KayakDaddy

Synergy,

Sorry I didn’t reply about the side impact reinforcements sooner, I’ve been on vacation. I don’t know exactly where I read that, but there were pretty specific details about it in an article somewhere.

I’ve read everything I’ve been able to get my eyes on about the RX-8 in print and online. I’ll go back through quickly and see if I can find it. I’ll post the link if I do. It sounded like an ingenious design, but I would expect nothing less.

KayakDaddy

OK, I found it, the information about the side impact reinforcements. It is actually part of a more comprehensive article about the RX-8, perhaps the most complete one to date. Here is the link to the first page of the article.


http://www.roadandtrack.com/features...cleID=7&page=1

The information about the invisible B-pillar is on page four of the main article. There are also smaller sections about behind the scenes, photo gallery, video, and specifications.

Enjoy!

n22lasing

I would like a 6 speed, Sunroof, and Yokohama AVS tires on 18" light weight rims. I wouldn't mind a Bose stereo, but I don't personally care about the subwoofer. I would also like a limited slip differential, ABS, and if possible, AWD. That would be awesome! I love the Skyline, S4, TT and the STi. I don't see why it wouldn't be considered? I've heard else where of a return to some AWD cars in Mazda's line-up. Mazda6?

cshepley

I think AWD would make the car too heavy to be pushed around effectively by its low torque engine. ABS I could do without, but LSD and light weight rims are a good thing.

applejax

Even outside of the weight aspect, AWD doesn't feel like RWD. AWD may help the car stick, but RWD is RWD, i need say no more.

RXRX

they shouldn't even make it in automatic..a waste of a car

fuz

Now that I look at the pedals... I hope the gas pedal goes down lower so that you can heel and toe more easily. I'd prefer if they's just attach it to the ground--the way I"m used to. :p

Donny Boy

6 speed manual and no other tranny for me. Give me a clutch any day. Love that short shifter. Spoke to the Mazda guys at the NY Auto Show about the sun/moon roof and was told that the chassis was reinforced through the roof due to the suicide door layout and the roof was not likely to be coming.

Hercules

Yea, it's kinda disapointing, but oh well I'll just open my windows!

ZoomZoom

I use my slider more than I use my air conditioner, very disappointing. I guess we all have to make sacrifices.

Grimace

Oh well. A moonroof would've been nice, but a stiff structure with those trick suicide doors is better.

Besides, I'm really sick of my current car's sunroof dripping on me during rainstorms. I know all sun/moon roofs don't do that, but its turned me off them.

zoom44

sorry donny boy but the mazda guys told you wrong. i think there will be a sun/moon roof (what is the dif anyway?) available. the latest spy pic definetly shows some glass on the roof, they must have found the right spot to cut out between the reinforcing in the roof.

houstonRX8

Hey zoom....What picture are you referring to? Can you post a link please?

Thanks A lot-

Houston RX8

Just got the 350Z in....Damn it's tight....Hope Mazda will compete....

zoom44

this one

houstonRX8

Hey zoom....thanks for the reply....


houstonRX8

Hercules

That could be just a reflection.

We need more certainty than that right now... that pic doesn't give it to me!

Sputnik

A "sunroof" is made out of glass, while a "moonroof" is made out of sheetmetal. But both have been used for the other at times.

---jps

zoom44

okay, in that case the pic is showing a sunroof. herc you are correct that is alot of reflection. but it is definetly from glass and not from the metal that the rest of the roof is made from. you can see the difference between the reflections from the different materials. look at the space between the gutter above the passenger side and where the glass starts. you can see (well i can and i could be seeing what i want to see) the corner of the sunroof and the line of the side as it goes forward.

Hercules

I see how you can tell.. but I'm still going to just think it's NOT there so I don't get my hopes up

Folken

it must be manual, sunroof it doesn't really matter to be, the push button starter would be cool to show off, heh

threeputtwash

It doesn't look like a sunroof to me. Looks like a reflection. If it was a sunroof, where are sealing lines around the glass? By this, I mean the border of the sunroof that prevents leakage of water into the car? There usually some border, either a the spongey black seal you have around your door, or some cut out area. The transition to the "glass of the sunroof" is just too instantaneous.


Looks to me like it's the reflection of the top of the white building in the background.
At least that's my guess....

BTW, I would like a sunroof....
I drive with the sunroof and windows open all the time.....

boowana

Betcha there's a sunroof.:o

irresistibo

I think that an SMG would be hard to do properly on a sub 30k car, which again I repeat is Mazdas goal

someone else

my response

A SMG would not be too difficult considering that a Toyota MR2 spyder has it as a relatively low cost option. It doesnt shift nearly as fast as the SMG's on Ferrari's and soon to come BMW's, but it is a cool option. I would go for a 6 speed though

Hercules

SMG sucks.

Sure, it shifts faster, like .01 seconds for a shift. Big woop.

There's a certain feeling when you can FEEL the power coming off the clutch and you applying it when you gas it. The interaction with the car is what I love about manual transmission. It's not all about racing, which is what SMG transmissions are generally for. Manual transmission allows you to have a lot of fun that granted, is probably not good for the car, but is FUN FUN FUN!

Want to smoke some tires for kicks? Rev it up, drop that clutch!
Want to do a reverse or forward 180? Clutch in, hit that wheel hard and then shift into another gear. You'll be spinning your friend's heads around!
360s? Clutch in, handbrake... oo lah lah! :D

I can understand SMG in F1 racing, but in any other race.. a driver should SUFFER for a missed shift! It's part of the skill of the driver. SMG takes that away and adds more to the technology of the car instead of the driver, which makes racing more boring than it is already (I'm not a fan, as you imagine hehe).

Anyways... SMG sucks. Manual is the only option for me. The other option should be SMG with one automatic setting. Better than that tiptronic crap they offer with cars now.

But of course.. that's a pipe dream.

Grimace

The SMG in the Toyota MR-Spyder is not faster than a manual. About 1 second slower to 60 mph, actually. It was only offered to quell the cries of people who wanted the Spyder but didn't want to learn to drive a stick. Toyota never planned on offering it in the first place.
BMW's SMG is, on the other hand, a transmission I wouldn't mind having in my RX-8. But for $2400 US, I'll keep the clutch pedal thanks. If you cruise the BMW forums, the SMG's are having some reliability issues with the clutch disks and getting stuck in gear.