Mazda Rx8
 

Just saw the RX8 on Car and Driver TV.
1.5L rotary engine with 9000 rpm redline pushing 247 horsepower. Seats 4, and costs $26000.
It looks kind of cool, too.
Does the S2000 have new competition?
Comments?

Interesting ... Mazda had to go to 1.5l on the rotary to get comparable performance to the S2k's engine. Considering the fact that rotaries typically get about twice the hp per liter vs piston engines, that speaks volumes about Honda's engineering. Anyone an expert in rotaries around here that could judge the two engines better?

Quote from myself from a post a few down:

I like the looks, although the 3rd gen RX-7 IMO looks much better, but lets give them the bennifit of the doubt for now. I sat in one at the N. American Auto Show (Detroit auto show) and to my surprise, i was very disapointed with the interior. The shifter was about like the one in my 99 Civic SI, good but not short, decent feel to it. And the most surprising, i think there is more head room in the S then rx-8, very low roof line on the inside. Fit and finish seemed OK, but nothing overly impressive, i liked the interior on the 350z a ton more, not to mention the shifter in the in the 350 is MUCH better. Have read a few reviews, one said the car actually understeers?(don't make sense to me) Most others said the car will oversteer with proper use of the right foot. Cant wait to see a few auto-x, and see some around town to run them. Now what I'm waiting for is for someone to take the RX-8 power plant, and stick it into a Miata, now we are talking
Steve

*edit IMO i dont think it is going to compare to s2k on the track, but is purely speculation at this point

Mechanically and performance wise, I'm sure it'll be a good car but looks wise and materials in person look cheap. What a dissapointment.

What did you expect? It's a Ford:)

LOL... I was trying to forget that! Thanks for reminding me :)

It does not share any parts whatsoever with any ford. The interior materials are better than the Z (not saying much I suppose) but not up to par with the S.
The absence of a proper B pillar meant they had to reinforce the door and the "door B pillar" so the car probably ended up weighing more than they had hoped.
I don't really care for the looks or the 2 extra seats in the back and am only waiting to see what the RX7 would look like and deliver in the power department.

I find the entire shape from the front to the side to the back just plain unusual and somehow unbalanced. The last generation of the rotary engine was particularly unreliable and it is yet to be seen whether this renesis version is any better.

moving to car talk
3........2.........1...........
;)

Uh, is it a convertible?

1.3L actually. Yes, rotaries do get one combustion stroke per crank rev, so it is roughly equivalent to a 2.6L 4-stroke piston ICE.

CAR (UK) magazine has a review and comparo against the 350Z this month. They said the 350Z was more of a sportscar, but preferred the interior of the RX8 (and some other areas I don't recall, perhaps the steering?).