MAZDA'S exciting RX-8 will be available in Australia next year. STUART MARTIN took the first test drive in Japan.

In many eyes, Mazda's RX-8 looks better in production than in concept (RX-EVOLV) form, sitting on the road with an aggressive squat.
The design is robust and purposeful, leaving the car's intentions plain for all to see: it looks almost evil and is certain to catch the eye of the law.

What may not be immediately apparent is the rear "suicide" (Mazda prefers free-style) doors that lead to the two back buckets, which can be a little awkward for someone 190cm tall to access.

In the back there's almost enough headroom but elsewhere there's adequate space, meaning four normal-sized adults can experience the linear surge that follows a slightly laboured start-up.

The test-drive cars, on Mazda's own track in Japan, are pre-production prototypes, with two left-hand-drives in silver (running suspension and damper settings that are close to final spec) and two right-hand-drivers in red.

Although there was not a huge difference when getting in the red right-hand-drive cars, the silver cars felt better tied down over the yumps, bumps and ruts that litter the global road-test track at Mazda's Miyoshimi site.

The Renesis rotary has a surge worthy of some of BMW's better in-line sixes. With torque not a huge factor until well past half way to redline, there won't be any stump-pulling contests won.

But once it's wound up, there won't be much under $100,000 (that can carry four people) that will get away from the RX-8.

The engine feels as though it could easily spin to 10 or 11,000rpm when the beeper pipes up at 9000.

The gathering of pace is accompanied by a strong engine note that has lost the drony muffled noise of the old turbo.

Firmness is the order of the day for ride, accompanied by some good levels of compliance and body control as the light but direct steering points the nose into corners with authority.

The RX-8 has sportscar sharpness in the turns, with a number of cornering attitudes. Anything from slight understeer to entertaining, even distressing, oversteer can be induced, depending on the level of aggression with the helm and throttle.

There's dynamic stability control software looking after things on some of the cars – but final spec for Australia is yet to be finalised.

What can be taken away from the preview of Mazda's latest baby is news that sportscars need not always be about sacrifice.

The rugrat-friendly RX-8, with a price not out of the 350Z's $60,000 ballpark by much (but with a couple more doors and a useable back seat), could re-invigorate a sportscar market starting to come off the boil.

Originally posted by Hercules


But once it’s would up, there won’t be much under $100,000 (that can carry four people) that will get away form the RX-8.

The Engine feels as though it could easily spin to 10 or 11,000rpm when the beeper pipes up at 9000.

Originally posted by tallguylehigh
350z's cost $60,000 in Australia? Is that correct or is that a misprint? As for the rest of the article, it sounds very very promising.

The test-drive cars, on Mazda's own track in Japan, are pre-production prototypes, with two left-hand-drives in silver

The test-drive cars, on Mazda's own track in Japan, are pre-production prototypes, with two left-hand-drives in silver (running suspension and damper settings that are close to final spec) and two right-hand-drivers in red.
Although there was not a huge difference when getting in the red right-hand-drive cars, the silver cars felt better tied down over the yumps, bumps and ruts that litter the global road-test track at Mazda's Miyoshimi site.