Several times I have been told that Ford had a lot to do with the
design of the RX8. what's the story here?

 

the story would be search
http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=mazda+and+ford+relationship

 

Ash or Zoom will probably be able to clarify further, but I don't think you are being informed correctly. There are alot of retards out there that call any Mazda a "Ford", simply because Ford had a controlling stake at one point.

Mazda and Ford share alot of technology, but the rotary and the 8 isn't one of them. I'd suspect Ford doesn't want it. There is nothing about the 8 that mirrors to any of Ford's platforms, and nothing about the 8 that has any indication of have a Ford hand in it.

Some points of what are shared:
- Mazda V6s are Ford designed and built
- Mazda 6 and Ford Fusion share platforms
- Mazda 2 and Ford Fiesta share platforms
- Mazda B series and Ford Ranger shared platforms at one point I think
- Ford brought Mazda improved development of their piston engines
- Mazda brought Ford improvement of their suspensions
- I believe Mazda got some of their safety development from Volvo through Ford, who owned/owns Volvo as well.

Although there is probably a host of other learnings shared between them that hasn't, or won't, make it to the public.

 

^ good rundown and im pretty sure hes 100% correct

 

I think the V6 in the MX6/Probe was all Mazda though, right?

 

I don't think so. I think the V6 was Ford & the I4 was Mazda.

 

i don't care to go down this path again. read the Yamaguchi book

http://www.amazon.com/RX-8-Worlds-Co.../dp/4947659025

 

what about the 2.3 miller cycle motor? was that fords as well? its a small 6 cyl

 

Not sure?

I'm not saying Mazda never developed V6s, I'm sure they did at some level, but publicly they have stated for a couple years now that they will continue to outsource their V6s, since it is such a tiny percentage of their sales and not worth the development time (which says something about their rotary development in my opinion). They focus on their 4s, and apparently with good development success. Good success overall remains to be seen if their Sky engines take off without massive problems.

 

mazda's engine line can/does and has produced its own v6's based on Ford engineering. but it looks like they will not be putting much if any research dollars into them, prefering to spend their dollars on their sky engine programs and get the v6 designs from ford.

engine line
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Mazda+.....-a0166674833

recent v-6 mention
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rticle1488221/

 

Thanks for the insight. I'll do some extra reading. I live in a X Ford Plant town so I get
the Ford question a lot. Only 2 RX-8's in the whole city so I get lots of looks.
Never a negative comment. Some even say "Oh that's the new Ford" and they mean it.