Missed all of the events in the UK at which I could get to see the RX-8, and at the time I was not about to change my Proton Satria GTi as it sticks like **** to the proverbial blanket, thanks to Lotus.

However, having read the press, seen your posts and photies I am almost convinced that the RX-8 is the car for me.

What I really need is to see the car, and try it on for size, as with my advancing years can I get in and out of the car without having to resort to rolling out onto the pavement (sidewalk not tarmac)?

Also as a telecomms engineer I need to be able to fit all of my tools into the boot as I still maintain I am the fastest engineer, if not for the speed of my work, certainly for the quickest elapsed time for arrival at the job.

So can one of you lucky guys with a brand new shiny car find the time, and a suitable tape measure and not just a piece of string, to give me the dimensions of the boot eg. height x depth x width. Feet and inches or mm, whatever. I do not play golf so the press, who tell me I can fit in two golf bags, are of no help as I have no intentions of buying two golf bags just to find out.

Thanks in anticipation of someone helping out an aged RX-8 newbie. Also my first post so be gentle with me.

 

Would love to measure for you, but am at work right now. Will measure this evening for sure if no-one else has...

But for the opening being only about 12", it is quite spacious, as indicated by my 5'11" son....
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doc

 

that pics is awesome :D

 

O.K., I have some real numbers for you. (I can't believe nobody has measured for you yet...)

Front to back is 32".
Widest width is 53" near the back.
Between the suspension struts, width is 34".
Depth is an average 16" a little less under the speakers.
Deepest depth is in the square depression in the middle, 21"
And don't forget the centre 'pass-through'.
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doc

 

The main limitation is in getting past the weatherstrip lines that define the boot "opening".

The main limitation of this opening is the dimension from front - to - rear, which I'm gonna call the width. The maximum width = 12 7/16" (316mm). This maximum width is only good for a length of 20 1/2" (521mm). Anything longer than that must be narrower then the 316mm width.

This width dimension was measured staight-line from the weatherstrip which follows the contour of the rear window - on the centerline of the car (which is like the quadrant point of a large circle) - down & back to - the inside corner of the shelf where the boot latch is. This shelf is straight & flat, following the top of the rear bumper for the 20 1/2" length. After that, it goes up & in, following the contour of the rear light housings.

The maximum length is 43 1/4" (1100mm). This is good for a straight width of only 4" (102mm), measured perpendicularly from the quadrant point to the weatherstrip above the rear light housing.

The above measurements were taken using a high-quality Lufkin tape measure with high-visibility yellow tape. No metric scale though, so the above conversions were done as I was writing this (dim x 25.4).

Once you're past the weatherstrip, it is quite cavernous.

If you have a length between 521 & 1100mm, let me know what that is & I'll measure the max width, or tell me the width too & I'll tell you if it'll go.

edit: Oh, hey there Doc! Good, you got those dim's while I got the others...

 

Its good to know that in a pinch - I can store a dead body if needed!!!!:D :D

Great picture

 

doc was that you in the trunk

 

Many thanks Racer X-8 for the detailed description. I did a quick diagram based on the information you supplied and appear to have ended up with a dodecahedron surmounted with three elipses. My God! it looks just like Bart Simpson.

Doctorr, at least if customer does not pay in future, rather than just disable his telephone system, I can club him to death and put him in the trunk, albeit without his legs

Sorry for the poor humour. Thanks again for the info you guys. I can get all of my tools in, as they are mostly in small attache cases etc. Now the step ladder is another matter! Do you think I can get roof bars? ONLY JOKING.

Also, with regard the first part of my origional post. Is there a 57 year old going on 90, who can tell me about access in and out of the vehicle via the front. To hell with the rear seats, I shall never have to use them, as no one else will ever get to drive it if I end up buying one. I just need to know that I shall not have to ask a passer by to pull me up out of the seat because I cannot lever myself up out of the car.

 

As one of the older owners 55. I have a little trouble with the height of the door getting in and out. If the door is wide open (hard to do in some parking lots) it is not a problem. It sure will keep you nimble on a daily basis. It still is a lot better then then the Honda Prelude which I had a hard time with 10 years ago. After driving and riding in it for week I have a harder time getting in and out of my Tundra. The seats really grow on you. We ride a hour each way to work.

 

Harrizone, you have 7 or 8 years on me & I'm in pretty good shape for my age, so I don't know, but this car isn't much harder to me than my Infiniti G20T. Not hard for me at all. I guess it's mostly a function of butt height when seated, itn't it?

My MX-6 (my goin'-to-work mule) is much lower to the ground. It's like sitting in a bathtub, pretty much. I never gave it a whole lot of thought, but getting out of the MX-6 requires a bit of planning & dedicated effort, especially if you're getting out with something in your hand(s), cuz I think I use the steering wheel a lot for leverage.

The RX-8 is in the middle, between the MX-6 & the G20T, more like the G20T, as in practically effortless. For me anyway.