New Yorker

Are you kidding me!? It's already one of the best cars out there. The new "Sports Car International" considers it one of the five best handling cars, along with the Porsche Cayman, Nissan Nismo 350Z, Audi R8 and Lotus Elise.

Mistakes my ***.

velociti

iTrader: (1)

dude. cmon. it's gotten great reviews in comparison tests, and is liked as an overall package...but no review adores its styling, it is far from beloved for it's lack of torque in comparison to its direct competitors and is certainly not praised for its lack of factory updates since its introduction. porsche has been, and will continue to be a benchmark for sports car performance and packaging, as is BMW's 3 in the sports sedan segment. the rx8 was always an outlier and never really expected to meet widespread acceptance by the market. appreciation, maybe, but not acceptance as far as sales go. i love my car as much as most people on this forum, but our vehicles are not one of the most adored, beloved and praised cars in automotive journalism. hyperbole becomes you.

77mjd

Maybe mazda would at least be able to lure potential car shoppers into the showroom to get a look at the 8 if they would actually include it in their commercials. Just a thought.

sfredrx8

Any link to this article?

momo

^^^^^^^^

I don't remember reading this anywhere, but when compared to cars in it's segments, the RX8 always somehow manages to beat out the competition. Unfortunately, that doesn't always translate into sales. Case in point how many 350z's do y'all see compared to RX8's. In Cali I probably see 10 Z's for every 1 RX8.

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...son/index.html

I agree with the rags the RX8 is just a drivers car. Would I like it if it had another 50-100HP sure, but honestly I don't street race and 90% of the time I obey the speed limit. I"m not sure when I would or how I would use that extra HP? Stop light racing, ah no. Merging onto the highway, no problem doing that with the current ponies. Racing civic's, srt neons, or anyone who wants to have a pissing contest.

At this point, I would probably go for better gas mileage, give the current state of our gas fiasco.

arghx7

are you talking about an SMG? too expensive for this price point

if you are talking about a twin-plate clutch disc, that is completely useless on a car that doesn't make much torque.

Icemark

Bit of a clueless troll aren't you.

#1 The RX-8 has sold about the same as the 2nd gen RX-7 (Mazda's previous biggest selling rotary powered car).
2nd gen RX-7:
1986 model year: 72,760
1987 model year: 38,345
1988 model year: 27,814
1989 model year: 16,249
1990 model year: 9,743
1991 model year: 6,986
1992 model year (only convertibles were available as a '92):2245

Or 174,142 cars for the entire model run.

Hmmm, those numbers justified the lame *** FD.

and just for your info (as of december 31st 2007):

2003 = 60100
2004 = 50813
2005 = 27837
2006 = 23463
2007 = 9,343

Or 171,556 cars in the first 4 model years. Yeah I guess how I can see idiots thinking that it is a mistake They sold more 8's than any other rotary powered car in history, (and that doesn't even include the end of the 07 sales (which usually continue through may of 08, and the 08 sales, and the 09 sales, and the 10 sales)...

#2 Mazda is the only Ford division in the black.

#3 The 2nd gen RX-8 and ND is already in development (and I am not talking about the minor re-style that the 8 is getting for 2009)

raspyrx7

actually I believe I recall reading in that press release that they're labelling the 09 as the "series 2" RX8. And with the R3 package, I think it looks great and should be interesting... but yeah it doesn't address all the concerns of current owners. With the 08 Mazda 5 they really listened to owners and fixed a lotta little stuff and I was impressed. I'm torn between the new Mini Cooper S and the upcoming R3 now, problem is, the Mini gets double the mileage... sigh

Icemark

Yes, it is normal to call it a series change on the minor change (for example the 1st gen RX-7 went through 3 series changes, and the 2nd gen RX-7 went through 2 series changes). Series and generational changes should not be confused together.

I am talking about the new platform change. The current FE and NC won't meet the 2011 rear body impact standards for the USA, so it requires the whole platform be re-designed, hence a whole new (not minor re-style) RX-8 and MX-5 by 2011.

Revvittupp

Are you suggesting the next Gen "Miata" and "RX" will share a platform? What a novel and great idea. I think one platform could sufficiently fill three gaps with similar parts. The current Mx-5 niche, only with a 16x, the current 8 niche, and a hi=po two seat hard top. AN Rx7 if you will... Consi=olidating the RWD platforms and powertrains will allow for the savings to produce a third variant.

zoom44

they mx-5 is already on a shortened rx-8 chasis.

Chibana

It sounds to me like he was talking about a twin-clutch auto-shifting manual, like VW's DSG (old name). Mazda displayed a 7-speed twin-clutch auto-shifting manual in one of their recent rotary powered concept cars. They would be stupid to not be offering such a transmission in the near future. It's expected that this new RX-# car in 2012 will have such a transmission.

Icemark

As zoom44 already posted, the NC and the FE are already on the same platform. They will continue that with the next gen of each.

Zelse

iTrader: (12)

Got a suggestion. Why not look closely at their suspension enhancements (besides the obvious ones like Billestein struts) and see if it's really worth it to mod your car to mimic it. I mean come on..they changed the seats..and threw a newer mazdaspeed kit on it with new lights, and rims, and some suspension changes. Personally, I like the old style better.

It seems more to the RX style, if you will. The newer RX-8 reminds me of a ANGRY Mazda 6. The way I see it, look at the specs of the Shinka model in terms of Suspension, and look at this new RX-8. Then look up suspension online and see if you could get some good dampers or a whole set, set it up similar or something stiffer..and boom. Your car should now be at a similar playing field as the new one, or if not, better. Altspace would know more about that kinda thing.

I think it's a decent new look..But again, how much weight did it gain?

LionZoo

They changed the rear suspension geometry. Good luck changing the suspension pickup points on your car!

Zelse

iTrader: (12)

They did? I read a decent amount about it, but not that much. lol. Damn. :/ You think it'll make that much more difference?

MP3Guy

I disagree- I can't recall a comparison test, including some very recent ones where the competition had a chance to improve their wares, where the RX-8 did not come in first place. After over a year of ownership, this car still satisfies, and it's combination of handling, power, comfort and practicality and even styling (which grows on you) still impresses the hell out of me. It does whatever I ask it to do. As Sports Car Illustrated pointed out in their first road test nearly four years ago, the RX-8 can be anything you want it to be. You can't say that about a Porsche.

MP3Guy

At last, someone who gets it. BTW, lowering that final drive ain't gonna do much for the mileage issue- to say the least.

Spin9k

Much as I can empathize wth your view of the world.... it is not the only view that matters - IOW we all "get it" but what we get just isn't the same. You want mileage because you use it as a street car only and yea it's ok, even very adequate for that, performance wise. Still, I and others want a performance toy and our cup is partially full. Why only partially? Well, if you inhabit the realm where the car is giving it's all regularly, you will find it boring. Boring? Yes, It's glacial after 90 from a tracking perspective vis-a-vis lots of other cars. The high speed pickup is weak. Nothing 'wrong' with the car, it's simply lacking >90ph, and is not terribly quick to that point. Still, up to that point the deficiencies can be made up for the most part and it's damn entertaining in the process.

Try a look at the world through other's eyes or better yet, go to the track and enjoy yourself and really undertstand what others see, feel, and gripe about. Love of the car is why we care.

MP3Guy

Again- I have no interest in track performance and neither do the overwhelming majority of owners. If track performance is your ultimate gauge of performance, as opposed to street usability, I would be looking for a different car to drive, and more than likely it would have two seats and a shorter wheelbase. Those basics generally work better on a track as a starting point in design.

People are trying to imagine this car for something it is not- it has nothing to do with wishes, hopes or perspective. The car succeeds where it was meant to- not where people wish it to be to satisfy some urge it was never built to satisfy in the first place. It's not the car's fault- it's yours. For those of you who still don't understand, this is not the RX-7's replacement.

That's what I mean by "getting it." I've heard every bellyache in the book on this forum, from idiots who traded up from Civics and thought 35 miles per gallon was a God given birthright, to those who decided on this car instead of a Mustang, and complained the car was no good at pulling tree stumps.

**** 'em all.

If I were you, I would be looking for a Lotus Elise, or another take no prisoners car. Something without carpets, leather or trunk insulation. You want better track performance? Well, damn it, go buy a car that will deliver it. The RX-8 succeeds at being an RX-8. That will do for me.

I see the same culture of complaint in the tech space I follow- despite every miracle we've been given, there is always a bitch point- not enough memory, why isn't it flash enabled, why isn't the Wi-Fi better, and I want more storage- and did I mention I want it for less than half the price?

Enough.

Spin9k

You tell um. Damn the world for wanting change, nay even rotary progress no less!

It must be terribly upsetting that the underwhelming minority of owners want to upset the status quo demanding that things 'good enough just the way they are' still need a little tweaking.

Ah now I get it ... not an RX-7 replacement, not an RX-7 replacement... that's a new one ... but isn't the RX-8 about half the price, and it is flash enabled, and it doesn't have enough memory or we might be able to tune it??

It's too much! Are you sure?

downshift 8

They Need To Work On The Performance! More Hp. Or Simply Have A Stock Turbo Just Like The Rx7. We Should Right To Mazda Tell Them To Work On There Peformance

rollerbldes

Oh well at least their passion over weighs their financial advisers. If it was the other way around the rotary would have been cut out long ago.

But the RX-8 is definately getting much stiffer competition, especially in 2008 and 2009. It will only mean more price cuts which would drop the resell values even further. Which is no problem if you never plan on selling the car.

All I'm saying is if Mazda wants rotaries to stay competitive the 16X better come fast and perform even faster.

MP3Guy

If the car were any faster- it will no longer be this model, regardless what number they slap on it. Without a major design change, the numbers are not going to change meaningfully.

And it's not aimed at the same market, otherwise it WOULD be a replacement for the
RX-7. This is as much a replacement for the RX-7 as the RX-7 is a replacment for the
RX-2.

Now do you get it?

Zelse

iTrader: (12)

Like MP3Guy says..You need to keep in mind that this sports car is aimed to the Mid-Life crisis kind of person. Thus why the 4 seater. I'm going to also agree with MP3Guy on the fact of.. This isn't a replacement for the RX-7, but at the same time, it is. Why? It's taking the sports car to a more practical sense (again, midlife crisis person) and broadening the age range and type of people for the car. RX-7 was a true sports car..two seater.. fast engine, and ready for tuning. This is still a fast car.. great handling.. ready for tuning, but again... Not your "rotary rocket" out of the box.

The best thing to look at is this... This car is the G35 Sedan..And the RX-7 Is the G35 Coupe. Come sometime soon (hopefully..) the new RX-7 or RX-9 will be released and is supposed to surpass both RX-7 and RX-8 (as quoted from the Hot Version DVD "Rotary Rocket"..It's the chief designer from Mazda I believe). So until that thing comes out..I'm happy with my RX-8 and lightly tuning it for Auto Cross and simple daily driving and looking pimp.