karmavore

Every time I see a picture of the 8 all I want to do is take out a marker and scratch out the front fenders. Dam they are ugly!! Who's' with me???

Anyway... I'll probably buy one of these cars with the intention of having a set of custom fenders made for me. Problem is, I don't see a seam between them and the rocker panels/side skirts. It looks like one continuous pieces of sheet metal makes up the fenders, sides, rear quarter and roof! What do you guys think?

Luke.

zoom44

i like em. wouldn't change em at all. but to each his own, like i've said before i still like the pontiac aztec.:D

Quick_lude

I think they look ok... I'll reserve my opinions until I see the car in person..

Grimace

I like them. Its a curvy body built around the mechanicals, form after function (but not far after).

I doubt you'll be able to change the front fenders without some serious coin. Its all one piece up there (minus the hood).

Its such an integral part of the design I can't imagine having them.

SPDFRK

I like them I think they look like a older stingray vette, I'm kind of worried about how the car is gonna look in person because the new spy shots of the silver one pulling into mazda HQ looks kind of trucky not like a low slung sports car it may of been the 16" wheel & tire package. Other than that I think the car was very well styled, the front fascia could of been a little more aggressive but they have to please the masses.

bolda48

I like the front fenders. To me they make me think of a hot rod, especially from a rear view, with the tapering hood and the bulging fenders. This car is very distinctive and will turn heads, without a doubt. I can't wait to see on irl for myself.

wakeech

i like them a lot too...
the wheel arches look awesome!! like a widebody race car... i think that's the look they were going for... and the front wheel arch vents are okay too, trying to distiguish it further from the 7, i guess...

MyT13B

The RX-8 make me drool,,,, whoops excuse me......

RX - 8

i like em too...dont see anything wrong with them and they flow with the body nicely

bulletproof21

I love them too, but it's strange how gorgeous the 8 looks from some angles and just ok from others. But the flaring of the front fenders looks great.

WankelWannabe

Well, I'm with Karmavore on this one.
I think those fenders are the one thing about the RX-8 that I dislike. I just wish they were a little smoother and not so chunky looking. They look like they came right out of the Ford Focus parts bin. Same with the vent behind the front wheels...too edgy and not smooth and flowing like on the 3rd gen 7.

SPDFRK

I was waiting for someone to say "Focus" I was scared to for the sake of making other people realize it but I see it in the rear fenders moreso than the front I like them. I first noticed it when I seen the latest spy shot of the silver one pulling into Mazda HQ. But tried to forget about it and not draw attention. I actually went lookin for a side shot of a focus and was gonna lay it next to the rx-8 but chickened out because I don't want it to true. I figured I would probably get kicked off this forum also.

Grimace

SPDFRK, I'm afraid we'll have to ask you to leave the forum. :D

I'm sure the fenders will look much better in person, and dismiss all notions of the Focus.

wakeech

FOCUS?? now we're really getting silly... it's edgy, but nothing like THAT... although the rally car is pretty...

uh, you see, i can see a resemblance when people say "S2000", but who was it that gave us the pic of the RX-3's 5 pointed grill?? Styjan?? probably not, i'm just trying to remember, he (you) probably only said something on that same thread...
anyhoo, NOT Focus IM"h"O

WankelWannabe

Ok, ok...I understand that it's hard to accept the whole Focus thing, so how about this comparison:

Audi TT


RX-8



THere's no denying it...the fender flares are very similar.
Personnally, I would prefer the smoother, sexy, flowing lines of this car:

RX-7


I mean, look at how nicely that vent flows into the side of the car on the 7...Beautiful!
Now compare it to the one on the RX-8...looks like an afterthought.

Overall, I love the RX-8...but there are some aspects of the car that I wish were different.

karmavore

The blurry front end actually makes it look good in this picture.

So, boys, what's the deal with the once piece fenders, sides, quarters & roof? I have NEVER seen this before. Must be a collision nightmare, no?

Luke.

BlueAdept

I agree that that 45 degree rear view shows the worst view of the front "Arch"... but I don't think it's nearly as nasty as some people here are saying...

Plus, it looks rather nice from every other angle!...

Won't even cross my mind when it comes to shelling out·.... I'll be taking one home just the same.

zoom44

hey fellas think of it this way- they left room for improvement. if the car looks this good in its 1st gen. think of how good it could be in its 2nd or 3rd gen.:D

Donny Boy

Love the front fenders veeeery much. Love how the grill flows back separately from the fenders which bulge sharply yet curvaceously over the front wheels.

ksaclo

I must agree that the front grill is kinda funky, but it's really hard to say at this point for two reasons. 1.) I saw nothing wrong with the 3rd Gen RX-7 stylings. This car should have been the next step and not a whole remake. I mean, hell, the reason why they are bringing the car back is because of the demand by avid RX-7 lovers; and 2.) It is really hard to tell from the pictures. Someone said else noticed, that certain angles the car looks pretty sweet, and other angles and colors have me scratchin' my head.

wakeech

uh, i think that you've got this car wrong, ksalco...
the reason that they're bringing this car into the market is because they need to rekindle the "Zoom Zoom"iness of the company, which has all but left, save for the Miata...
the rotary is back, i believe, not becuase it's a Mazda hallmark or becuase 7 lovers want a new car, but becuase it is genuinely better than a piston engine. but, to ensure the success of the engine they need to sell a significant amount of cars, but also need to really push the sportiness... thus, they come up with something in the middle: the RX-8... it's definitely not the next 7, 'cuase that'll be coming by 2005 (by MY speculative estimate... i'd be heartily disappointed if it was any later than 2006) if this car does well...

ksaclo

Well let's think about that for a sec. I will admit I was under the impression that the 2005 7 you are referring to, would only be released in Japan. I could be wrong on that, so I apologize if that was incorrect. However, I think you've got it wrong when you say that the reason is "...not becuase it's a Mazda hallmark or becuase 7 lovers want a new car, but becuase it is genuinely better than a piston engine.". I personally agree that rotary kicks ***, but you are not gonna tell me that some big wig at Ford woke up one morning after years of non production and said "Hey why don't we make that rotary thing again. That was so much better.". Also, if they were not trying to appeal to the 7 lovers, then why the hell name it RX-8. Could have used any other name. Bottom line is that the intention of this car was to put Mazda back on the map, as you mentioned, and also because there is enough of us 7 lover's out there to render such a decision. If you don't think so, then try telling that to the freaks out there still buying third gen's for 14,15,16,17, even 18K for a car that is nearly ten years old and sold for 30-40k at that time. (By the way, I envy you third gen freaks who actually get one.)

BlueAdept

To my understanding... there was never a period of "Non Production" at all... Just a period where the car was not sold outside Japan?

zoom44

you are correct blueadept
1)the next rx7 will be sold outside of japan.
2) because that is the way they name/number their rotary vehichles rx-1, rx-2, rx-5, rx-7 and rx-8. frankly i'd be suprised if they didn't re-number the replacement for the rx-7 as the rx-9 or something.
they ar trying to appeal to rotory lovers and convert some new ones