waldis

what is the relationship between the RX8 and Ford?
and why is the RX8 under Ford's website?

http://www.ford.com/en/vehicles/vehi...es/default.htm

thanks for helping a newbie out.....

zoom44

Ford owns a controlling interest in mazda.

waldis

thanks for the info.
another question, is it mazda or just mazdausa?

RX8Bliss

mazdausa is just a marketing department, they do some r&d but not much, basically a mazda corporate office in the states. ford has controlling interest in mazda but the rx8 was designed and produced entirely in japan, with mazdausa doing a few modifications to meet US emission standards.

RCCAZ 1

Are you sure Bliss?

I know that it's produced in Japan, but I thought that some of the design work was done here in the U.S. at Mazda's R&D Facility and design studios in Irvine, CA. At least I know the Gen 3 was worked on in Irvine, but not sure on the 8. Do you have any additional insight?

Sue Esponte

Didn't notice the trio of Aston Martins that also share space with the RX8 on that page of the Ford site?...or the Volvos, Jags and Land Rovers among the US brands on other pages?

All under the Ford umbrella. If Ford had it's way back in the '60s Ferrari would be there too....but no Ferrari, hence the GT40.

There's more info on the development of the RX8 at the Mazda Design website.

-Eric

Gord96BRG

From all I've read/heard, the RX-8 was entirely designed in Japan. Aside from the usual magazine articles and the Yamaguchi book, I spoke with Tom Matano last year at the Monterey Historics - Tom was Mazda's Irvine centre Design chief for the 90 Miata and the 93 RX-7, and so led the designer team for those designs (which were styled in North America, though the engineering design was done in Japan). Before leaving Mazda 2 years ago, Tom was actually posted back to Japan for a couple of years, where he participated in some of the RX-8 design work.

Regards,
Gordon

AltecLansing

from mazda.co.jp, it seems the RX8 is done by the japs only...

DMc

The term "JAPs" is not quite right today. It has a bad ring to it. I used to use the term "Jap Bikes" thinking it was OK. I asked my japanese buddy if he had any objections to it. He did. I stopped. We should all stop. Just my 2 cents

Senseny

I agree with DMc.

KrustyKlown

However feel free to call me a yank, yankee, cracker, or whatever else because...I don't care.

It's up to them if it bothers them and their right too but I never understood how people can be so thin skinned about letters and the pattern they are laid out in.

Art Hazebrook

What I want to know is, why is the 8 on the 2-door coupe page...?

bubble

^Very good question. That Focus SVT looks like fun.

AltecLansing

err, sorry for the misleading on the "japs" matter, *** i dont really care how they are called and how i am called:D and im an Asian too... and sorry, i didnt know there are something wrong with the term "jap"...

vudoodoodoo

Sometimes I type "Jap" instead of "Japanese" because I am too lazy to type out the whole thing.
I'm Vietnamese and people say Viet all the time. Doesn't bother me.

waldis

so was ford involved with any designing or manufacturing of the RX8?

Xyntax

Nope. If you've read the R&T special on the RX-8, they actually had interviews with the chief designer and engineer of the RX-8. He was explaining things about how they approached the design and so on. There was no mention on Ford's involvement nor any American involvement at all. They did mention, however, about an "Italian Influence"; saying that they leaned after an Italian style but without losing the Japanese design signature.

Smoker

Yea, for sure this term is considered to be an insulting word to use. If you are going to use short form, just use "JP", it is very commonly used and it save you from typing another letter !

J-D

you people are too worried about being polically correct, lighten up.

Hornet

I think the most Ford had to do with it was giving the "OK" for Mazda to produce the RX-8.