More NAIAS pictures and RX-8-in-person opinions
 

Sorry for stealing your title fritts! I just realized what I did when I logged back on.

I too got back yesterday from Detroit, and just threw some pictures up on the web here . Please disregard my picture naming- I had a reason for the way I named everything and it made sense at the time! Also, the files haven't been cropped- we just tossed them up there, so I apologize if they cause anyone any headaches. We've got a few short movies we took as well, and as soon as we get them into a recognizable format I'll stick them up there too.

Things I liked/disliked/noticed-

-I didn't like the titanium in person as much as I thought I would. Now going for "Nordic Green" with tan/black leather.
I liked the red BETTER in person- it wasn't as orangy as it's looked in places, and the red leather was pretty subdued.

-The rubber-like inserts on the leather seats were slightly annoying

-There's a child-seat attachment thingy in the rear dash, which was nice.

-the car felt like a sports car- there is no way anyone will ever mistake it for a sports sedan after they sit in it.

-the quality of the interior, other than the plastic bits, was exceptionally nice (I thought). However, I, personally, hated the cloth seats in the black car. But I have always hated cloth seats.

-there is storage EVERYWHERE

-the trunk was a lot bigger than I was anticipating. It was a nice surprise

-the back seat looked cramped, and with the front seats pushed ALL the way back, even I got stuck- and I'm only 5' tall. But, as long as they weren't shoved back as far as possible, I had no problem, and neither did my husband or brother. It was pretty comfortable once you got into it.

-a Mazda guy there said that the trim on the black was a possible later trim option for the sports package, but nothing was definite. The gas cap looked really awful up close. The side vents were odd.

Overall, it was much better in person than I ever imagined. I am more in love with the car than I was before.

Great pictures... thanks! :)

Check out the ugly plastic plug in the dash, in plain sight... yuck! I expected better...

http://www.elysianplains.com/autoshow/mazda/rx8titaniumconsolvemazda2.JPG

Great pix! By the way what kind of digi cam do you have. Those res shots are really sharp and bright.

That plastic plug as you refer to it... is a reflection.

Thanks for the great pics. I'm glad I chose black, but I think I may have to upgrade to the GT package and get the leather. :D

Herc, that doesn't look like a reflection to me...

Another angle may convince you...

:D

That's the same angle! We are talking about the big ugly plug directly to the left of the glove box right?

The camera was a digital Elph- I'm not sure exactly what the specs were on it, but it's not the top of the line and not the bottom. Not that that makes much sense. I'll ask my brother what it was, since it was his camera.

I noticed that funny little plug when I was in the car- looks like it has a ratty piece of something hanging off it too. I have no idea what it is though.

And notice there is a guy wiping off the car in some of the pictures of the black car and the Washu- I SWEAR he followed me around the entire day Monday or something, because every time I tried to take a picture there he was cleaning the car I was trying to shoot!

I guess it will not be seen once the glove box is closed. Look at the bottom of the pic for the full glove box lid. :confused:

Oh THAT :)

Plastic seat backs look cheap as ......
 

h e double hockey sticks!!! I can see a year or two of scrapes making it look like crap. I'm not sure the interior is going to match the exterior beauty. Pictures of interior are scaring me!

The lady looks pretty cramped in the car. I wonder if us 6' plus size guys will fit. I have a 2nd gen RX-7 2+2 and my seat is slammed all the way back. No one can sit behind me. I hope I'll fit in the front.

Someone please reassure us of the interior !!!

I was at NAIAS on Wednesday. My comments on finally getting to touch/feel/sit in an RX-8:

(1) I would call the accomodations inside the car "intimate." Not big, not roomy, but not cramped and uncomfortable. You will not mistake this car for a sports sedan.

(2) I'm 6 feet tall, 190 pounds. I fit very comfortably in the front seat. The back is a bit snug, but I do fit. I wouldn't want to take a 3-hour trip back there, but a short drive would be okay. Getting in and out of the back can be a bit rough. Mazda really needs to put a grab handle of some kind back there to make getting in and out of the back a little easier. Next step: take my 6-year old nephew, my wife, and a child seat to the Mazda dealership and see if child and child seat fit in the back seat. If it does, it's practical enough for my needs! We have 2 SUV's to carry the adults.

(3) The trunk is suprisingly large for a car this small.

(4) Speaking of which....the RX-8 is a pretty darn small car. Cool!

(5) The interior looked great, once you looked past all the damage the show-goers have inflicted on both the black and titanium cars (scratches, scrapes, dirt, etc). TONS of storage space, very thoughtful layout. Either the fold-down storage bin between the rear seats was broken, or it's designed to be removed. I didn't see anything that looked cracked. The damage could be a good thing....it means a lot of people have looked at the car (more potential sales!).

(6) Does the Velocity Red Mica look great or what? Forget the titanium; I want red!

(7) In my opinion, the red interior looks best. I didn't particularly like the cloth interior.

(8) I actually didn't mind the wing on the back of the black car. In fact, I kinda liked it.

(9) The engine is burried; can't see a thing even with the plastic cover off. Maybe that's the point: it's so tiny, yet makes so much power.......

(10) Michigan roads are going to destroy those 18 inch wheels which such short tire sidewalls.

Overall, I liked it. I could see myself driving one. We'll see about owning one!!

The interior was really comfortable, actually. And I may have looked cramped in those pictures, but what you can't really tell is that in the black RX-8 I've got the front seat almost as far forward as it will go, and I can barely see over the steering wheel-there's about 8 inches, at least, between my head and the ceiling. I'm also not the skinniest person in the world. The back was comfortable for me, my husband, who's 5'10, and my brother, who is 5'9, in every position except for pushed ALL the way back- and you'd have to be well over 6 ft, I'd guess, to even consider coming that close. But again, as both IWANTanRX8 and I pointed out- there is no way this could be mistaken for a sedan, sports or otherwise- it's got the close, wrap-around sports car feel in just about every sense of the word. If you don't turn around, you're not going to remember you've got a backseat in it.

And I also agree that the red was SO much better in person- kind of a metallic fire-engine red, not the orangy color it shows up as in pictures. It would probably be my second choice on color- I just like the nordic green better. :)

The black is gorgeous. Heart-breakingly so.
If I could afford the 8, it would be in black, with the xenon's and fogs, and nothing else. Perfect.

I agree. The more and more I look at the black one it grows on me. Black Sports Package = Rotary Knight Rider.

I agree. The more and more I look at the black one it grows on me. Black Sports Package = Rotary Stealth.

That's why I ordered black.. if you polish it up good... nothing is going to gleam like it in the sun :)

It appears to be a switch/indicator that the passenger air bag is turned off. See attached.
http://images.rotarynews.com/images/...3/mvc01988.jpg

As the pictures that RotaryNews.com took, this "plug" is shows when the passenger air bag is turned off

http://images.rotarynews.com/images/...3/mvc01988.jpg

Puppy1 and IGOZMZM posted at the same time and with almost identical posts :p !