m477

Um, right... dude, open your eyes, what makes you think that you can buy exclusivity for $35k?

There's $40k vettes, boxters, 3-series, and SUVs on every street corner everywhere I go. The only way for any car under $75k to be exclusive is for it to be such a POS that noone wants to buy it...

m477

Are you kidding?

The stook USED TO be exclusive when it first came out, but that was only because Honda severly limited production. It had nothing to do with the price.

These days though, I see plenty of them.

Again, any car under $70k or so that I can think of, I see plenty of them, and this is just in the Midwest...

chenpin

Actually I dont really see as many s2ks as boxers or z3s even though the s2k is cheaper than either and i'm in LA. although in this case, i am guessing it is because of the s2k's image as a luxury-less car so to speak and b/c of brand image. other than this i dont have a clue y peps would rather get a z3 than a s2k. s2k is a good deal imo.

Zio

not a lot of people purchase mazdas so dont think it will be another mustang.

9000RPMan

As an owner of an S2000, I can say that I see many more Boxsters, Z3s and even more TTs than S2000s. Also, even after 3 years of ownership, I still get people coming up to me to ask what it is, as well as compliment me on a god car, if they do know what it is.

9000RPMan

good car, not god car, sorry hahahahaha

BryanH

Can't you order the car your own way? I know you can do this with Toyotas, although it can be hard to sometimes. In the old days you could get whatever options you wanted on the car pretty easily, from what I gather. No silly packages that make you buy something you don't want in order to get something you do.

I just want an RX-8 with the 6spd, cloth seats, no sunroof, LSD, cruise and power everything. Hoping that's a base model right there. Oh and the rear lip spoiler looks good.

tallguylehigh

BryanH-

It seems that most, if not all of the Japanese car companies are doing this more and more now. In order to get something, you need something else, which requires something else, and round and round we go.

The car you described may in fact be pretty close to the base car (banking on the fact that the stick will be offered in base). The rear spoiler might be tough as there is talk that it might be associated with some package encompassing foglights, heated seats, etc. But of course this is all speculation.

My worries lie in me wanting a sunroof. I can just see the avalanche of options and dollars when I want that one thing. To put it in perspective, to get a sunroof on the 6, you need BOSE and leather. So a sunroof soon becomes a $3000 option.

Anyway, best of luck.

InBlackPlease

The "8" will need to be accessible by most people or it is not going to fair very well. This is not the same kind of car as an S2K or RX-7. People (like myself) will be using it for basic transportation and don't need it to be "exclusive". I have stayed away from the S2K for one simple reason. Dealer mark up. Everyone has a right to choose whether or not to pay a high price for a car. I am willing to pay a fair price for what I want but to push up the price of the RX-8 just so that you won't see it everywhere will cause us not to see a new RX-7 at anytime in the future.

I don't think we will need to worry about seeing the RX-8 on every corner. This car will not be for the average consumer. That said I am looking forward to a time when the RX-8 meets start happening. It will be great to get together with other owners!

Spining Ncnratr

Well my Uncle says that Mazda is targeting around 25,000 first year. To see how well it gets taken in by us Americans. If it is well recevied then expect about 50,000 a year starting in 06 and up by that time the RX7 well be beside it for about 3 to 5 grand more.
Since he worked as a supervisor for Ford he has access to websights that noone else can get I'll post more when it becomes available plus I'm going to talk to Mazda at the Cleveland show to know exactly whats up. Peace and Happy holidays.:D

Zio

basically ill be needing the manual 6spd, leather seats, ABS, side and front air bags, and thats basically it.

Spining Ncnratr

Mazda site don't you mean Protoge

Quick_lude

I think he meant that this car will be used as a main daily driver, not a sunny weekend only car.
For those that want "exclusivity" may I ask why? What is the big deal if Mazda sells 60,000 of them.. That is quite a snobish attitude imo.. Personally if the car is great I could care less how many they sell.. the more the better.. it means lower prices, more aftermarket support, etc.. If you want that exclusivity get a Porsche I guess.. their prices are jacked up high enough that you will achieve that goal.. while not necessairly getting your moneys worth.

InBlackPlease

That is exactly what I meant.

tribal azn

I don't believe I said that the 8 is going to be basic transportation for everyone. I just meant that it will be my daily driver (for now). But hey thanks for the suggestion of a Civic. I hadn't thought of that.....

Buger

I did a little digging and found the Atenza (Mazda6) prices in Japan below:

SEDAN (4-door) 4-cylinder 2300DOHC "MZR" 23E
Base - ..................... 2,100,000 yen
Luxury Package - ...... 2,360,000 yen

From the Mazdausa site, the prices for the two models in the US are:

Mazda6i - ................ $19,050
Mazda6s - ............... $21,620

Looking at the difference between the US prices and the Japanese prices may give us an idea how the Japanese prices correlate to the US prices.

2,100,000 / 19,050 = 110.2
2,360,000 / 21,620 = 109.2

From the article at http://www.auto-g.jp/news/200212/18/newcar01/index.html
: "With as many as 250 horsepower versions, with expenses included it is settled within 3000000 Yen! This is my secret expectation." (Shigeru Yoneda)

250 horsepower version rx-8 = 3,000,000 / 109 = $27,523.00?!?!

Let it be true. Add a few thousand for nav and whatever other options aren't included and the pricing would seem to match what Mazda NA execs have told us at Sevenstock.

Brian

Hercules

*nod*

The general feedback from Mazda was given a $31,000 FULLY LOADED MSRP for the RX-8, so if that includes navigation the RX-8 will be a great car for the money. If they go beyond 32k then I would have serious doubts at looking at the car, only because then I'm past the limit I want to spend, and also because I don't know if I can justify the 33k+ that they would want.

31 grand loaded in my mind is the perfect number; I'd probably even get the navigation just to have it... I might even use it!

tallguylehigh

Buger-

Awesome post. I was thinking about writing a post like that, but I am glad someone beat me to it, one less thing I have to do. :D

The thing I enjoy the most about the post is that it is logical. So many times and in so many posts, people vaguely refer to markups, or importation charges and other confusing, convaluded references to numbers which lead me to be skeptical. This, however, is probably the closest thing to concrete evidence that we can derive at this point.

One quick comment though about the conversion between the RX-8 and the 6 is in the navigation system. Last time I checked, a navigation system was not available on the 6, so the conversion rate for that might be a little thrown off kilter. As for the rest of the information... a 250-hp RX-8 for 27K, yes please

Buger

Thanks Tallguylehigh,

I too was hoping that someone would do "the digging"

I don't think the nav system is part of the Japanese luxury trim so the absence of it as a US option shouldn't factor in to the comparison to the trim prices. Perhaps somebody here has info on what the 2 Japanese trims include as options?

Brian

WankelWannabe

What about the fact that the 6 is built in NA and the RX-8 will be built in Japan? WOuld that affect the price conversion?

Immi

I think buger's 'logical' work is more deceiving if anything. It seems you either don't understand or are denying the fact that mark ups, tariffs and import tax exists - not to mention that the japanese market is totally different from the american or canadian market.

Car price comparisons are weak and totally meaningless way to make conclusions.

I'm for exclusivity.

Hercules

Then I guess you're also for Mazda to get out of the sports car business too.

tallguylehigh

Believe me, I understand the presence of markups, tariffs and import taxes, but how is a tariff or an import tax different between the Mazda 6 and the RX-8? Mark ups I understand, but as for the others, each is one unit, so would have the same effect on tariffs and import taxes, eh?

I also said that this is still an approximation, I know it might be different, but you cannot be so naive to think that it will be different.

As for the exclusivity issue- *sigh* ok you go ahead thinking that, I am through with that argument. Like someone once said along these lines, you either dont understand or are denying the importance of sales the RX-8 has on all future products. :o

Oh, that stings eh??!! (Sorry, had to throw in the Simpsons reference, no scorpions though :D )

Immi

who said i want an rx7???? rx8 only for me