mdr

STAY TUNED TO THE 2009 MAZDA TARGA TEAM

This week Mazda Australia will launch its most potent assault on the Targa Tasmania tarmac rally in a decade and rally fans across the globe can track the Mazda Team at www.mazda.com.au/targa

Mazda has readied two Mazda3 MPS showroom rally cars and a turbocharged Mazda RX-8 SP for the 2000km Targa Tasmania road rally that starts in Launceston on Tuesday April 28 and finishes five days later in Hobart on Sunday May 3.

Piloting the twin Mazda3 MPS showroom-spec rally cars is resident Mazda driver Rick Bates and young gun Brendan Reeves. Defending Targa champion Steve Glenney will debut the Mazda RX-8 SP.

The Mazda website will be updated every evening with a daily race report, the latest video footage, team voice grabs and images of both cars from that day’s racing.

Mazda’s media team will be reporting the news as it happens. Log in to the site’s Frontline Updates section to read breaking news on the Mazda team. You can even find us on Facebook

To assist with the promotion for these sites it would be appreciated if you could please add a link to your club’s website.

Targa Tasmania comprises 465km competitive kilometres spread across 40 tight and twisting closed-road stages and is widely recognised as one of the world’s toughest tarmac rallies.

Many thanks for your assistance! Please feel free to pass this on!

For more information contact:

Lydia Richards
Mazda Australia Public Relations
(03) 8540 1962
lrichards@mazda.com.au

adamcoley

nice!

erx8s

More info for those interested here on the Targa

http://www.fdrx7.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1194

Tim Tam

Link no good, takes us to a login screen. Care to share your password so we can log in?

Revolver

The f/b page is reasonably good

We'll know they're really hip if Glenney starts twittering between corners...

ASH8

Turbo issues today, finished 50TH!

erx8s

Ash .........rx-1973 posted this .

Re: Targa Tasmania - #824 - RX1973 & ADJUST's Progress

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote "Hi There, All is going really well. They have messed up the times for Ric as they posted a time of 3:22 when he did a 3:19
Ric is 10th Outright and we are 16th outright

PS the rx8 has electrical issues that are troubling engine management and putting it into limp mode

Gone celebrating
Brad is having a ball but will type some messages when he stops shaking )
(just kidding) 'Quote "

AB .


Ash two guys from our forum are taking part as well as Rick shaw , the news seems to be that as u said the RX8 is having turbo and overheating problems some one has not done their job too well .


Cheers
Michael

erx8s

Ash .................pics of cars and drivers

erx8s

Rick shaw and James Parish are in the white RX7 FD and brad and rx-1973 are in car 824 the blue RX7 FD

erx8s

Ash .... got pics mixed up this bloke James parish is with Rick shaw and rx-1973 is with brad the younger guy in the blue car .

ASH8

Yeah, this is crap and should not have happened...Mazda Australia doing it on the cheap....typical.

Overheating...there in Tasmania at 14 degrees and it's overheating!!!

Surely Horsley lowered the fan cycle?...didn't they?, after all this thing would be at 5-9000 RPM most of the day and a Turbo.

Revolver

10th isn't a bad effort considering the competition and the 3 MPS's did very well too.

Well done MA.

Tim Tam

A fantastic result, exceeded my expectations for sure. I'm going to send an e-mail to Mazda congratulating their efforts. Of course I'll suggest they make the SP a production model while I'm at it!

Tim Tam

http://www.mazda.com.au/targa/Side%2...x?ArticleID=25

This bit is a bit of a worry:

"The turbocharged RX-8 SP survived the gruelling 2000km tarmac rally despite a number of teething troubles that included unstable boost pressure and overheating that could be blamed on an electronic problem as well as losing all but one gear yesterday."

Weak gearbox!!! Wonder how many KWs they ended up pushing through it?

Revolver

I bet we never find out!

I hope this fosters more development work on the SP by MA and they come back again next year or other events. Assuming they can improve reliability, it may just encourage MA to sell it as a road car late in the current model's life. I wouldn't hold your breath though...

If it disappears after this event, it may indicate that the drive train isn't up to it....

skc

It was a great result for the turbo RX8. They where placed 7th outright mid way through the race. There where several GTR and other exotics in the race so the RX8 did extremely well to finish tenth.

Without the gremlins they could have done a lot better. The engine seems strong if it held up to the punishment of such a demanding race. It would be interesting to know if it was the new gear box that failed.

skc

ASH8

It would be interesting to know exactly which gearbox and other drive train parts were actually from a GT RX-8, given this car was a Series I RX-8 with GT front guards and headlamps.

As an educated guess I would think it had all Series I components under the hood, otherwise they might has well used a new GT instead of added "mechanical parts from an 09 RX-8".

The last I heard was the RX-8 was in 7th place, but then given a 2 minute penalty for changing a punctured tyre. Mazda Australia were/are going to appeal.

A bit stupid to penalise a team for a puncture when you will already lose time to change the wheel?!!!..

Revolver

For a first hit out it was still a great result in a very demanding event. Remember it was up against much fancied opposition that had been well sorted both in the factory and by their teams. Not too many 2WDs ahead of it either.

I'd love to see what the deadshits in ausrotary who pooh poohed the RX8's chances are saying now.

skc

[QUOTE=
I'd love to see what the deadshits in ausrotary who pooh poohed the RX8's chances are saying now. [/QUOTE]

The RX7 is a great looking car however, it now belongs in the history books. The RX8 is way ahead in dynamics hence perfomance wise it will always be better. I wonder where the Rick Shaw RX7 finished?

skc

Tim Tam

Ric finished behind the 8, but not by much. He still won his class though.

Revolver

I'm not dissing the RX7 - will remain one of the great sports cars when plenty of pommy and italian classics have rusted through. I'm just sick of the RX8 haters who can't or won't respect its strengths. Points are on the board now though...

ASH8

I agree, the FD RX-7 is a great looking car..even today...

BUT to live with, I know which RX- I would rather own and drive.

erx8s

Ash you are 110% correct now that i have experienced both cars the RX8 is the every day user friendly fun car to own and drive everyday in all sorts of situations .

But it lacks the credibility history raw sex appeal and performance of the RX7 .

The type of owner driver is also fastly different , one is the thourough breed Winning race horse the other its is stable mate .

ASH8

Yeah..

In the RX-8's shorter history, I think it has done very well internationally on the "cred" side of things, there were a few dedicated racing events in Italy (I think) the US Rolex Series (although engine is a 20B), countless international awards and endurance events in Germany..

But yes the RX-8 was made and developed for a different (even new market) which not too many brands have replicated or have been as successful.
Would it have been as successful as only a 2 seater???, many owners would never have made the purchase if it was only a 2 seater.

Then some say they would only buy it if it was a 2.

I personally believe this RX-8 will become a Classic as the years go by.
And I think it may be some time before we see any all new Rotary...

I just can't see Mazda venturing into a 2 seater rotary unless it is shared by another model.?
But I hope I am wrong.
They would be very concerned about the World Auto Industry and their financial position.

I think I will be keeping my car for some time...she is just starting to loosen up and is a Joy to drive, the only real dislike is Mazda's crappy paintwork...it is not durable enough.

Revolver

Or just a one trick pony?