Yes, some cars have issues, fully stock. Assuming you have a car that has no such issues, you shouldn't expect additional issues if you've got it boosted properly. I've got over a year under my belt, daily driven. Runs great. Original transmission and engine.

 

Mate, of course Mazda could produce a more powerful rotary..we ALL know that, but, making it pass world (Europe) emissions is another task..if it cant pass they can not make....can not sell.
15K a Year are "World" sales figures..
As you know the RENESIS exhaust porting was done to improve emissions/fuel mileage/hp gain...there IS no more major improvement possible there.
Yes, Statements can be made by any exec, seeing is believing and all we have heard so far is rumor/spin.
AND I WANT TO BE WRONG.
Back on topic!

 

Any one know where I can find the rims that are on that 3? I've seen someone buy them and put them on their 3.

 

In my humble opinion (this is not targeted at any particular post), the RX-8 is no longer the flagship car for Mazda. If you want to nitpick on specifics you can but in terms of price, technology, and performance the RX-8 can't really claim the title any more. The "flagship" analogy may have been applicable back in 2003 when the car was on the cusp of being introduced and everything in the Mazda lineup was in a transitional state (protege->3, MPV->CX-9, Tirbute-> CX-7, no rotary etc).

For those who question my stance on the car, I would love to see a true flagship vehicle introduced but a sports car for most people is just a peripheral luxury. Nissan, Honda, Toyota, BMW, etc have always focused on the money makers before they dabbled into the sports car realm. I think Mazda is trying to pad its lineup before they create a R&D department dedicated towards creating another "sports" car. I am thinking it's going to be a while before we see another sports car from Mazda.

 

^^ You are Joking aren't you...

The RX-8 is NOT their flagship anyore...then what is..
The RX-8 is not a technical masterpiece anymore.....

If the RX-8 and MX-5 are not a "sports" car then I do not know what is..

Mazda have more "sports" cars and performance/turbo cars in their line up than any other Japanese make.

Mazda's "money" makers are the Mazda 3, and 6...the Hofu Plant where they are born has been on 3 shifts 24/7 for the last 6 years..
(Excluding US Flat Rock made Mazda 6)

Mazda at present "gross" more from their models than any other Japanese make.
The US is the worst performing country for Mazda Motor Corporation.
UK, Europe, Africa, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Saudi Arabia continue their sales records. Japan is steady.

 

Hmm.... in regards to the flagship status, I believe the rx-8 still is. Not too long ago, on a brand-agnostic automotive forum, it was near unanimous that people (members who drive other cars) still regard the rx-8 as the flagship/halo car for Mazda despite not having the same amount of hp (msp3/6/cx-7) has more nor price (cx-9 cosliest). The flagship status has more to do with the perception for the brand. Anyone can argue about it's merits but no other car in Mazda's line up had as much thought and R&D put into it as the rx-8. So yes, I believe it is the flagship for Mazda.

 

ASH8,
I am sorry for offending you but I am just expressing an opinion that others will rally behind. If you are content with Mazda's current lineup then it's people like you that will prevent the development of a "real" sports car. In your post above you mention that Mazda is the only Japanese manufacturer that offers more sports cars...my personal preference would rather be that a manufacturer make a real sports car rather than a dozen half-hearted efforts. Let's see:
1. CX-7= semi sporty CUV
2. Mazda 3= sporty compact car
3. Mazda 6= sporty sedan
4. Mazda 5= sporty mini-minivan
5. RX-8= sporty sedan

I want Mazda to build something with some real performance (ie. some outstanding performance characteristic) that would allow it to be compared to a sports car. You are right in saying that the other Japanese manufacturers don't carry the sports theme across their lineup but at least the others actually generating a model that can be classified as a real sports car. I want Mazda to do the same.

 

delhi,
If I remember correctly the ZOOM ZOOM mantra started around 2001-2002 and the original commercials highlighted the Miata/MX-5 as the progenitor to the sport's car theme. If anything most people (enthusiasts and the general public) are probably more familiar with the Miata and the RX-7 when the word Mazda comes up.

I guess I am just arguing semantics but for clarity I don't think Mazda has a flagship vehicle. If you go to the dealerships and talk to the sales people, service people, consumers etc. the RX-8 is just another model in the Mazda food chain. It's not like walking into a Chevy dealership with a Vette or an Acura dealership with a NSX. The people familiar with the brand have a certain degree of respect/joy when one of their "top dogs" come in for service visits.

And once again, I am waiting just like most people on this forum for a real sports from Mazda. I was one of the first owners of a RX-8 back in 2004 but quickly sold if after 10 months of ownership for a Lancer Evolution 8. I am currently waiting with baited ears for all of Japan's offerings but I am very partial to Mazda. We currently own a CX-7 Grand Touring and a Mazda 5 Sport in case anybody cares.

 

Maybe you need to reread my post. I did not arrive to the flagship conclusion about the rx-8. It was near unanimously agreed that when comes to Mazda's flagship the RX-8 is perceived with that status. Even some miata owners concurred. 'cept for a Mazda6 fella. I didn't even own an rx-8 back then. :D
But you are free to decide yourself. I don't need to convince you.

 

Somehow I dont think the consensus of a "brand-agnostic automotive forum" properly determines what is the designated flagship vehicle of a given manufacturer.
The rx-8 is NOT mazda's most luxurious car.
The rx-8 is NOT mazda's most fastest car.
The rx-8 is NOT mazda's most best selling car.

Perhaps some of this were true during its original introduction, but today -- if I were mazda i'd be pretty embarassed if my flagship "sports" car gets passed left 'n right by minivans.

 

RX-8 is the 'flagship' car not because it's the fastest/most luxurious/best selling car in the line, it is the flagship because it's the ONLY PRODUCTION rotary-engine car in the world. That exclusivity is really what makes Mazda stand out from an ocean of highly competitive carmakers.

 

It is strange. I sit here and I keep going back and forth which each post. Everyone seems to have a valid point as to what the "flagship" car is for Mazda. And while the perception of it being the RX8 by a "brand-agnostic automotive forum" is wonderful, you would think it would be much easier to find one. Obviously Mazda tends to disagree with the RX8 being a flagship, otherwise I would have been presented with more than one RX8 when I stopped at Mazda dealers. Because I only wanted a Galaxy Gray 8 Touring I had to have a car shipped 250 miles. Maybe things are different elseware in the US...but here these cars are few and far between. There are 2 RX8's here on the business campus of 4000+...but I could probably find you 100 3's and 6's.

 

Sure, it might be the only Rotary, but does that really make it a flag ship? I agree with Devilboi. Go to a Mazda dealership around here & they maybe have 4.. Yet, there are so many Mazda 3s & Mazda 6s. Hell in most of the Mazda commercials the car isnt even included, but on the other hand the RX8 sells itself in many ways..

 

A flagship car is not the best selling car. Who here thinks the corvette is the high volume vehicle for chevy?

 

But people don't go up to a corvette and ask the owner if it is a Porsche or a Lambo.

 

haha.

And yes, I bet Chevy sells a damn lot of them Vettes.. As much as Mazda sells the RX8 probably not, but Id be cuirious to see the bumbers.

 

i'm pretty certain Chevy sells a lot more Corvettes than Mazda sells RX-8s, A LOT more in fact.

 

Corvette's seem to be pretty steady in production from year to yea even from the tail end of one generation to the beginning of the next.


2004 Model Year Corvette Production:34064

2006 Model Year Corvette Production:34021

 

Some one beat me to the Corvette numbers.

 

In North America the Vette outsells the RX-8 by a wide margin. GM sold its one millionth Corvette over 15 years ago. I believe last year the Vette outsold the RX-8 in North America by about 3 times.

The reason why no one is mistaking the Vette for other cars is because it's an icon while the average person doesn't have a clue what an RX-8 is so stupid people make stupid guesses.

 

I guess you could say the same about Nissan and their 350z..

Its not their most luxurious...
Its not their best seller (Certainly not in Australia or most of the world)..

IMO Sports Cars are NOT all about (HP) speed...
Check this link on the US Miata MX-5 Forum about other "sports cars" owners once drove before their new NC MX-5..
Interesting Reading...

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=206912

 

No Offense taken mate...
I guess Mazda have such a crap range of cars, then perhaps this is why they are the most popular Japanese brand throughout most of the world at the moment, but then again you own 2 Mazda's.
If you expect Mazda to make an NSX type "Sports Car" that would cost a fortune to develop and sell around 100 a month world wide..then forget it..it won't happen as they just do not make money for car companies..look at virtually ALL the so called top makes...except Porsche and Ferrari...they all lose money...
Jaguar, Aston Martin....

 

this is the way I see it when it comes to flagship behicles with mazda.

The mazdaspeed vehicles are only here for thier 2 year run where as the rx-8 has had years on it's belt as will the next rotary.

So just like there is no 2008 MS6, there wont be a 2009 MS3 but there will be a rotary long past that.

 

Keep in mind 2+ k of the 5k in mods were the rims. Little was actually spent on making it go faster.

 

You also have to keep in mind this wasn't a Mazdaspeed version of this car. The writers of the article bought all the Mazdaspeed crap for the car....all the same MS crap that is available for the RX8.