with all of the gearing graphs and discussin that has been going on i wondered if anyone had checked into the gearing of the 5speed manny that is available for europe and japan. is it geared more aggresively (for more power) or is it spaced similar to the 6speed that we get here?

 

If it is like the 5 speed and 6 speed in the US with the Miata, the 6 speed has a little higher overall but faster through each gear. The six speed will be the prefered unit. I think Mazda knows what we want here in an RX8, I know the six speed has the new triple cone sycro too which should be very nice.

Kyle Lancaster--Double Agent Salesman

 

The 5 speed manual ratios
3.483
2.015
1.391
1
0.806

reverse 3.288
axle ratio 4.3

4 speed auto
2.785
1.543
1
0.694
reverse 2.272
axle 4.3

6 speed
3.76
2.269
1.645 (alternate ratio JDM 1.539)
1.187
1
0.843
reverse 3.564
axle 4.444

 

I asked in another thread some time ago, but nobody knew the answer, so I guess I'll ask again...

Does anyone have any idea why the Japanese market 6-speed gets a different third gear? There must be a pretty good reason for Mazda to have gone to the expense of manufacturing an entirely different gear set just for the domestic market. I wonder if the change eliminates one gear shift in the 0-100km/h sprint, or something like that. Perhaps if sombeody can work out the top speeds in 3rd with the different ratios, it might cast some light on the mystery. Buger?

 

i too am waiting on buger now. i wonder buger if you have the time, could you run those gears thru cartest and post up some graphs for us ? pretty please:D

 

I finally asked this same question of the good folks at rx8orders@mazdausa.com. They passed my query on to their technical boffins, and the reply I got back was that "Japanese national emission regulations mandate the differences in the gear ratio."

Exactly what that means, is left as an exercise for the reader. Perhaps I'll ask in the regional forum.