Preorder finalization and delivery dates
 

If the preorder finalization date has been brought forward, could it mean we will see our cars a bit sooner? My dealer insists that my car will be here in April, meanwhile everything else I have heard has said that the first cars will be delivered in June-July.

Perhaps Mazda wants to get them on the road a bit quicker to build exposure?

I doubt it. The RX-8 should be released in accordance with the X-Men 2 movie, because they will get double their advertising stream with half the cash. It's common sense.

If the X-Men trailer comes out, features the car for a second or two.. then the Mazda campaign can be "See Cyclops drive the RX-8.. And you can too this summer!"

It's just a matter of math, as Mazda is still in their rebuilding phases, they don't have the capital of Honda/Toyota/BMW/etc to throw money at advertising, so they need to be smart with it.

Putting the car in the movie was a great move.

Whether the expected delivery date is April or not, Mazda should trickle out a few 8s here and there throughout the U.S. to build curiousity and interest amongst the common people, and quite possibly to inspire passion and enthusiasm in those who are still sitting on the fence whether they want one or not. Worked wonders for the new Mini Cooper, didn't it?

Without word-of-mouth advertising, cars like the 8 will not sell very well. Mazda can't rely on the "lamb-mentality" of the general public to generate good sales. Best of all, that kind of advertising will come much cheaper than any spot on TV will cost them. Hell, just recently, one of my co-workers expressed their interest in picking up their own "2003" RX-7 after seeing mine everyday and chit-chatting with me every now and then over the past few months. Almost knocked them flat when I told them that they haven't been sold in the U.S. since '95 and that my 7 is a '93!!

*cough* car show *cough*

*cough* magazines *cough*