ASH8

Yes, speaking of the Tokyo Motor Show in October, I was thinking updated RX-8 (face lift), but not sure now, could they launch both cars at Tokyo?..

All new Mazda 6
New RX-8??

Surely not another year (2008) to wait for any 8 changes..apart from paint!
I cant see MNAO and Mazda Japan allowing the 8's sales to slide (particularly US) without changes.

bascho

With a change to the EPA fuel ratings coming in 2008......my money is on no 2008 RX8 for the USA. Most likely Mazda will continue to sell the current version with new colors in other more successful world markets for several more years without any major design change. Mazda's rotary powered cars will always live by different rules from all other products.......they don't have a choice.

ASH8

Gee that's a BIG call bascho....NO US RX-8 for 08!

bascho

I could be waaay off.....but 10,000 sales in 2006 is pretty bad. Looking at sales for the last 3 years and one doesn't have to try too hard to guess that 8,000 for 2007 is not out of the relm of possibility. These numbers are USA sales BTW........from what I've heard the RX8 is far more popular in other markets.

Most of my prediction is based on the last years of the RX7. Stiffer emissions laws prompted Mazda to pull the RX7 from all markets except JDM. It's not THAT crazy to think Mazda would pull the RX8 from at least the USA......especially if importing the few examples it sells here hurts their overall CAFE numbers for 2008.

ASH8

The last FD RX-7 was pulled here in Australia because of price not emissions, $80K AU back in the early 90's was a lot of Aussie Dollars, considering the 8 is $55K.
We are selling about 75 a month, down from the 110 a month a few years back.

Would be disappointing to see the US pull the 8 without any changes, I mean how would the Z be selling if they had made NO changes in 4 years. (Keeping in mind that Nissan US sell 4 times as many cars (total) when compared to MNAO).

Anyway back on thread topic..

Design1stCode2nd

The 6 is still a good looking sedan now I'll be interested in what tehy come up with for the new one.

I'll also be interested in if the RX8 will be offered in the US in 08. Unless they up the MPG they are going to get hit with a gas-guzzler tax and thats not going to be good for business. You expect that kind of stuf in a M car or AMG or even a 6.1l Hemi but not in a 1.3l.

zoom44

thats my reading into some things written previously. there was an article some time ago that said mazda "wasnt happy" with the duratec 35 and decided to make some changes. it was my reading into that that made me think they went the same way they did on the MZR engines. i dont know for fact what they changed.

R to the X

http://www.worldcarfans.com/news.cfm/newsid/2070221.005/country/jcf/Mazda/mazda's-rx-8-hydrogen-re-undergoes-first-cold-weather-tests

zoom44

hmm bascho where is our previous big discussion of this engine. im sure i put a link to a report about mazda and the duratec in there- cant find it at the moment.

as far as launch- i said this to someone else recently- does mazda have the AD budgetr to launch more than 1 or 2 products at a time? launching the new 2 and a mazda6 and possibly a 3 redesign (previous reports had both the 3 and 6 seeing overhauls for 08) as well as the 8s face lift? i dont think they have the budget for that.

so 2and 6 launching at the end of the year followed by 3 and 8 in 2008. expect the 6 at tokyo

altspace

iTrader: (2)

Renesis_8

the photochop is alright... i was gonna say its ugly at first, but it already grew on me as i typed the msg. the rear end although needs some work, is more elegant than previous generation. I really hope they'll give us a 6 that is both elegant and sporty (BMW.. well... only the 3 series. haha, umm.. maybe only the 335i)

i am cant wait to see the new face of the 6. the AWD option should be quite popular. Looking at the competitors, camry, accord, none of them have AWD. I would like to see a less sporty mazda6 this time, in terms of exterior styling, they'll need it to take a bite off the camry sales, and remain fun to drive.
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red headed Cams

Japan8

I'd like to see how this is going to come out... I just wonder about the growth in size. Trying to go head to head with the Camry is a dumb idea. Why would you buy a Mazda 6 over a Camry? Because it's more interesting? More "Zoom Zoom"? If that's the case then the Camry wouldn't even be on your list. The Altima is already selling great and grown quite big (killing the Maxima as Nissan's traditional sports sedan). Mazda should work on their own niche... the Zoom Zoom.

What we are missing in the market is a poor man's 3 Series. Something that is NOT FWD, offers MT, sporty handling and performance. Right now your choices are MS6 or Legacy GT... and the MS6 at least looks much larger than the e90 3 Series (my neighbor has one), but still smaller than a Charger (which my other neighbor has). Don't need and don't want a bloated Camry-wannabe.

So how's that new RWD pontiac sedan coming? At least GM has figured it out... there is even an article on the growth of the RWD market, especially for lusury cars (thus GM is reverting all the Caddies to RWD and the Germans have always been or AWD). Amazingly... Chrysler pioneered this return... so where's Ford? Don't the idiots in Product Planning even read Ward's?

CarAndDriver

I agree that Mazda should work on the Zoom Zoom niche. Trying to outbuild and outsell the Accord and Camry would be suicidal.

In the artist rendition, the rear end is the weakest aspect of the car.

ASH8

Charlie, on changes to the RX-8, a member mentioned that the 8 would be hit with a "Gas Guzzlers" tax in the US, the tax to be introduced in 2008.
Effectively making the 8 price uncompetitve, and ending its life in the US..whats the story Zoom44?

zoom44

mum's the word

snizzle

I hope the 6 continues to be the most sporty in it's segment. I'd certainly consider it over any of the alternatives from Nissan/Toyota.

No 8 in '08.... hmmm.....

Japan8

I dunno... was just having a conversation at work about the next 6. We all think Mazda is making a mistake by going larger. The Camry and Altima are already pretty damn large... and the larger the car... the more expensive. Cutting out certain segments out of buying. Bigger and sporty? Don't mix so well... bigger and heavier will weaken the sporty market and the bigger market wants more luxury, which it can't provide... so they'll just go up market. Basically... it's going to be caught between markets... those who want sporty and those who want luxury. More space because of the Camry and Altima? So what? It's the same problem Nissan has with chasing Toyota... why buy a Mazda/Nissan instead of a Toyota? For the average buyer.. it makes little sense. Toyota is a "sure" thing with it's rep and resale. Why risk it? In other words... they aren't going to beat Toyota at its own game, so don't bother. Like I said before... Mazda should be going for it's own niche... Zoom Zoom.

We'll see what comes out in the end, but the current 6 is plenty big enough in my opinion. As long as everyone aren't 6 footers, you can carry 4 people and luggage comfortably just fine.

Japan8

From what I hear... just wait for the next Altima SE-R... supposedly hawt!

rotary crazy

wasnt the mazda6 introduce in 2002 as a 2003 model? that means we should expect and rx-8 one year after the mazda6

my money is on a re- desing, DI rx-8 for 2008 as a 2009 model, dont expect a lot more power but better fuel milage, well at least this is what I hope

Renesis_8

I agree with what you said Japan8, on that mazda(company) should be going at its own game. Everything is a compromise i guess, i still think that mazda could get a few more sales by adding more "toyota" to the mazda6, without losing too much zoom zoom.

I am all for sportiness however, but if it is already in stone that the next gen 6 will be longer and wider, i want it to appeal to a larger customer base. Those changes could come from exterior styling. but of course it has to drive like zoom zoom! and its time to introduce appearance packages for the mazda6. the camry "sporty" version looks a lot sportier than the base model, not necessarily true for the current gen 6.
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Pattaya condominiums

CarAndDriver

It has to go larger and bigger inside to appeal to more drivers. Many drivers who like their cars to zoom zoom still need room for more than 2 people in their vehicle.

But bigger doesn't necessarily have to mean bland and poor handling. I am sure it will be even better than the current 6.

Japan8

The car holds more than 2 just fine as it is. One of my test drives was with both of my parents and the salesman.

Trunk space is fine for me, but compared to the Camry and Altima... yeah... it might be lacking there. But I SERIOUSLY doubt that will make the slightest difference when it comes down to it.

How about a good real world example? Honda thought the same thing about the Accord. The JDM model was smaller than the USDM competition, so they built a US specific model... I'd rather have a JDM one... the TSX. And has it beaten the Camry down yet? Nope. Honda never has regained their spot.

Bigger means heavier, less gas mileage, heavier handling and... just plain 'ol big. Me no likey.

Senna

I say leave the 8 as is. If it works...which it does for me at least.

Senna

[QUOTE=Japan8] Like I said before... Mazda should be going for it's own niche... Zoom Zoom. [QUOTE]

My thought exactly. Keep doing what they're doing which is producing their own vision of a sedan that doesn't make you want to when you look at it!! However, while the Speed6 is a vast performance improvement I'd like to see them on equal HP terms to the big guns....over the 300HP mark.

My thought about HP is that you may not use it often but its damn nice to have when you need it!! I've been spending a little more (or rather a lot more time) on the highway lately mostly with my 1996 I4 626 and while I get the most out of the engine I'm often handcuffed around dumbass drivers because of a lack of HP/TQ.

Design1stCode2nd

\In regards to the 6 it depends on how much bigger they go. If they just add 2 inches to the wheelbase and another inch in length it's no big deal if they go like 5 inches bigger then it's really going to up the weight.

Does anyone know from piston examples what DI normally does for an engine in regards to HP and MPG. If the DI will get 3/5 MPG boost then the 8 will avoid the GG tax at teh very least.

If Mazda wants wider acceptance of the 8 they need to improve the fuel economy and eliminate flooding. Boosts in performance would always help but you are not going to get improved MPG and improved HP usually.