General Introduction

The small yet powerful rotary engine has made the Mazda RX-8 a true four-seater sports car. It has a perfect 50-50 weight distribution. This gives the Mazda RX-8 excellent balance when handling the car at high speeds.

Engine

The Mazda RX-8 has a perfect 50-50 weight distribution. This is because of the rotary engine developed by Mazda for over 40 years. They call it the Renesis. It is short for Rotary Engine Genesis. It is 30 percent smaller compared to a typical inline four-cylinder. The compact design allows the engine to be mounted as a low rearward position. This gives the car a perfect balance. This design gives the Mazda RX-8 a very low center of gravity. This gives the Mazda RX-8 a better grip as it hugs the road.

The Mazda RX-8 is available with a six-speed manual and automatic transmission. The manual transmission can deliver 238 horsepower and 159 pound-feet of torque. The automatic transmission can deliver 212 horsepower and 164 pound-feet of torque. The automatic has smaller wheels, brakes and a softer suspension. The paddle controls for semi-manual shifting is located on the column of the steering wheel.

The manual was designed for those who wanted to sacrifice convenience and comfort for performance. The automatic is designed for those who wanted feel and looks of a sports car than performance.

Exterior Design

The Mazda RX-8 has the most aggressive shape for a sports car. It has a double-bubble roof that goes down the hood and then over a bulge shaped like the engine rotors. The front fenders that look like big wide ears and the headlamps, air and grille intakes makes the Mazda RX-8 look like it has a face.

The rear has wide fender flares and upswept lines. The side has large wheel arches and an angled vertical vent with a black mesh that is located behind the front wheel. Mazda believes that the design is expressed more in sheet metal than in lighting. This is why the headlights aren’t as dramatic as the exterior casing.

The Mazda RX-8 is installed with the Freestyle door system. In this system, the front and rear doors open up in opposite directions. There is no pillar in between the doors. This makes it easy for the rear-seat passengers to go in and out of the car. The front door must be opened first before the rear door. Because of this unique door system, Mazda designed the car with steel crossmembers and braces to support the structure. There are also added reinforcements around the perimeter of the door to provide rigidity and safety against impact from the side. Because of this safety feature, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA has given the Mazda RX-8 four stars out of a perfect five.

Interior Design

There is ample space inside the Mazda RX-8 to accommodate four adults with enough elbow room.. The trunk has enough space to carry two sets of golf clubs or a desk chair, or a storage crate. The rear seats have a vertical compartment door to make room for skis or something like that.

The seats of the Mazda RX-8 come with standard cloth material. The Shinka Special Version has the leather seats installed. You can also opt to have suede-like upholstery.

The three-spoke steering wheel is stitched with leather. The pedals are made of drilled aluminum. Instrumentations are illuminated with blue lighting. This is located on the dash and contains three big rings. The center ring is the 10,000-rpm tachometer with a digital speedometer. The outside rings contain fuel pressure, oil pressure, and water temperature.

There is a retractable 7-inch screen for the DVD-based navigation system. This is located on top of the dashboard right above the climate and radio controls. It is controlled by an eight-button cluster behind the shift lever.

Final Statements

The Mazda RX-8 is definitely a one-of-a-kind sports car. It has an original design like the four-door configuration that works. The rotary engine is simple, super smooth, almost indestructible, and high-revving. It also has a lovely six-speed gearbox and excellent braking system. The Mazda RX-8 is definitely an excellent sports car that has an admirable engineering and innovative approach to car design.