Ike

Come to Wi. there are about 50 to chose from just a short drive away, one dealer has 18 on the lot... I also don't see much reason for people to wait for the '06.

6speed8

I would expect sales to be slow (and thus have a larger inventory) for any RWD car in any of the northern states in the winter time

brillo

people buy sports cars in Wi in January?

Shouldn't you be reminding us how the RX8 is slow and underpowered, therefore not a sales sucess and Mazda is losing billions on the 8 and is therefore going to pull the car after this year?

Ike

How does that explain the almost 40% drop in sales from this same time last year, seems many dealers have a decent selection sitting on lots. There's one in Houston that has 15, and another that has 10.

rotarygod

I can point out almost any dealership out there and find 10 to 15 of any car model and sometimes many more than that. Doesn't mean a thing.

Ike

It does mean there is at least a decent selection to chose from. In turn it's kinda tough to blame the sagging sales on there not being "hardly any new ones to be found". That was my only reason for pointing out how many are on some dealer lots.

JeRKy 8 Owner

I just did a couple searches on Mazda's website. There are about 100 RX-8s available at dealerships within 50 miles of my zip code. Believe it or not, there are less than 20 automatics available and the rest are all manual. And every color is still available too, as well as a couple fully loaded RX-8s with nav and red or chapparal leather.

Then I entered a California zip code followed by a New York zip code with 50 miles radius, and had very similar results. Lots of manuals and barely any automatics. I guess Mazda either produced a lot more manuals than automatics in 05, or most of the potential buyers want AT RX-8s.

I guess that's why they are making mild upgrades to automatic in 06 and leaving the manual alone.

I personally doubt the 06 ATs are going to be incredibly faster than before. I'm predicting 0-60 in the mid to low 7s and quarter in the upper 15s. It still isn't going to be that quick, but it won't be a dog like before. We'll see.

Ike

I doubt they produce nearly as many ATs as they do MTs. It's that way with a lot of performance cars, mainly because demand for the AT isn't nearly as high. For instance, I'd be shocked if 1 in 10 WRXs was an AT, I've never actually seen one in person but they are available.

Dinhx8

stop making WRX comparisons, you just bought an Evo!


I hope sales don't go southward simply because I hope rotary cars are around for a while. But it doesn't offend me too much if rx8s are low in sales, not selling well etc. as long as mine is still running. Didn't that happen to the FD? Now everyone loves them.

ASH8

Here ALL of last year numbers (2005) show the RX-8 sales have slowed significantly, they are down 40% when compared to 2004, so, its obvious that a "Fresh" (and I will use that word again) update needs to occur, more than a few colour and trim changes for 2006.
Also many rotary enthusiast have already purchased their car.
The 8 is still the #1 choice for Car and Driver, Wheels, and most media commentators if you are looking for a sports car.
I think the perception that the Rotary are gas guzzlers, with high fuel prices, does not help.
Most V8, 4WD (SUV) Sales here slowed dramatically last year, with oil doubling in price. This is probably the main reason for the sales slump.

I believe that 2007 will see substantial change to the car.

2006 is going to be a long and interesting year for the 8.

Sales figures in the US are similar to OZ, you guys are down about 38% YTD

ASH8

The oxymoron (well sort of) to my post.

Mazda Australia sales hit an all time record here for 2005, to being the #1 All Import Make and the #4 car sales mark also.

Our total new cars sales for 2005 were also a record, nearly 1 mil, for a country with a total population of 20 mil.

rotarygod

Just thought some would like to see this to show trends to determine how Mazda sseems to base it's judgement on when to discontinue a car. The following figures show annual worldwide production for each of the three generations of RX-7 and the running total for the entire RX-7 series at the end of every calender year through 1999. Take a look at how sales numbers generally peak early on and then fall off as the model continues.

Year RX-7 production

First generation: 6 model years
1978 (1979 model year) 72,683
1979 71,617
1980 56,317
1981 55,321
1982 59,686
1983 57,864
1984 63,959
1985 33,562

Second Generation: 6 model years
1985 ('86 model year) 29,543
1986 72,760
1987 (debut of turbo) 52,204
1988 (debut of vert) 34,592
1989 (big upgrades) 37,624
1990 29,411
1991 15,648
1992 (leftover '91's) 245

Third Generation: 8 model years shown of an 11 year run
1991 ('92 Europe only) 975
1992 ('93 world debut) 26,654
1993 6801
1994 5962
1995 (last U.S. year) 5202
1996 4762
1997 3556
1998 1423
1999 4151

Total First Generation 471,009
Total Second Generation 272,027
Total Third Generation through 1999 59,486 (That's a 9 year total!)

Obviously we can't predict if Mazda will discontinue a car or not based on it's sales numbers. I'm sure some would have predicted that the 3rd gen wouldn't have had near the lifespac it did based on these trends. I'm sure there was those that tried to watch the numbers to speculate it though. See a similarity? How many RX-8's have been sold so far by comparison? Keep in mind the above numbers that every successive generation was more and more expensive and this did impact sales numbers. Also consider what cars at the time were competition to them back then as well. Then find a reasonable comparison to the RX-8. Good luck on that one! The car will be around through probably the 2009-2010 range in it's current generation. I would expect some upgrades to take place.

The 1st generation RX-7 received many small upgrades throughout it's life. In 1984 it had the most drastic upgrade. The US market got the GSL-SE with a fuel injected 13B engine putting out 138hp vs the normal 12A carburated car at 110 hp. The Japanese market (and possibly others?) got a Turbo 12A instead that was rated at nearly the same horsepower level as the GSL-SE was in the US. The interior was also completely redesigned for these years but in all models.

The 2nd generation had the introduction of the nonturbo. It was followed in 1987 by a Turbo II model. The nonturbo cranked out 146 hp while the turbo was 182 hp. In 1988 a nonturbo vert was added in the US with turbo versions elsewhere. In 1989 the car got a very nice facelift with a different rear wing, trim, mirrors, front and rear fascia, interior upgrades, wheel upgrades, and engine upgrades. The engine on the nonturbo was improved and many parts were different internally and externally. The n/a was now 160 hp and the T-II 200hp. A couple of different little model differences came out as well.

The Third generation RX-7 started out as 255hp. At the end of it's lifespan it was at 285hp. Midway through the '90s there were small changes styling wise to the car. The taillights changed in 1996, the wing changed and even the front end of the car ultimately changed. This car sold so few a year it was hard to reason why Mazda would keep building it especially when they were financially in ruins back then. Compare that to now when they report a quarter billion profit last year and have a rotary car that far and away outsells the 3rd gen. The 3rd gen RX-7 even had limited special editions released in Japan and Australia. This is a big investment when some of them were limited to anywhere from 25 to 175 total cars in that model.

The whole point is that it is completely frugal for anyone here to complain about sales numbers. It's not even worth the effort of looking them up. You can't determine what Mazda will do based on them. It's obvious they'd have to be pretty hard off which they aren't to get rid of this car. Mazda even admitted that they won't currently build a car and keep it alive if they aren't profitable on it. (They are currently working on certain aspects of the 2nd generation RX-8 right now. shhhhh)

JeRKy 8 Owner

Wow...looks like the RX-7 really did have mediocre sales. Then again, when it came out it cost a lot more than the RX-8 costs today. I guess it is pointless to post about sales. It'd just be nice if there was something they could do to suddenly cause an unexpected BOOST in sales.

rx7 rage

The rx7 ended production in 2002, not 1999.

rotarygod

Which is why I mentioned "through '99" and also mentioned "8 model years shown of an 11 year run". I don't know the numbers for the last 3 years but I guarantee they weren't any higher.

ASH8

Interesting read RG,,

Here in OZ we did not get the 1st Gen RX-7 13B Fuel Injected.

The last gen RX-7 (FD) was a sales disaster, and the main and only (IMO) reason was price, for memory the starting price here was $80K!! in 1991, I will never forget I drove the very first one from bond to my dealer, two days before the public launch, everything was great about the car apart from the rattling rear parcel shelf hatch lid, we hastily found some "cushioning" tape to stop the rattles. I can never understand that one, why and how Mazda Japan's oversight by not rectifying it before shipping.
Because of the high retail price Mazda Australia limited the number of dealers that could sell this 7. In my state out of the 10 retail outlets, only 1 (one) dealer could sell the FD 7.

I don't agree with you RG about sales numbers, its EVERYTHING to do with sales?, although I very much doubt it, Mazda Japan could still pull the next gen RX-8 from production, particularly with FORD having their hand in the mix, look at all the stuff ups that Ford US have done over the years with new next gen models.

Yes, Mazda Japan's profitability is at an all time high at the moment but today they wont allow a model to be unprofitable (sales), the 8 still has a year of "solid" production to go before the model even starts to repay it's initial investment.

RX-8 owners and lovers have to continue to promote/support the model, we have to keep the rotary going, as I said in another post, I am very concerned about the price of fuel.
I lived and worked through the times when we could not give away 13B RX-4 sedan/coupes, because of the fuel/oil crisis, and yeah I know we don't have exactly the same situation now, but today the oil companies and OPEC are restricting supply and not investing in new refinery capacity...so they maintain high barrel prices, there are similarities to 1973/74.
Yesterday, Caltex here announced record profits and the CEO blamed the usual supply/demand for where we are now....yeah sure!!!
Look at Exxon/Mobil wasn't it $650 BILLION in record profits....recently
The great free market....when is enough 'profit' enough profit?....one day soon its ALL going to crash, as these and many other companies are JUST NOT WORTH the share market price Today...but thats another story...

ASH8

Caltex here...a 38% increase in NET Profit in a year!

silverx8

The way I read it, sales are about at the Gen 2 level. Pretty good!

RX-Hachi

The complete numbers for the 3rd gen are as follows:

1991 ('92 Europe only) 975 *Not Europe only, Japan as well.
1992 ('93 world debut) 26,654
1993 6801
1994 5962
1995 (last U.S. year) 5202
1996 4762
1997 3556
1998 1423
1999 4151

2000 2611
2001 2589
2002 3903

11 yr 3rd Gen total: 68,589

rotarygod

More 1st generation RX-7's were sold in 1978 (1979 model year) that ALL 3rd gens put together ever worldwide in it's entire run! You can actually say the same thing about several different years.

DrDiaboloco

Well, I just liberated one of the four RX-8's that my local (and just about only) Mazda dealer had sittin' around.

And no, people don't buy sports cars in WI in January. All those cars flock to NE Indiana for fools like ME to buy in early FEBRUARY.

gettingan8

Mazda reported 4646 RX-8s built in Feb2006! highest number in 18 months.

brillo

I'm guessing part of that increase is the 6spd Auto's, they probably ramp up production big time at first. Hopefully those cars will perform and sell better than the 4spds.

zoom44

they also sold 3,648 world wide https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-media-news-11/rx-8-production-sales-february-86243/

rotarygod

Where's the rebuttal from all the people who keep saying it isn't selling well? Let me guess, we'll get some comparison to some other car that outsells it.