not saying ALL will go up by that percentage in USA, but, they are steadily increasing in price, most by around 10%, so far.

Yeah it is CRAP, but we (Australia) went through that here 28 years ago after our Dollar was "Floated", ALL imports just went Up and UP and UP. So many business went broke, we (under Government) deregulated everything, lifted Trade barriers and tariffs, free trade, but in the end result was Jobs were exported overseas, everything was made in China or India (still is), WHY, because we priced ourselves out of the Labor Market, our wages and benefit were/are way too high, so corporations went to China...Sound Familiar...it took us around 12 years of negative growth (recession),11% unemployment, REAL pain until we bounced back, thanks to China, we have been in growth now for almost 20 years, No recession...

Even GFC did not kill us, we still have 4.5 to 5% unemployment.

BUT, I just can not see it lasting much longer, the relative good times for OZ are or must be over...soon.

But yes, Mazda will and must be VERY careful what they release in a limited market car like the rotary, sadly a masses car they will never be.

ASH8

Jackson, while a lower valued US Dollar will cost you (families) more for imported goods.

It will make Exports for the US far more attractive, that is IF you make anything to export any more??...of course you do, but so much has been lost to China and India manufacturing wise...like us.

So a weak Dollar is great for US exporters...
A weak Dollar is Crap for US Travelers going OS, and is CRAP for Importers.

Your government has deliberately done this to stimulate Investment in the USA and create more manufacturing Jobs at home, more Exports....less unemployment.

But it takes a LONG time to turn around the HUGE US Economy with massive Debt.

Remember Our Aussie Dollar devalued by nearly 30-40% for decades.

Frankly I hate floating currencies, I wish there was ONE world Currency, perhaps one day.

ASH8

And Yeah Jackson, ever since Your Dollar Tanked (went down) ours went up to parity or close enough within weeks!..so again you are right, your Government IS forcing UP other nations money or value..

IronTanuki

I doubt that Nissan or Toyota are trying to make bank directly on the GT-R or LF-A. Toyota has admitted it loses money with every one sold. They are more for the brand image and recognition and probably for developing technology to trickle down to their other vehicles in the future. Something that lures people into the showroom, to show off in commercials along side their other models, and to hopefully have success in racing to win more brand recognition and racing cred so they can again use that in marketing to sell their profitable cars.

Toyota definitely makes use of the LF-A in its marketing: LF-A Commercial #1, LF-A Commercial #2. Nissan doesn't seem to that much but probably should considering how well the GT-R performed on the Nurburgring.

I wish Mazda had resources and drive to put out a low volume proper 3 or 4 rotor supercar as the next RX. Something like a 500+hp 24x turbo in a light weight and very stiff chassis. A 787B for the streets.

The general public cuts supercars so much slack in areas that they would never get away with as sub $50,000 vehicles. Ridiculous maintenance costs and less than stellar reliability is accepted as the price of performance. Gas mileage isn't considered at all. Emissions are hardly considered either. Practicality in a supercar used to be an oxymoron until recent years. IF it is fast enough all is forgiven. All the benefits of a rotary for turbo spooling, compact size, light weight, and low center of gravity could finally be realized to allow the rotary to shine in its full glory.

With a high price tag and low production volumes each engine could be built to higher standards with better clearances. More exotic materials could be used to reduce the weight of the car. Things like mid-engine configurations could be considered. If only this pipe-dream could be realized... actually what would probably happen is the car would just end up getting banned from any racing series it started to do well in

MattMPS

For sure it is....but on the other side is an opportunity: see the latest statement of Yamanouchi for US MArket : "we aim for the upper non premium segment" or Maeda about design: "more premium and mature feel".

Stronger yen means more "upmarket" cars from Mazda, rotary and its global image could work into more "upmarket" cars

Yes, right...but if you launch not only an hardcore sportscar w/rotary you can reach more customers (see the sales of FD vs RX-8)

True.....but both Toyota and Nissan are "bigger dogs" than Mazda, Mazda to float into global market need to be profitable with EVERY model that produce...this is a big problem for build a "halo" car.....

ASH8

Yeah, I get what you mean, Jeez I have been saying for years that Mazda could of and should of dropped a RENESIS (12B even), into a lightweight MX-5, call it RX-5 with a possible face lift to distinguish the two.

They needed a Convertible Sports Car, 2 seater, with Rotary, Development COST would have been as minimal as any car maker could ask.

Everyone wants a lightweight Rotary 2 door, **** I would buy one tomorrow!, BUT NO..

The old fashioned BOOF head numb-scull CEO's did not push it, (Jim O'Sullivan MNAO, Doug Dickson Mazda Australia) these guys are so Grandpa in their thinking, just YES men...they need NEW Dynamic YOUNG CEO Guys.

"Oh a RX-5 will take away sales from the RX-8", BULLSHIT, it would have complemented it.

EVERYONE was asking for one.

If young Mark Fields was still at Mazda he would have taken the chance on a RX-5.

Lost opportunity...AGAIN.

Koreans are walking all over Mazda and other brands, and they are just letting it happen.

ASH8

Not sure what you are meaning Matt??

A Hardcore Rotary would cost way more than the RX-8, would it sell as many?

Yes, I have, the RX-8 doubled FD sales....and...??

Around 95,000 for FD, started 1992

Around 182,000 for FE RX-8 started 2003.

MattMPS

i mean that a 2 seater and very fast (like a 370 z in straight line) would be an image car and give a strong brand image like FD did in 90's.

a more usable car , not so powerful , but sporty (like a IS350, a BMW 3 series except M3 , infiniti and so on) would reach more coustomers around the world , a production shinari

build BOTH cars for go "upmarket" IMHO and gain money despect the strong yen.

my two cent.

the affordable sport car (under 30k dollars) will remain the mx-5 in both versions, soft and hard top.

in synthesis:

20-30k dollars Mx-5 no 200cv version required (but possible, like mazdaspeed NB)

30-40k dollars SPORT 2-seater Rx-7 FE

33-45k dollars four door (o freestyle doors) rotary powered shinari

a 16x wil compete with big v6 ,not with 4-banger IMHO, for performance, fuel cons, smothness

zoom44

agreed about the "rx-5" almost no extra dollars to create it and it would have made them money.

Matt there is no room for Mazda to make a 40k car. Even the Shinari with all the bells and whistles and 40 mpg would have to top at 35-38k. Toyota? sure they could do that. Mazda doesnt have the brand image here for it.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

I guess people never learn from failures.

at the current pace, soon the market will crash and we will all be fucked,

neXib

I don't know about USA, but over here I find that surprisingly many people know about the rotary. Last year a lot of people looked at the car and talked about it, also when I was on my way too/from it, and I often heard them talk about which car it was and what engine it had. And some also asked to confirm it was a rotary. Considering there's 150+- of them in this country a surprising amount of people know about them. In all age groups, and many older people have had experiences with older RX's.

May be different in the US, where cars are born with a V8.

And I still think it's possible to make a cost-effective RX. They have already decided on sharing most of the platform with the new MX-5 which should be saving them quite a bit already. They already started that with RX-8 FL and MX-5 NC anyway. But CO2 per km needs to touch 150g or less, and power needs to be 260 at least, a little more juice would make it much better.

paulmasoner

iTrader: (1)

wow. so much fail here. disregarding a lot of this nonsense, there is one thing you simply can't ignore. EMISSIONS. You cant push a prototype motor to meet next years regulations and then throw a party and start production. Production will not happen until if/when the next generation prototype motor is able to meet the expected regulations for 7+ years.

New Yorker

Sigh… if I could have a nickel for every automobile "expert" who — since the mid '70s — has boldly proclaimed "the rotary is dead". And you know what? They've all had perfectly logical, perfectly rational reasons to proclaim it.

Fortunately, there is still an automobile manufacturer who does things because they have a dedication — nay a passion — to a design they believe in. Despite all the perfectly logical, perfectly rational — perfectly Windows — reasons for not doing them.

Thanks, Mazda. (And, as an aside, thank you Apple, for sharing that commitment to "think different".)

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I think that's exactly what they worried about.

just look at our MSP, thx to stupid politicians & dumb stupid pathetic tree huggers, it got raped in Euro zone.

im not saying "go green" is wrong but ---- they're over doing this bullshit, there are tons of other things they can do to lower emission.

AHH ITS END OF ROTARY ! DIE ALREADY DIE !

lol, time flows like a river, and history repeats.

SlickRick51586

I don't doubt that Mazda could profit from a reasonably priced rotary super car, they won't do it though.

Mazda seems to be in play it safe mode. The SKY-G/D engines are exactly what they need to compete with Toyota/Kia/Nissan/Hyundai. Better gas mileage and (hopefully) looks. I think SKY will help them grab a larger portion of the market, and once they become more profitable, then they can throw money at the rotary.

Hopefully they can keep building on the 16x, and create something competitive in the sports coupe/sedan 26-40k range. For the future of the rotary besides Mazda, I would love to see a new rotary motorcycle, that is actually in production. (mass produced NRV588 please)

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

^yep/

Mazda needs an engine that's better than whatever they have right now.

For example, my Mazda 3, it has an 2.5 Engine, pumping 168 hp, and its giving me about 16 mpg ~ city driving. at least thats what it saids from the on board system. the car is fun to drive, has pretty good low end torque, but that kind of MPG is NOT what I thought it will be. I originally thought Im gonna get at least 20+ for city driving.;

to me, while I am happy about the "fun factor", Im a little bit disappointed about the mpg.

still better than my rx8 of course, but 8 is another story.

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

Supposedly the 16X is returning mileage better than the current 2.0 so there is hope.

Paul.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Lets just hope its not an empty promise

ASH8

Yep, Emissions is THE main Stumbling Block and Yes, naturally they must have any future rotary engine which will conform to all Countries Emission Regs for a Decade.

So Any rotary that May come out in 2014 will have to be around in 2024!!!..

IMO,Just Will not happen in a NA Renny as we know it, maybe in a dual fuel mode.

Crikey, car makers are banging heads about Euro's EPA regs just 5 years from now.
They do not know how they will achieve a 100 gram or less per kilometer of CO2.
Without a Hybrid or Dual fuel or semi-electric.

As we know the Renny or RX-8 ONLY happened because of Side Exhaust porting, otherwise we would have NEVER seen any new RX-.

How the hell are Mazda going to Halve CO2, Improve MPG by 25%, with a 1.6 litre Rotary..what with even larger CATS, multiple Air Pumps (full time operational) EGR Valves, Arrgh, YUK, it will be a Frankenstein of the 70-80's all over again.

ASH8

You must have a heavy foot J?!!..

I really smile about all you American's (NO OFFENSE..OK) complaining of Gas Mileage, this coming from the land of Air Craft Carriers On 4 wheels, with a trunk as big as a Mazda 3 and a hood as long as a football field!!, that got 6 MPG only...what 15 years or so ago..

Come on!!

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

My test result for my Rx-7 FC, fully working emission equipment, with a Mangaflow "cheap ***" aftermarket direct replacement CAT.

HC 0.53 0.80
CO 2.1 15.0
NOx 0.09 2.0

(First value is test value, second is NYS's limit, in ppm)

the Mangaflow cat is about 1/2 the size of stock cat and the results are not that bad. That result was about a year something ago, didn't drive the 7 much, only 200 miles.

I wonder what the test for the 8 is with a fully working stock cat.

well, im not like super unhappy but hey, i think everybody wants the best of everything right ?

ASH8

Dunno J..

I recall the stock 8 tested (Europe) at either 180 or 220 grams per kilometer, from memory, which is very high. And as we know, No longer passes the test there, so they can't sell (import) them from this year.


Thats why I said, how can Mazda halve this for 2016, in any new RX?

Matt will know.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

They probably will re-introduce FC kind of "rat nest" emission system to the next car, but it will weight more and add a lot of weight to the car.

dunno, who knows, we wont see another rotary for another 2-3 yrs anyway.