Diabolical RX8

Seem hard to believe? I bet it does. Because even though when I was reading this I was shocked to see 325lb ft tq and 256whp. Alright enough of my boasting about how this is unbelievable. On with what they said in the article.

Modified Mag
Top Tuners Special Edition
www.modified.com

Story by Kainoa Valente
Photos by Farid Herschend of Speedhawaii.com

You knew this was going to happen. Yeah, you with the tattoo of the rotor on your arm. I know you scour the rotary message boards religiously for bits like this. You knew it wouldn't be long before RE Amemiya, one of Japan's most famous rotary tuners, released its version of Mazda's newest rotary. Now everybody else can get up to speed.

The RX-8 in stock form comes with an udated 13B called the Renesis. With side exhaust ports added to improve exhaust efficiency, power output from the naturally aspirated rotary is around 250hp at the flywheel. And despite being a four-seater, its suspension is all business.

While the new Renesis might be an engineering marvel, it still falls short of the turbocharged expectations that were spawned with the release of the third generation RX-7. Amemiyasan fails to disappoint with this yellow beauty, designed as a demo car to showcase RE Amemiya's tuning prowess with the new rotary.

Trust elevated the stakes with a TD turbocharger breathing through a Trust Airinx air filter. The turbo itself is connected to an RE Amemiya exhaust manifold and compresses the intake charge to 14.5-17psi. Turbocharged rotaries make incredible amounts of heat and are extremely uncomprimising when dealing with knock, just ask any FD owner.

Amemiya-san addresses the cooling issues with a modified GReddy intercooler, a three-layer RE Amemiya aluminum radiator, and a RE Amemiya oil cooler. After the exhaust gases give the turbine a spin, they exit the rear through a RE Amemiya Dolphin Tail muffler.

When it came to upgrading an already nimble suspension, RE Amemiya blessed the car with a full set of custom upgrades. RE Amemiya lowered the car with a set of its springs, while dampening duties are designated to a set of Quantum shock absorbers. Tying both the front and rear strut towers is a set of RE Amemiyastrut braces. Finally, connecting the RX-8 to the ground are a set of Yokohama tires sized 245/35ZR19 in the front and 275/30/ZR19 in the rearm which are stretched over a set of Enkei RP-03 wheels measuring 19x8.5 and 19x9.5 respectively.

Bumping the power up to 256hp and 325lb ft tq at the wheels required upgrading the drivetrain. An Ogura Racing single plate clutch controlled by an RE Amemiya clutch hose allow for crisp gear engagement while an RE Amemiya Super Racing LSD doles out the torque where needed.

Even though this RX-8 is now a pumped-up version of its former self, its relatively feather-weight condition allowed for minor upgrades to the braking system to compensate for the extra yank. THe stock brake lines have been replaced with a set from RE Amemiya, while Trust Grex calipers clamp down with the biting force of a pit bull.

Not too long ago, you could turbocharge a naturally aspirated engine and get decent tuning results with a simple piggyback computer. However, here in the 21st century, in-depth computer tuning can produce amazing results. Handling the brain work for this RX-8 is an RE Amemiya Redommini working in conjunction with a Trust e-Manage.

Giving the car an aggressive snarl while directing air to the intercooler is a Facer-8 front bumper. Running along the sides is a pair of AD Step Eight side skirts, while an AD Rear Under Eight tail extends the line all the way around. Cutting through the air while keeping the car's tail firmly planted on the road is a GT3 wet carbon rear spoiler.

Because this is a demno car for Amemiya-san's shop, the car was designed not only to showcase the shop's skills with the RX-8, but to attract customers interested in taking their rotary to higher realms.

Already quite the mobile showcase, this car represents only the tip of the RX-8 tuning iceberg. After all, Amemiya-san is still running stock internals. With stronger apex seals and a turn of the boost dial, the power-to-weight ration of this car could take several steps in the right direction. However, for now it serves as a calling card for RE Amemiya and a preview of things to come from the Renesis.

SPECIFICATIONS
Amemiya RX-8

Engine
Mazda Renesis 1.3L 2-Rotor

Engine Modifications
Trust (TD turbocharger, Airinx air filter); RE Amemiya exhaust manifold, three-layer aluminum radiator, oil cooler, Dolphin Tail muffler, GReddy intercooler.

Engine Management
RE Amemiya Redommini; Trust e-Manage

Drivetrain Modifications
Ogura Racing single plate clutch; RE Amemiya (Super Racing LSD, clutch hose)

Suspension
RE Amemiya (custom springs, front and rear strut tower braces); Quantum shock absorbers

Numbers
256whp / 325 lb-ft torque

Wheels
(fr) 19x8.5-inch Enkei RP-03
(r) 19x9.5-inch Enkei RP-03

Tires
(fr) 245/35ZR19 Yokohama tires
(r) 275/30ZR19 Yokohama tires

Brakes
(fr) Rotora (14.1-inch rotors, 6-pot calipers)
(r)RE Amemiya Brake Lines, Trust Grex Calipers

Chassis, Body
Facer-8 front bumper
AD (Step Eight side skirts, Rear Under Eight Tail)
GT3 wet carbon fiber spoiler






















Alright so in one of the pictures you see it is an Automatic RX8. Throughout the article they do not say if it is the MT 6 Speed or the 4 Speed Automatic. All I can say is that pictures do not lie (inless they are photochopped, which this one isnt). So if it is on the AT 4 Speed RX8. Imagine what it would be like on the MT 6 Speed.

cas2themoe

I think it could be that high boost is making kick that much out. Most I've seen on the RX8 have a much lower PSI boost!

Nemesis8

iTrader: (3)

Why not build the 6 Speed? I'm at a loss with this issue...

Diabolical RX8

I know 14.5-17psi is an insane amount compared to what GReddy is posting 7-9psi.

This just shows that with the right amount of upgrades our Rotarys can be torque monsters.

shorty911

well i was under the impression once u get to mosterous psi numbers your rotor can like crush or something.....

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

because the automatic doesn't have all that fancy intake induction system... makes it even more suitable for turbo application... it's the same idea Mazda had for the TII FCs...

zoomzoom_8

So is this turbo for sale now? serisouly anyone know?

Razz1

More torque than HP? I don't think so......

More like 225lbs of torque. But lets see what the pro rotary heads say.

XDEEDUBBX

they wanted to give automatics a chance...

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

First of all:

Second, it is a typo.

Diabolical RX8

The 325 lb-ft torque was not a typo. It has been said in the article several times. Ill upload more pics later today of it actually being said.

DreRX8

I believe it was because RE-Amemiya miscalculated in assuming the auto tranny is much more desireable in the U.S. market. Because of the general popularity/sales of all auto cars in the states vs. the number or M/T cars overseas.

Any idea on how this turbo auto runs?

Red Devil

Doesn't appear to be any mention of a transmission rebuild or swap.

Moostafa29

Sounds more like someone isn't translating correctly. Could be that they are all getting the numbers from the same source, because pretty much all the content is the same throughout the various times the article has been printed. Not only that, the characteristics of the engine has just changed from torqueless wonder, to some kind of torque king. I'm not sure what the auto is dynoing at, but lets just say 150whp factory. For it to gain 100+whp from that much boost is totally believable, I'd almost say it should have done much more than that...say 325whp? But for the torque to damn near triple, its a little far fetched given the previous characteristics of the NA rotary. But hey, what do I know, I'd rather hear an experts opinion...I'm still new to all this car tuning stuff.

Red Devil

I'm anything but an expert, but the 325lb ft has to be a typo. Not the same engine, but I've yet to see a boosted 13B-REW or 13BT that had more torque than horsepower. And usually there is a fairly wide gap between the two. The only exception I can think of was the '87 and 88' Turbos, I recall they had 181hp and 182ft lbs.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Sorry. It is a mistake.

First of all, that article is old.
Second, other printed sources on Amemiya's build up had different numbers.
Someone at Modified just translated it wrong.

XDEEDUBBX

wow 325lb of torque...didn't know rx8's came with v8's..hahaha

zoom44

this is the same kit from last year right? this is the one we first heard about. the one on the auto.

Outlaws eXtreme

Maybe Amemiya-san can bring this over to Sevenstock 8 and show us in person how much torque/HP this car can go... with an AT

copacabana44

Konichiwa minasan. (Hello everyone)
Dave here with news from Japan.
Yes, the Amemiya kit is for the auto RX-8. The auto is VERY popular here. More than 50% of 8s sold in Japan are automatic. Don't think that these tuners are motivated by foreign markets alone, because the Jap market is extremely large and lucrative.
Women too are buying them in numbers... both young and old. In my village there is a 70 y.o. grandma with a blue auto 8. Amazing.
As for the power/torque figures, Amemiya's website are quoting 260 HP for this kit, but they make no mention of torque. Also, they are currently working on several kits for the manual 6 speed (called the TYPE S here).
I have friends in Chiba (home of Amemiya) and they frequently see (and hear) very loud and fast rotaries being road tested.
Keep revving.

VelociRedBeast

'
They got sick of my letters..

VelociRedBeast

hmm...Rx-8 Type S?

bern

Amemiya-San told me as much personally... he felt that the auto-tranny would be the prefered choice by most in the US, but also said the auto-tranny was selling well in Japan. I let him know that the majority of performance enthusiast in the USA buy manual trannies and not the auto..

-Bern

arr ex eight

so when is it going on sale in the U.S.?