So, I was kinda bummed but excited when I saw it. The RX8 2009 "R3" rims are not a new design. In fact they are from the RX-01 back in 1995. A prototype car that also was using the Renesis in it's experimental stages.

You can see clearly in the photos the style of the 2009 "R3" rims on page 2, and the text does say it was using a new 13b-re side intake and side exhuast engine on page 3.

How cool.

 

That concept doesn't look that bad. Obviously the 8 ended up being way different design-wise. As for the '09s I only like the rims on the R3. Don't care for the other ones. Id have liked it better if they would have stuck with the 5-spoke used from '04-'08

 

Love the RX-01 concept. So sexy with those curves and the crazy front spoiler even though it's front engine. BTW, it wasn't a renesis.

 

Good find Ben, I hadn't realized multi side port had been in the works for some 10 yrs before it finally made it out in a production car. makes you think how long Mazda has been working on the 16x.

 

Neat find but they were on the 40th AE before 09s.

 

rx-01 was supposed to be the successor to the fd, as the simpler, back to basics, more affordable sports car. when ford took controlling interest, that car was scrapped but the engine was kept alive inside mazda by skunkworks, and that eventually got developed into the renesis

 

What a revolutionary design!

 

I'd love to see the 16x in something that looks similar to that concept...a design that still incorporates elements of the FD and at the same time bridges the gap between the time of the FD and the present (ie, modernizes it a bit). But unfortunately, Id be in complete shock if it actually happened. Mazdas current and futuristic design language takes very little if anything from the FD days.

 

nice find

 

If im gonna be buying a new car I would rather have it look new and futuristic rather than look like an old car/replica... but to each his own I guess.

 

Nice find, although old news. Zoom posted these pics quite a while ago...

 

Wtv. still pretty cool nonetheless :D

 

The 370z took styling cues from the old Z's. The GTR even kept the rear circular taillight designs. The Miata (best selling sports car mind you) also kept major styling cues and concepts from past Miatas. Let's not mention the stang and such.

 

But Im sure it was a prototype one, The text says the engine is side intake "SIDE" exhaust.


Didnt know zoom posted it, my bad for the re-post.


None the less, I really love the 19inch 09 "R3" rims, I just didnt know they dated back to 1995...lol

Atleast it was still on a rotary powered car when they were made so its still all good JDM/USDM mazda OE stuff...lol

You guys see in one of the pages where they experimented with 4 sparkplugs per housing.

 

Its fine by me to take styling cue's from past cars but overall make sure the car still stays looking modern/futuristic just like all the cars you mentioned. Or atleast thats my opinion but I know theres a lot of people who prefer what cars looked like back then also.

 

Hey at least we now know that we have 220 HP instead of 250. ohh wait 238.. nope thats not it! 232! rated hp heheheh

 

I want those rims!!!!

 

The wheels are a close match, not quite a complete match. Nevertheless, great article.

 

The RX8 40th anny rims and 09 18inch rims are different. But the 09 R3 and the RX-01 are pretty much the same, just different rim sizes.

I meant to say R3 rims are from the RX-01, sorry guys, the 09 regular 18inch rims are different, but the R3's are the same.

 

^Pretty sure most of us knew what you meant
If only I could have those wheels... for free... powdercoated black

 

I can totally see it in the wheels but the RX-01 looks like a Saturn SC2 to me.
It's even funnier when you think that the SC2 had the RX-8 style rear door on the drive's side.

 

+1 for looking like a saturn lol

 

Look more like a vette from the front

 

Now you guys have me wondering. If I put 09 R3 rims on a red saturn SC2 with black top, how close will it look like the RX-01.

Someone care to photoshop that???.....lol

 

I'm sure I've posted my favor for the RX-01 before, but again I think it accentuates the compactness of the rotary by having it well back in the chassis and giving way to that front wing. Of course, to get it so low they had to make dry sumped. I wonder if would have made the same response as the first RX-7 when sold.