With a nice long highway commute, I use cruise control every day. 85k miles on my '04 and no problems.

 

Cruise control is like wearing a condom, it's easier to go the distance, but you don't feel much along the way.

 

Heh!

 

Not released as of yet, but I posted some spy shots a few pages back from a friend of mine that works at a Mazda dealer.

 

Would the actual non-RS/R3 Rx8 be shown in Detroit or no? Any news?

 

Looking from the side......

Doesn't it resemble the Alfa Romeo with a different front nose and flared fenders?

I tired to find a closer up picture. Then you can really tell. Need to have the R&T mag to see what I mean.

The side triangle is the same but larger.

It looks like we are all following the BMW lead on that

 

Rotary Xperiment!

I think the Non-RS version will be one without the side skirts, spoiler and maybe foglamps and the previous 18' 5-spoke rims.

So i guess, just imagine!

No news on how local cars will be specced.

 

Oh I get it now. Thats what that metal peice was for above the A/C line in the old old old post that someone did and the old post that my friend Mike put up about the new engine. It was for the 4 way strut bar.
Cool. Where can I get one?
Can someone tell me why they changed the oil cap?
Also we did the TB bypass mod. I dont think you can do that on this one right? Well from the looks in the pic anyway.

The one main thing I dont like about the new 8 is the steering wheel. Looks to much like the new MX-5 steering wheel.

 

Heh, that's because it is the same steering wheel.

 

The oil cap is a JDM item, they have smaller hands ;-)

 

Nah, they sourced that part from the new MX-5 as well.

 

One thing that irks me if I read correctly is the packages.

I don't want a sunroof, yet I have to have one if I want xenons and/or sirius radio. I would like the option of the R3 package, but i'd have to get the Touring pkg which includes all the other crap I don't want.

The sunroof is nice, but I want headroom, and to keep the weight down.

 

Sorry, I've been busy at work and haven't had a chance to catch up on this thread, but have the 09 packages already been confirmed?

Will the R3 have a sunroof? I don't see it in the pics and that would seem to go against the car's "enthusiast" mission.

If the R3 does not have a sunroof, it WILL be purchased by me. I've been wanting one for too damned long as is. The kid can just homeschool or something. :D

 

it wont, enjoy ur future R3
________
Cannabis seeds

 

Many on these forums seem to think quarter mile times are important. They're probably impressed with racing random cars in a straight line from light to light. If this car wasn't so damn sweet - for reasons you obviously don't comprehend - I'd also be driving a different car.

 

Where'd you read this? Everything I've read has said the R3 is going to be "lighter" due to a few changes. I would think that lighter means, lighter than any other models, not just the touring package.

If that's the case in that you have to get touring+R3, that's a deal breaker for me. But I don't think it is.

--kC

 

I just can't get all excited about the 09 RX8.

Nothing here that a good mod shop couldn't do.

I think I'll wait for something better.

 

From a non-tinkering person the beauty of the 09 (specially the R3) is that is has most of the mods I'd love to do to the car while keeping factory warranty and avoiding the "you just spent 30k on a car and now you want to drop another 2-3k WHY?!?!" discussion.

Now that I'm married with offspring, life's all about avoiding that discussion, or at least its relatives.

 

Married men unite!

 

i love the wheel of the new 8. the white look just intense

 

Not only the MX-5 but also the CX7 has the same wheel

 

um....Dalton30 what is that blue car in your avatar?

 

The similarities are not only with the MX5, but with the entire Mazda range. Seems like the 8 is going more corporate. I just had a look at the "refreshed" MPV (JDM) on the Japan website. Guess what? The front bumper is almost identical to that in the refreshed 8. I guess in a way that's good because all of Mazda's cars will come in line and share same DNA, but then again the 8 is supposed to be a unique car with unique features!! Oh well...

Swiftboy!! Good to hear from you. What's irking me is that as I've told you, I've already put an order in for the "new" rx8, and from what I know, the order is on waitlist and will be processed come February. What's amazing is that for a car that's meant for production in 2 weeks and sale in around 2 months, there is absolutely no info out on specs, accessories, options, etc...The least they could do is to put out a brochure!! So basically, I'm just waiting on this to be able to customize my order and get exactly what I want. LEt me know if you have any news from Singapore.

 

"Great handling, great looking" versus "1/4 mile queen" is a false choice. There are other cars that look cool, handle great, and run low 13s in the 1/4 mi. It 's just that Mazda is PW'ed by Ford or can't figure out how to turbocharge a rotary any more.

It is *totally* lame that the RX-8 is slower in a straight line than the FD. What makes it even worse is the lack-o-torque at <WOT makes an NA RX-8 feel like an 80s econobox in a straight line.

Mazda can do better than this. They have done so in the past. Why they chose to go half-assed on the RX-8 remains a mystery to me.

 

Hi Rotary Xperiment!

Great to hear from your side too!

Things here in SG are even worse.

The RX8 is still on the price list BUT it is not known whether you are buying the facelifted one or not. I'm too tired to ring my sales exec to enquire coz i always get the 'not sure' answer. He dosen't update me on anything too - coz i guess he has nothing to update me on either.

On a lighter note, a short paragraph featured in our local newpaper's motoring section says that the facelifted RX8 will be due for sale here in SG in July 2008!

Like you, I don't expect any specs to be published for now.

I just hate the way Mazda keeps these 'secrets' and come up with something eventually that's 'afterall not too ground-breaking'.

And moreover, WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY PICTURES OF THE NON-RS/R3 RX8!!! (LET ALONE KNOW WHICH WILL BE MAKE IT HERE OFFICIALLY).