Rumored Demise of the RX-8
05-07-2010, 07:46 PM
#78
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The more I think about it...I don't understand why Mazda couldn't have given us a 3 rotor for the series 2 refresh. I mean what car goes this long without an engine upgrade. Look at the 350Z; it got gradual bumps in power over the years. Even the S2K got an updated engine for the AP2. A 3 rotor would have made the S2 a LOT more competitive among it's peers.
05-08-2010, 02:18 AM
#81
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Rumored that the Nissan 370Z is also ending.....
http://topofblog.co.cc/weak-sales-mi...d-nissan-370z/
http://topofblog.co.cc/weak-sales-mi...d-nissan-370z/
05-08-2010, 02:38 AM
#82
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The end of the 370Z may be worse news than the RX8. If the next gen Z gets the axe now, what's the motivation for Mazda to put out a new sportscar in a dying platform? That scares the **** out of me personally.
07-13-2010, 09:42 AM
#84
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I could care less what the next RX is called but I read an article in Grass Roots Racing this month and they interviewed some guy at Mazda Product Development who said the rotary is not going anywhere and that Mazda is still dedicated to it.
We will just have to wait and see how they implement it. What I would like to see is a candid interview with Mazda on the the life of the RX-8 and some inside details on the mistakes made and how they fixed them and why.
I am glad mazda seems to have addressed many of the problems with the Series I in the Series II.
We will just have to wait and see how they implement it. What I would like to see is a candid interview with Mazda on the the life of the RX-8 and some inside details on the mistakes made and how they fixed them and why.
I am glad mazda seems to have addressed many of the problems with the Series I in the Series II.
07-13-2010, 12:21 PM
#86
I've heard this story a lot too. If the 8 gets discontinued next year I won't cry. It had a great run with limited updates. Nissan rushed the 350Z into production and discovered mistakes as they went, thus they made updates pretty much every year. So the only good version would be the last couple years. The RX8 was rock solid almost its whole lifespan (some oiling problems its first year). I'm keeping mine for at least a few more years until the prices of the new updated sports cars comes down (including the new rotary car). The rotary bloodline gets better as it gets older, can't wait for the new rotary car from Mazda.
07-13-2010, 01:18 PM
#87
So where does that leave the Rotary other than as the on-board generator for Audis?
07-13-2010, 01:46 PM
#89
However, let's make some assumptions.
1. The RX8 is failing new emissions standards worldwide and can't legally continue to be sold in there markets. AND Mazda has already made the decision to pull the RX8 from Europe's showrooms. (I think I read that somewhere).
2. To launch a vehicle, especially a sports car, typically it is shown for 1-3 years in phototypes and concepts... you know, get people excited about their new sports car.
So, its looking right now like Mazda has 2 options...
1. Keep selling the S2 RX8 with the current renesis (where is legally able to sold due to emissions) and wait until the 16x is ready. (japan only? Idk)
2. Pull the RX8 from most markets leaving them without a rotary car until the 16x is finished...which seems most likely because the last USDM RX7 was a 95 I think and then it wasn't until the '04 RX8 that the US had another rotary.
I dunno... having a relevant presence in the line-up and being mothballed in the international market are vastly different to me.
07-13-2010, 07:40 PM
#95
I would not be surprised if the rx-8 did the same. selling only in Japan, for a while. then release an RX-9 with the 16X
07-13-2010, 07:47 PM
#96
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This is a very scary thought for me. Right now the 8 and Z are really the only cars in my price range that appeal to me. It would be more than a hole...the import "affordable" sports car segment would not even exist! As far as I'm concerned the 8 and Z are already the only 2 cars in it. You could maybe throw in the MX-5. I wonder if the rotary went away again if Mazda would consider a high performance big brother to the MX-5? With the turboed engine in the MS3 I think Mazda would already have an engine to work with and they could keep/and or upgrade the RX8 chassis. Figuring out how to create a balanced car out of it would be the big challenge.
Last edited by 77mjd; 07-13-2010 at 07:50 PM.
07-14-2010, 05:36 PM
#98
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Well, if you read some of the stuff on the 370z board, there are quite a few threads about it. Sounds like there is a possibility that the Z car as we know it will not exist anymore. There is talk about a hybrid Z which I would consider highly unlikely. I think the problem they have run into with the Z is pricing. They are already pushing the limits of an "affordable" sports car for the masses and just about anything else they do will add significantly to the cost. There is talk about going for the smaller/lighter/less power philosophy which I think would be their best bet but that would pretty much require dumping the Z and coming up with a new design.
07-14-2010, 05:44 PM
#99
Momentum Keeps Me Going
^ That would be really interesting, a smaller, lighter car, sounds like Mazda-talk. I think the problem with that is they need to develop a small, lightweight, refined power plant, something they don't have now.
