mysql101

This thread reminds me of what was going on when Porsche decided to make a SUV. People were bitching and yelling about it for a long time.

It turns out the SUV made a huge jump in profit for the company and they could then focus better on their sports cars.

Mazda's bread and butter is the SUVs and Mazda3s. Their success means more money for R&D for products that aren't as profitable.

That said, I'd like to see Mazda produce something that is on the upper end of the spectrum, instead of middle of the road in terms of power...

jeffe19007

Sport cars are not where the money is at. Agreed?

GM nearly axed the Corvette several times. The current Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky are to get folks into the showroom. They do not make money for GM.

Sports cars are where the fun is at for the engineers. But corporate wants double digit profit every year.

That is why you see more sporty show cars than have ever been produced.

Spin9k

You know I agree with all the comments here about "yes they have to make money", "they need to sell SUVs to fund development", "the majority of customers by sedans and SUVs not sports cars ", etc.

But that's missing the point. Except for the Kabura, now pretty much forgotten by other than ourselves, and no longer shown, Mazda hasn't put forth anything we'll have a remote chance of buying as far as I can see.

Instead Mazda seems intent on showing us "cars" (and I use that term very loosely since they seem to be be spawn from someones acid trip) that only Tinkerbell might have an interest in, even if they were produced.

What they show are design studies that are so "far out" in concept, in years, and in the chance that they will get produced. Hell, in 1999 I think we had an RX-Evolv to salivate over. It was a real car. It looked like something being honed into metal, design study at a time. It was a concept that 'evolved' show by show and become reality. Finally we got to the RX-8. Yeah!

No longer, and that is what is getting me aggravated as I see what shows up at cars shows from mazda. I want a new RX-something, or heck, at this point I'd be perfectly happy with a Kabura with the MS3 motor in it. I'm ready to spend money and they got nothing.

I want something that looks great (in the same way an RX-8 does), has the power to back it up and I'm talking 300HP with some torque, and handles like an RX-8. Simple I would think! But unless Mazda has it in it's head to play Jack-in-the-Box and just pop some new sports car from nowhere with no advance playup to generate any sales anticipation, I just don't see it, sadly.

chetrickerman

well the new 16x should have 300 hp, and the improved rotor surface will produce more torque, and it is the same weight if not lighter than our 13b, and it is the same size

Jacques79

If you think Mazda has boring cars you're crazy.

Think the RX-8 needs a redesign or boost in HP?

LOOK AT THE S2000!

Honda is the real joke here, not Mazda.

ayodog

FD came out in late 92. Was about 10 years until mazda came out with a new RX car.

Of course before the FD there was fc nd fb? i believe they came one after the other.

Basically Mazda might not have a new rotary for another 5 years, or maybe in just a year or 2. But without a doubt there will be one so just sit tight. Don't think mazda is stopping after 40 years of rotary engines.

delhi

S2k came out in 2000. This is 2007. 7 years into the production.

either your 8 is unhealthy, an automatic or you are not driving hard enough. 4th at WOT is way into "bye-bye license" territory. But it does make me smile. And I still have 2 more cogs to go wheeeee.... in.
Mazda has some exciting cars coming out like the Mazda2 and the newly redesigned Mazda6. Can't wait to check out the wagon version! Its supposed to be AWD too.

Spin9k

None of the above. Very healthy and normal, thank you. Sorry, I like my license and so try to nominally stay near the speed limit on the street .

Take your 8 to the track to observe the situation of which I speak. Specifically, tracks with some nice straights make evident that while under continuous WOT through the gears, there is little in the way of throttle response past 3rd. In 4th gear and above (90mph and up), whatever getup and go there is, doesn't get up and go very quick, trust me. If you'd like to see the exact numbers in graphs and charts once 3rd is left behind, I'd be happy to post those for you.

chetrickerman

i have never had any porblems in 4th gear or any gear at WOT, and at places like road america, you get going up to 120mph, never had a problem getting there

Spin9k

I don't have problems either, my preference would just be for the car to pick up speed faster. 3rd gear is pretty good, but many cars can walk around an 8 in a blink on a track straight. Lots more horsepower has some real world benefits

tajabaho1

in that case why don't we all write a petition to Mazda to give up the RX patent and the Rotary patent and every god damn thing about rotary patent they may have, sell it all to Mazsport or someone and we will probably have an RX-9 or RX-10 in about 3years

rollerbldes

Many car manufacturers tried to create rotary engine cars. They have all decided to let the project go. Anyone is free to create a car with a wankel engine, just like the piston engine. The development costs and production for such a car outweighs the funding any small company can generate.

WoodsOfGreenRx8

... What makes you say this?

chetrickerman

yea, i would have to agree with you WOGR, honda has come out with different versions of the s2k, like the CR, thats out this year

saturn

The 3 and 6 are selling like crazy. Why is it so surprising that they're focusing on what's selling very, very well? This is how capitalism works.

And we aren't core customers at all. We're the fringe niche market. The tag line of "zoom zoom" is absolutely shown in every car they make. Every car they make is sporty relative to the other cars in that segment.

And from concept to production took 4 years if I'm not mistaken for the RX-8. Why do you expect the Kabura to be out tomorrow?

I personally would love it if Mazda made a 300 whp RX-8 that got 25 mpg. But, I'm not holding my breath and I'm not going to get all upset when they've taken a different direction in their marketing and development than I'd want them to. I don't understand any of the points the OP is making at all. Just because you don't want the sporty SUV or sedan doesn't mean Mazda is doomed. They're doing very well in terms of sales worldwide and will likely continue that success in the future with the model they have now.

chetrickerman

you are right, the 3 and 6 and the CX-9 are their main cars, but cars like our 8's, or the kabura is what the engineers get to have fun on. I believe that Mazda will never give up on the rotary, and as long as they dont, they will have me as a customer.

WoodsOfGreenRx8

Im sorry, but there is NO zoom-zoom in any Mazda 3 at all, unless you have a Speed3. I've driven both the 2.0 & the 2.3(which we currently own) in both Sedan & Hatch(which we own) and they have ABSOLUTELY no zoom-zoom. That is unless you account for the fact they use practically the same guage pod as the RX8 but I think that is a common point in a lot of Mazdas right now. The 3 is not sporty what so ever..

Jacques79

S2000 basically unchanged after 8 years of production (different suspension tuning and 8 more pound-feet of torque is nothing)

All of their cars aside from the unchanged S2000 are front-wheel drive...

You guys have the RX-8, the Miata, the MS3, MS6...even the Mazda 3 is much more fun to drive than a base civic!

WoodsOfGreenRx8

Have you drove an Mazda3? There is nothing fun to drive about it.. You crack on Honda cars being front-wheel drive but so is the MS3..

Plus, check the re-sale value on the Hondas/Acuras & I think they are doing just fine..

rotarygod

If you think Mazda has a boring lineup, let's look back 10 years. They had nothing I liked. This is the most exciting their lineup has ever been. Now saying that, I drive 2 cars. One is a 24 year old RX-7 and the other is a 7 year old Honda. 7 years ago Mazda didn't have anything I liked which is why I bought the Honda. today would be different though. It is by no means a fun car to drive. It's not fast by any means but probably still somewhere above a hydrogen RX-8 though! It's transportation and although it's got 171,000 miles on it, it still gets 34 mpg city. That's why I still drive it.

The fastest way to increase sales to a broad market like the U.S. is not to release a sports car. It would be releasing a big *** vehicle that you have the ability to stuff a family of 17 into even though only 1 person will ever use it. That's how you win in the U.S. Take the CX-9 as an example. Nice vehicle. I'll never own one. It's too big. It's not even large compared to other offerings here like the Ford Excavation, the Chevy Suborbital or whatever you call small moon sized vehicles. Sell a huge vehicle that gets somewhat decent mileage and you'll really see them sell well here. That's just the way it goes. Even a good selling sports car will still sell less than these do.

An MS3 is a fun little car. Especially for the price. It'll walk all over a Civic Type R-STLNE and strangely people think those are fun. Go figure! I'd definitely call it "zoom-zoom".

If you buy a car based on it's resale value, I really hope you never drive it!

Spin9k

I agree with you. To the point you made about how to be a success in the USA, something truly snapped into focus reading a recent issue Rondel letter to the editor. The guy was bitching about the global conspiracy including the UN and many governments and how those in the envirnmental movment target bigger cars and SUVs and want to "Make us pay" for use of them.

The not so astonishing paranoid mind set in the following quote illustrates this,

"One finally sees why smaller, more humble cars are pushed on us as solutions while SUVs are scorned: {Environmentalist think} It's not fair that some drive large, comfortable vehicles while others have to drive compacts." {bolding mine}

The inuendo that no one would voluntarily ever WANT TO drive a small car, and that compact cars, because of their size, are uncomfortable and are only bought or driven if one HAS TO is sad and probably widespread in the US population

canaryrx8

iTrader: (3)

can't have the candy without eating vegetables too, just be patient, or go buy whatever makes you happy.

WoodsOfGreenRx8

Never said anything about whether or not it could walk over a Civic Type S, Or R or anything of the sort.. I simply was stating that it was Front-Wheel drive just like all the *evil* Hondas.. I drove a MS3 and it was damn fast..

Do I buy a car solely for the Resale value? No, cause if that was a case we wouldnt own an modded RX8. But Resale value is nothing to just throw out the window, unless you can afford to throw your money out with it.

chetrickerman

well who says im gonna sell my 8? resale value is only for the people who dont truely love the 8

dynamho

For a small company, I think it's doing well. And I agree that their lineup is the best they've ever had.