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Free Prodrive Performance Driving Tuition For All

Mazda RX-8 Customers

This summer will see the launch of one of the most exciting cars to go on sale in the UK, the Mazda RX-8, and with only 3,000 available and with a price tag starting at just £20,000 they are unlikely to remain in showrooms for long.

Powered by Mazda's unique rotary engine, the Mazda RX-8 is a powerful car with perfect 50/50 weight distribution offering outstanding handling characteristics at a fraction of the cost of other 'supercars'.

As with all cars that have high power and superb handling it is important that the owner knows how to get the best out of the Mazda RX-8, particularly with the unique power delivery of the RENESIS rotary engine.

With all high powered cars it is also important to ensure that the power and handling are exploited safely and with this in mind Mazda is offering each Mazda RX-8 customer a free day's performance driver training from rally and vehicle preparation specialists Prodrive. The day will teach Mazda RX-8 owners how to get the most fun and enjoyment out of their new car while driving safely.

Based at their vehicle testing ground in Warwickshire, Prodrive will take Mazda RX-8 customers through an intensive one-day performance driving course which will include track driving, taking the customer through the car's limits and demonstrating how to fully exploit the power and handling. There will then be a road driving element which will not be about teaching how to drive but about positioning on the road for safety, safe use of power available and safe overtaking techniques.

If a customer cannot travel to Prodrive's Warwickshire facility then the Prodrive instructor will travel to the customer's home and carry out more extensive road driving training.

The day will also cover the care and maintenance of a rotary engine that a customer can carry out to ensure their car is always in tip-top mechanical condition.

As this unique car is a true four-seater, with a freestyle door system giving excellent access to the rear seats through rear doors that do not compromise the stunning coupe design, the customer may also bring along a partner or friend to enjoy the experience.

Worth £500, but offered free of charge to all UK Mazda RX-8 buyers, the performance driving day is a one-off opportunity to enter the secret world of Prodrive's facility in Warwickshire. It will be a day of real excitement for the customer as it is designed to show them just how good the Mazda RX-8 is with driving that is only ever experienced on the racetrack. The day will also teach them how to exploit power safely and legally on the road and ensure that they are fully conversant with the regular maintenance requirements of this unique car.

In describing the partnership with Prodrive, Mazda Marketing Director Rob Lindley said: "We are absolutely thrilled to be entering into this partnership with Prodrive. The Mazda RX-8 is a true performance driver's car and Prodrive's expertise in motorsport and driver training made them the ideal partner to develop this free offer for Mazda RX-8 customers."

Paul Catlin, managing director of Prodrivelive said: "The Mazda RX-8 is a superb driver's car. But like any car, to really get the most enjoyment out of it, you need expert tuition in how to extract the performance safely. In a day we’ll show how a smooth flowing technique combined with correct positioning will give Mazda RX-8 owners the drive of their lives."

RobDickinson

http://www.mazdarx8.co.uk/news/default.asp