Well I searched the club and I could not find the answer to how may RX-8s have been sold in the US. I did a little work and took all the numbers from Mazda's web site: http://media.ford.com/mazda/news/sec...cfm?section=80

Well sales for the RX-8 are heading down in 2006, with these sales figures I don't see how Mazda will sell a Mazdaspeed RX-8 or continue the RX-8 past 2007. Don't get me wrong I am a RX-8 owner and I would love to buy a Mazdaspeed RX-8. In 2004 sales averaged over 2000 a month. In 2005 sales the averaged just over 1000 a month. In Jan & Feb of 2006 sales are now 600 a month.

Here is the month by month numbers. Does anyone have any info on how many 350zs have been sold in the US as comparison?

Total RX-8s sold in the US as of Feb 28, 2006: > 52,044 <

YEAR-MONTH-NUMBER OF UNITS
2003 Jun 14
2003 Jul 1342
2003 Aug 2209
2003 Sep 2105
2003 Oct 2510
2003 Nov 2087
2003 Dec 2079 Total sold 2003: 12,346
2004 Jan 1789
2004 Feb 1865
2004 Mar 2373
2004 Apr 2207
2004 May 2321
2004 Jun 2125
2004 Jul 2513
2004 Aug 2206
2004 Sep 1827
2004 Oct 1823
2004 Nov 1288
2004 Dec 1353 Total sold 2004: 23,690
2005 Jan 1021
2005 Feb 1407
2005 Mar 2489
2005 Apr 1001
2005 May 1074
2005 Jun 1217
2005 Jul 1289
2005 Aug 1145
2005 Sep 949
2005 Oct 1212
2005 Nov 884
2005 Dec 985 Total sold 2005: 14,673
2006 Jan 636
2006 Feb 699 Total sold 2006: 1,335 (as of Feb 28, 2006)

 

Probably the price of gasoline.....

 

well the 06's are just starting to come in, so that might explain the low numbers

 

This is great news to me.

I have a unique (rotary) and rare vehicle.

Since I purchased mine, I've only seen about 2 or 3 others on the road - that's in 5 months.

 

gas...mmm possibly
06's yaa

Though also there is nothing new on the car, it is pretty much the same model as the '03s. They need to do a redesign or improvement to get people to notice it again.

 

I see that many a dayy. It's not too rare where I am anymore.

 

I'd rather have my car stay rare and exotic.

And what makes you think they'll notice it 'again', when they didn't beforehand? Everywhere I go, people are interested. They notice the car, but just don't know anything about it, and I like it that way.

This is good news, but I do hope Mazda offers some kind of FI.

 

What I think it is ,is that there are a certain number of diehard owners and they bought their cars in 2004. Now the average person owns a car for about 4 years + - 1 and sells it or trades it in. Now most of us will more than likely buy another RX-8. So if you look to the future it will cycle back to the 2004 numbers I feel in a year or two.
Personaly I think the sales for the AT will increase also, having 6spd and more HP.
I would love to trade my '05 AT in for it.
It seems to me you have to have a special place in your heart for the Rotary, to purchase one. John Q. Public does not know the Rotary engine, and what he does know is only from the early '70's ,,when the rotor housing seal system would fail easily from over heating.
This is all the people know about it.
We the informed know that is a thing of the past, and to have a Rotary engine in your car is an engineering marvel.
So we need to tell the world that the Rotary is back and stronger than ever.
(where is my soap box)

 

They sold 14 in June 2003. Neat!

 

I personally think that mazda needs to promote the rx-8 a little more, at least where I am. I see commercials on TV all of the time for the mazda 6 and 3 and there are tons of them around me. I have seen 2 commercials for the Rx-8 since it came out and it barely showed the car(which had no spoiler, no appearance package and no other factory appearance upgrades) at all. Every time I stop in town someone asks me what kind of car I drive and where the hell did I get it. I think this is part of the problem.

 

most cars now days come with turbo rx8 dont ;T

 

Not true. over 90% of the cars. Including Ferrari's, does NOT have any Turbos/SuperCharger in them.

 

It has something to do with the market.

I see more Civics than ever on the streets than Accord. Im talking about the yr 05/06 models.

I see WAY more Corollas than eve on the streets than Carmy, New 05/06 models.

Not only Mazda. It's happening to all other companies too.

That also means, People are either poor, or perfer to stay "cheap" these days. Theres very few people whos willing to spend more than 20K for a car. and most people would like to stay below 15K.

Have you ever wonder why Nissan needs to put a New Sentra out ?
Have you ever wonder why **** like Hyandai and KIA and Saturn can survive ?

Market demand.

 

Here's my post from earlier this month. Doesn't have the month breakdown for the 350Z, but it's got the yearly figures for NA sales. There's links in that post that can take you to a site which will give the monthly breakdown if you do a search or two.

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...21#post1242621

 

Marketing is definitely a problem. I've never come across an rx8 advertisement. I've heard there was a commercial involving the suicide doors a while back...but meh. I also see the Mazda 3 and 6 commercials a lot and sometimes there's the red rx8 cameo, but that's it.

 

Mazda needs to focus on sales before anything else.

No money No Talk.

Simple as that.

 

I don't think you generally see too many advertisements for $30k+ sports cars. I don't see too many 350Z commercials (relative to say Accord or something), have never seen an RX-8 or Evo or STi commercial, and have only seen Corvette's on commercials that are highlighting the entire GM line because they're trying desperately to make money.

I dunno. I don't see too many people go, "What car is that? RX-8? I've never even heard of that! If I had I would have dropped $30k on it for sure!" Maybe I'm wrong, but people in that market segment generally know what they want. Sports coupes that are less than $30k seem to do wonders when advertised (just look at the 3rd gen Eclipse and the dancing chick). I just don't see too many "sports cars" in this price range being advertised.

If the RX-8 had more get up and go people would buy it -- at least in America. In general we got wide open spaces and a need for torque. And just remember, there are benefits to having the car not sell well (rebates and uniqueness).

 

speaking of which, i have NEVER seen an Evo or STi commercial EVER on ANY primary network television channels, or any major cable networks either.... i mean, why aren't people questioning the sales figure of those cars... i highly doubt those 2 cars sell more than the 8 in a year... they are too extreme for the common folks...

 

The only commercial I have ever seen for an 8 (I pay attention) is the generic Mazda lineup that shows all the cars and the phones chirping that zoom-zoom tone and then all these people get in their cars and drive off. They meet up in what looks desert-like. They showed this one a ton during the 2004 Olympics. The only other Mazda commercial I have seen recently was for the 6 where the dog is hanging his head out the back window with a racing helmet on.

 

Do you always make stuff up? where did 90% come from?

 

Haha, i was wondering about that too. 90% seems kinda out there, not kinda, well, WAY out there.

 

speaking of the lack of marketing/advertising...

i had taken my 8 in to the dealer for the starter kit upgrade, and since then i have received a couple postacrds saying "thank you" and "come back in to get new tires" etc. anyway, on the front of the postcard it has the whole mazda lineup MINUS the rx-8. i just think its wierd how little attention mazda brings to this car. maybe they're ashamed of it.

 

very simple, people are wating for the 06 model

 

the should make the 06 LAST YEAR OF PRODUCTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

 

This is what worries me...

Almost no advancement of the engine, options, or style of the car (sure there have been tweaking but nothing Earth shaking. Worst of all...we still don't have the HP we would like the RX8 to be sold with.

Little to no advertisement by Mazda while they focus on MS for everything BUT the RX8.

Talk about the Kubra/RX7/MX3/RX3 etc coming out, yet the 8 continues to be ignored.

Either Mazda is satisfied with the car dying a slow death until they stop building the 8, or they plan something big for the 2007 model year.

Those numbers for the US aint that great but like others have said compared to past RX's those numbers are GREAT. Also, if you include the world wide sales the RX8 can't be considered a failure.

Let's say they sold the 8 in 10 nations and each nation sold 10K a year, that's 100,000 RX8's worldwide which is nothing to be ashamed about. No...it wont brake records but it's far better than past RX’s.

Wouldn’t it be great if a 15B engine with DFI came out making about 290HP and Mazda actually advertised the car? I wonder what would happen then…