2009 Mazda RX8 Launched Australia

Anticipation is building over the revitalised Mazda RX-8 sports car range arriving in Australia early in the second half of 2008. The new RX-8 employs a myriad of mechanical upgrades under its sharp new clothes, all designed to enhance the exhilarating reputation and iconic status of the world’s only rotary-powered, four-door sports car.

“The Mazda RX-8 is a special car, both to us and in the automotive world, and there’s a palpable excitement in the lead-up to the new model,” said Mazda Managing Director Doug Dickson. “It’s like one long night before Christmas!”

Mazda Australia can now confirm that the new RX-8 range will consist of three models - one of which will wear the storied GT moniker.

The new Mazda RX-8 GT will spearhead Mazda’s charge into the next decade of rotary exhilaration when it hits Australian dealerships in July. Specially tuned sports suspension with light-weight 19-inch wheels and a wide range of modifications to the RX-8’s RENESIS rotary engine will raise handling and dynamic prowess to new levels.

The original Mazda RX-8 redefined the sports car genre when it debuted in production form at the 2003 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It was a sports car only Mazda could make - A Sports Car Like No Other.

The Mazda RX-8’s curvaceous lines and compact proportions incorporated an innovative four-door body with room for four adults. This combined with the RX-8’s unique RENESIS rotary power-plant capable of revving to 9,000rpm to captivate car buyers and critics alike.

The original Mazda RX-8 has won more than 50 automotive awards around the globe, including 2003 International Engine of the Year, and Australia’s most prestigious; 2003 Wheels Car of the Year.

The popularity of the Mazda RX-8 is beyond question; more than 170,000 have been sold around the world.

When setting the goals for the new Mazda RX-8, Mazda’s engineers chose not to mess with the original’s successful formula; instead all efforts were focused on further honing its performance and styling. Mazda RX-8 Program Manager Noboru Katabuchi named this the pursuit of “Sophisticated Dynamism”.
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LexSucks - 5/26/2008 11:53:06 AM

-6 Boost

What about the RX8's lack of torque and poor fuel mileage?

Threepoint1415926 - 5/26/2008 1:41:26 PM

+4 Boost

What about them?

LexSucks - 5/26/2008 2:12:37 PM

-2 Boost

They are horrible

LexSucks - 5/26/2008 2:15:13 PM

-2 Boost

Rotaries are inefficient engines as evidenced by the RX8's Lousy torque numbers and SUV-Like Fuel Mileage. There's a reason why all the other makes have abandoned Rotary engines. Mazda would be wise to do the same IMO.

LexSucks - 5/26/2008 2:16:57 PM

-1 Boost

The article reads more like an advertisement than anything else. The RX8 has serious flaws. But for some reason they failed to mention it in the article. Hmmmm

abcd - 5/26/2008 3:33:34 PM

+4 Boost

LexSucks:
"What about the RX8's lack of torque"
if you would better know physics than you would recognize what`s the difference about engine torque and torque on the wheels . and then you would recognize that engine torque isn`t important and that only power matters - formula one engines have less torque than volkswagen 2.0 TDI diesel engine but many times more torque on the wheels becouse of higher revs - gear ratios may be "shorter" . that`s why cars with similar power not torque have similar acceleration , max speed etc

Threepoint1415926 - 5/26/2008 4:46:43 PM

+2 Boost

I would go so far as to say that the ONLY thing that's important is torque to the rear wheels. If you can achieve that with high horsepower (ala high revs, low torque) and high gear ratios, or high torque (ala low revs, high torque) and lower gear ratios that nox nix. Sure is helpful that the RX8 revs to 9000 RPM enabling it to use some pretty high gearing ratios. But I think that's beyond LexSucks comprehension.

91z4me - 5/26/2008 8:17:58 PM

+1 Boost

I would say that low rev torque is more important in street cars than high revs. As evidenced by the RX8's poor performance in economy and livability in real world driving situations.

Threepoint1415926 - 5/26/2008 10:44:22 PM

+1 Boost

I would agree. On street, low end torque is more accessible.

lexusrox123 - 5/27/2008 9:07:33 AM

+1 Boost

reminds me of audi R8. better than the plain looking current gen