Not sure if I would order one, but I do like the colour - black from ten metres away, but 'purple-ish' up close.

The beige leather would not be on my list , but if you look close, the rotor inserts in the seat are chromed...nice.

Comes with a Euro-lip spoiler.

(All three pics are the same car/colour, it just changes when the light hits it.)

S

 

pretty leather...but definately not worth it to me. a person like me will ruin white leather :D

 

There's a fellow in the Vancouver area that just bought one... TopGear's his nick.

 

I like how the silver plastic seatbacks have disapeared!

S

 

I love the piano black sides of the center console

 

Neato pics! I like how even in the 3rd photo, the paint is different colors (side mirrors vs rest of the car). I agree that the white leather would get messed up by me.

 

Interesting - seems there are different versions of the Shinka. The leather in the pictures above is very white - mine is definately a darker shade, I would call it tan.

Also my side mirrors are one color - no split. The B pillar in the pic looks grey, my version is black.

On the Japanese site for the car they now shows a black cherry, grey and a black version, all with a light color interior. USA site show only the "black cherry" color, no info on Canadian site yet.

I'm not too worried about the leather - there are very good leather care products out there - I am going to do some research and get something in the next week or so.

I'm really enjoying the car - did a lot of driving in the first week.

Nice to have color choices - something for everyone. I had made a deal on a black one, but prefer the Shinka exterior. I would also have been very happy with a red but my last 2 cars were red and change is a good thing.

 

I think it's just a trick of the camera - all the Shinkas, AFAIK, use the same leather, called Parchment by Mazda. It's certainly not white, more as you say a light tan. Mazda used it before on the 2000 SE Miata, and it's hardly more difficult to keep clean than the regular tan leather used on the leather package Miatas.

FWIW, I love the Shinka Edition RX-8, the interior, exterior, and upgrades. Beautiful!

Regards,
Gordon

 

The seat colour just doesn't do it for me, but everything else is top notch. Are the seat full leather front to back? If so--DAMAN..that would be pretty. Is the engine going to be different with the special edition?
________
Rafaga

 

Hi Hobbes -

Seats are full leather, engine is the same. Suspension is upgraded along with wheels. Lots of little upgrades in the interior.

I'm very happy with the car - lots of fun to drive.

 

The US spec brochure for the Shinka Special Edition I got at the Detroit Auto Show say: " ... seating surfaces, a steering wheel, gearshift ****, parking-brake handle and console covers endowed with richly textured leather...". Advertised horsepower is the same 238hp - 6spd or 197hr - AT. What the brochure lists as performance features " Performance-tuned suspension with re-calibrated shock absorbers and stabilizer bars. Foam-injected front subframe components for improved ride quality and overall performance. Tochigi-Fuji torque sensing LSD; DSC and traction control". It also comes with satellite radio capable receiver with a 1yr SIRIUS Satellite Radio subscription. The pic in the brochure shows a black/body colour mirror and does not mention any lip spoiler. The US warranty is 48 month/50000 mile bumper to bumper on this car. Uncertain if the suspension is special or just the GT suspension; foam injected front subframe? Has anyone checked a normal RX-8's?