The purpose of this thread is to find out if you indeed have just been sitting around and staring at the design of the RX8 and wondered why they designed it the way they did (feel free to ask questions about why). More importantly what would you have designed differently and why? Please relate your posts to either series 1 or 2 to save some confusion and please either pick a body change or mechanical change you would have done and limit it to one idea or question to avoid repetative responses. I encourage you to question ideas, theories or logic :P I have an example idea below. Thanks for looking!

I have an 04 (series 1) and ive always wondered why the rear wheel arches are as big as they are. (Yes i know this also relates to series 2 models lol) I like them don't get me wrong, but the extra little lip on the top of the arch just seems unnessesary to me. I think if it were just the arch itself and rounded into the quarter panel it would look much cleaner.

Also, what is your favorite feature (exterior, interior, mechanical)? And why? We all obviously love the motor so that's to easy a response lol

 

if it was a 2 door coupe, i'd love it a hell alot more (idk how thats possible either)

 

Very valid point, with the way this thing handles and its power compared with the RX7 i think Mazda should have released a small volume 2 door (2+2 coupe or even just a 2 seater) with our engine. It's just unfortunate they don't got Merecedes money and can afford the spin offs i love the practicality of this thing though for what it is :P

 

My wife calls me a nerd every time we get out of it because I take a look back as we walk away. Every time.

 

for sure, if it was a 2 seater, i wouldnt think twice about ever selling it. not that im going to, but it would just make it alot harder for me lol. i just hope mazdas new gen rotary engine car has only 2 doors, along with everything that the 8 and 7 have i was going to get a lotus before this car but it was just way out of my price range. ill be keeping my car for a long time, unless the new gen rotary car appeals further to me!

 

I get the same response from my girlfriend lol but i just cant help but look because its always a diff angle :P

 

One of the selling points for me is the extra doors. Still looks like a coupe and drives like one. It's just far more usable in normal life. My 944 I had years ago was a joke of a 2+2. Great car to drive but the back seats where totally useless.

 

Not one single time in the past 3 years did I fail to look over my shoulder. Its like a diamond in the rough every time..

 

I like the style and shape pretty much exactly the way it is, but as I work on the car over time I always wonder why Mazda didn't take more weight out of the car with lighter parts/lighter material. E.g., without redesigning the core car at all, they could have used aluminum body parts in the roof, front doors, trunk, fenders... then there's the interior - the front seats weigh a lot, why no mesh as in the concepts... even the plastic underhood covers are heavy.... it all adds up. They could have done a weight reduction upgrade and had a 2800 lb GT car not a 3050 lb one this way and made significant performance improvements w/the same engine HP.

 

hey my dad had a 944 and i fit in the backseats perfectly (mind you that i was only like 2 years old haha). but i guess it really comes down to personal preference. i dont like sedans and i dont like trucks/suv's. i love 2 door coupes with a trusty stick shift and a nice ride quality, but hey thats just me. i barely drive my 8 (like 3k miles a year, if that) so i really dont take things/people anywhere that would have to make me use the back seats. i have no use for them lol

 

I would change the fender vents and the rear end. I would vent the hood in the lip in which the rotor symbol and hood
I would also replace the WW tank with the battery and then use a smaller WW washer bottle elsewhere.
There also needs to be a recessed hood scoop between the front clip and the hood--not just an insert, but a much better depression/scoop. Rote 8 did a design on one at one time that was killer.

 

For a vehicle designed for a 2003 launch the design is great. Hasn't aged in the last 9 years

 

there you go.

 

Overall I think the design holds up really well after 7 years with only slight changes introduced. There are only a few things I would change:

1. I think the headlights and front bumper integration could have a few more details - its a little on the plain side compare to the rest of the car. Still looks great though, but I like some of the more interesting elements of the tail lights that I think would have been interesting to repeat in the front.

2. I think the interior could have a few less black elements even in the base model. Some contrast pieces in a medium to light gray around the center stack or the faux aluminium strips along the console integrated into the center stack might have looked better.

Other than that, I too look back at my car every time I get out of it. And there aren't many cars that look so good at almost every angle (see below).

 

?!?!?!?!?!dude what model is that? Or is that photoshoped? Damn that is sick

 

That looks great!! And i have s1 04 n I always have looked back at it sometimes double takes lol the gf is very jealous of my car she tells me i love my car more than her and the way i look at my car... blah blah but in the end shes happy when i tell her well you rather me look at other girls like that or my car? lol I think the only thing i would change about the s1 would be the front bumper wished it came with ms bumper here in the states and also if i could have s2 tail lights love the leds i really wish i had a s2 r3! The interior could be improved also but not much its really comfortable n its always great to be in the drivers seat the car is very exciting i drove my friends tc and i was bored out of my mind n even then i would look in the rear view mirror just to see (n hear) my car behind me (had the ms bumper inside the tc lol) but overall im really happy with my car its tough love lol all the issues here and there i think that itself makes me love it even more i accept it even with its flaws (fixing it, taking care of it, doing things here and there, I dont think any other car could make you bond with it more than the rx8)

 

You know, I'd have to ask, "Why hasn't someone done this yet?"

 

its really really good ps lol

 

damn...i would drive the **** out of one of those if they made them...HINT HINT, MAZDA

 

That is a great photoshop job.

 

I wouldnt mind a convertible too.

 

JASON JUST STOP YOURE BLOWING MY MIND!!!!!

actually..can you lower it like 2 inches for me?

 

No problemo.

 

Holy **** that's good.

 

My rx8 is a head turner, getting compliments at work and everywhere i go.