rotary crazy

I think is being long enought to know if the RX-8 has been a succes for mazda as a product, last time I check mazda had sold more than 125,000 world wide compeare this to the last rotary made the fd I think 40,000 or so.

What do you guys think?

Spin9k

rotary crazy

^^^lmao^^^^

vectorwolf

lol...

I've heard that the RX-8 was outselling the 350z at one point by something like a 2:1 margin? (even though I see far more Z's than 8's? hmm...) Seems to have been a big success for Mazda, though. Affordable performance, 4 useable seats, attractive styling... Not a bad way to go.

pcimino

I find a lot of people love the styling but are put off by the idea of a rotary. Seems like Mazda should offer two engine options, and expand this to the MX-5. So RX-8 and RX-5 would be rotary and MX-8 and MX-5 would be piston.

Raptor2k

Wouldn't engine shapes and sizes make that difficult?

MX-8, that sounds weird. Rotary r00lz.

As for the success, if I'm more than satisfied with my car, I think that's a big success on Mazda's part.

rotary crazy

some of you where at sevenstock and talk to some mazda exec's did they said if mazda considere the RX-8 a succes?

Ike

It's a great car and a success for that reason, but sales wise it's a dog. I would imagine Mazda has made very little money on the RX-8 with buy backs, giftcards, recalls, engines being replaced, and most of all, selling the car well below invoice with big rebates.

Vectorwolf, that was in Canada for a month I think. In general the Z outsells the RX-8 by nearly 3:1.

Microdot

I agree with Ike, but I also think many consumers won't buy into a new technology (the rotary engine hasn't been offered in a car in the US for a while now) until it's proven itself for a while. In the case of a car this is usually at least a few model years.

It's still unproven as far as long term dependability. It's a new car design on a new chasis, with a new engine. It's coming up on it's 3rd model year without (what I would consider) any Major design defects. My Mazda dealer has upgraded the flash on the computer several times since I've owned the car, and been very responsive to anything I've had to say. The car itself hasn't really had any real problems so far. ...So far, I'd say the maintenance track record (for me anyway) has been pretty good.

We are the early adoptors. It is our attitudes and opinions, along with those of a small handfull of media reviewers, that will shape the opinion of the general car buying public in the years to come. If in 2-3 years, we regret buying a rotary for whatever reason, then most people who know us will be unlikely to buy one anytime in the near future. But if we still love our cars as much or more than the day we bought them, then those same people are more likely to purchase a rotary.

Personally, I am still in love with my car. I have owned it since April of 2004. I still turn and look at it as I walk away from it. I still love the sound of the engine. I still love the way the car feels when I sit in it. I still love the way the car handles on a winding mountain road. My one and only complaint, so far (just to beat the dead horse), is that the fuel economy is not as good as I was expecting.

And BTW, my little brother keeps checking Craigslist for used RX7's in his price range, So it would seem that my enthusiasm has rubbed off on at least one other person so far.

LiveToRev

RX-8, RX-5, MX-8, and MX-5 would probably be a bit confusing to the average consumer. If Mazda were to offer a piston engine option for the RX-8, then they would probably have to design a compact, turbocharged flat 4 (boxer) engine from scratch to maintain the near 50/50 weight distribution, low center of gravity (because of the flat 4 can be mounted lower within the engine bay), and the similar power to weight ratio that was originally intended for this car. Of course this is not feasible from the bean counter's perspective, since Mazda would have to design a completely new engine just for this application.

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

mazda didnt do so well selling such an expensive car back in the days when the FD was introduced to the US. about 14900 FDs (93-95) were sold in the US. as of january 05 there are less than 5700 left in the US.pretty damn rare and they still cost over 10k for an ideal condition FD w/e hardly any mods. mazda almost went bankrupt cause of the FD because they kept on breaking down while still in warrenty so mazda had to pay for everything. so after 1995 they were finished with the FD and Ford has taken 32% of mazda. i dont think they'll ever creat another legend like the RX7 ever again, so they made a 4door sports (not TRUE SPORT like rx7s) car with a N/A rotary engine. but so far the rx8 seems to do pretty damn well compard to the FD. but too bad it still cant compete with the sales of the Z car.

rotary crazy

^^^NOPE^^^

ford owns part of mazda since the 70's in the 90 I belive they buy more stock thats all, the fd was not the reason for mazdas financial trobles in the 90's it was low sales of allmost every model mazda made ( mx-6,mx-3,protoge,milenia,929,mpv) they all sold in relative low #, and some of them had a lot of relaybility problems( miller cycle milenia).

RX-Hachi

Generally speaking, I’d call it a mild success. Not a home run in the same sense as the original RX-7 or the original Miata or even the rebirth of the 350Z. But the very fact Mazda was able to bring back the rotary under today’s world of strictly controlled emissions is success enough. It has won a huge number of awards & accolades, been universally praised by industry reviewers and picked by many auto mags as the favorite in its class.

In terms of sales success, it varies depending on what part of the world we’re talking about. In the case of the US, I think Mazda was happily satisfied with its sales numbers in ’03 & ’04, but they must be concerned about the drop off in ’05. It has certainly outsold the 3rd gen FD RX-7 many times over, but isn’t quite up to the sales numbers the 2nd gen FC RX-7 delivered in its first 3 years, and not even close to the original RX-7.

However, the competition is much fiercer today as well. Back in the days of the 1st & 2nd gen RX-7, except for the ZX and Supra, there weren’t many direct alternatives. So with that in mind, the RX-8 seems to be doing well enough. But in a power hungry US market, it would be doing much better if the Renesis could generate ~275 hp.

therm8

The only way you can really judge it is by knowing how many they expected to sell. Now the Mazda 3 can be called a success without knowing that, since it seems to be making a dent in the generally undentable Civic market share.

As a halo car I think the 8 has done exactly what they needed. It gave them the chassis for the Mx-5, and the exterior highlights for the entire lineup. And it created some much needed brand recognition.

Krankor

I don't see how you can say it gave them brand recognition. Exceedingly few people who encounter an 8 seem to know what it is or that it's a Mazda.

tiggerlee

I found just the opposite. I'm suprised by the number of people I encounter at shopping malls,gas stations etc.. who seem to know about the 8 and it's rotary goodness. I often get total strangers come up to me and say "So that's the RX-8 huh?" I can recall a few times they want me to pop the hood and then stand around talking and looking at it. Makes me feel kinda warm and fuzzy inside.

Raptor2k

Brand recognition from magazines, car reviews etc, and those certain people who take interest in the rotary

It's mixed for me...I get asked if it's a viper, miata, infiniti or rather no guess at all and just a question about performance. In other cases, but definitely not as many, people surprisingly ask about the rotary.

Ike

It's also the laughing stock of the import world. I think it's unfair and I don't agree, but I visit enough car sites to see the 8 take a beating regularly. That's not a very good halo car... For many people the RX-8 has hurt the image of Mazda and just reinforced the notion that they build great handling underpowered cars.

BoosTED

iTrader: (2)

They had to kick out a more reliable rotary to regain the respect. Not that the 7 doesn't have respect but it is well known the reliablilty was horsecrap.

If Mazda kicked out a twin turbo setup the first year of the 8 it would be questionable because people would assume that it was the same as the 7 and would pass on by. In the car industry image is everything. One model has bad reliability a person could associate that the other models won't be as reliable.

Specially since they follow the same type of body styling.

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

^ by 7 do you mean all 3 generations of the rx7? if so you're wrong. the FB was a pretty reliable car and ive seen a few original FBs with over 150k original miles and for the FC ive also seen the TurboIIs with over 120k miels and the N/A versions were even better most can go up to at least 180k and still run great. but the FD WAS horsecrap in reliability. then again, mazda didnt design the FD to be a reliable sports car. mazda designed the FD to be a TRUE sports car with perfect handling and to be extremely fast.

BoosTED

iTrader: (2)

Notice I mentioned twin turbo setup, I was referring to the FD.

Thanks for clarifying SayNoToPistons.

Dragonrider

Only a dyno addict would make such a comment about the attitude of other dyno addicts.



So long as the RX8 keeps taking the checker flag the sour grapes group will keep attempting to convince dyno addicts that the RX8 is an under powered car which for some odd reason none of those high powered (according to the dyno) cars in their class seem to be able to beat. So go on and keep beating the sour grape drum. Maybe you should get one of those high power (according to the dyno) cars and join them in laughing at this under power RX8 that seems to always cross the finish line in the lead.



Only the jealous assert the RX8 is a laughing stock.

Ike

Whatever makes you feel better.

Spin9k

Glad you don't agree the RX-8 is the laughing stock of the import world Ike, but can you give a few example links to these other sites where they laugh at our car? And I don't mean kill threads, I mean people with more than one brain cell on hormones that discuss the topic. I'd enjoy studying their arguements. Thanks.

Ike

Just pick any popular, Import/Performance car forum and search RX-8. You should get a pretty good idea of what I'm talking about.