"We also hear that RX-8 updates, due in February, include more power and upgrades to the automatic transmission."

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....ticle_id=10363

This is a quote from the Car and Driver's 10 best article. My question is this: How do you think Mazda is going to get more HP out of the car? This do not seem like an easy thing to do.
Are they going to mess with the internals of engine? This seems to be the most likely option. Having just got the 8 and knowing that in 2 months there would be some power boost does not make me happy. I get sinister ideas about my engine suddenly failing. Did Mazda plan this all along, like all car companies do. In order to boost interest in a model by freshening it up and adding some more power or is this a reaction to what other automakers did in addition to the whole HP fiasco.

I apologize if this has already been posted and discussed.

 

i don't think they'll make any physical changes to the renesis. maybe some tuning changes within the ECU.

 

The power upgrade is JUST to the automatic transmission, right? That's my understanding.

 

I'm guessing that they'll be using the 6 port Renesis engine rather than the 4 port for the new Autos. Then beef up the transmission so it can handle the increase in power (this is the reason they had to use the wimpy engine with Autos to begin with...).

Done and done.

 

Does anyone have numbers comparing auto to manual sales in NA?

 

the 2006 RX-8 automatic will have the 6 port motor mated to a 6 speed auto transmission with a redline of 7500 rpm as mentioned previously on this forum for several months including in the 2006 sticky thread at teh top of this forum which even has a picture of a Galaxy Gray 2006 6port 6speed auto taken at Mazda in Irvine during this past 7stock.

 

it says "more power AND updates to the automatic transmission" that wording seems to state they are two different things.

 

more power- 212hp updates - its a 6speed instead of a 4speed. plus the new leather combinations for all of them the keycard thing etc read any of th e2006 info threads or the sticky

 

I thought the tranny used for the auto was the same or similar to the one used in the auto FD (thought I read it on this forum that it was a shared item or design)? If that is the case, it would be more than strong enough to handle the extra 15 hp (212 reported HP for 2006).

Tim

 

I read it as two separate issues and am pretty sure that this is the case, the automatic model might get more power as well, but I am pretty sure they implied the car over all getting more power - which means the top HP model.

 

nope. just the automatic. the 6sp is remaining unchanged in terms of engine output and transmission.

the automatic is getting the 6-port motor (that is used in the current 6M/T) AND it is getting a new 6speed automatic transmission.

 

 

I wouldn't count on "Cad and Driver" anyway.

The AT gets a 6 SPD tranny mated to the very same 6 port motor that the MT uses except with a 7500 rpm redline. The power increase mentioned is only for the 6AT and only because they are no longer using the 4 port motor.

Let's make sure this rumor doesn't get out of hand. There will be NO POWER INCREASE for the 6MT for 2006.

 

OMG so what you're really saying is that the 2006 Models HAVE A SUPERCHARGER AND A TURBO!!!!

 

yes. and those are attached to a 4L-6 rotor, and it get better gas mileage then a prius, while putting out 700whp.

 

nope

 

Zoom44: this makes me feel better

Here is Car and Driver's reply to my email:

Mazda has not released this press kit for 2006 yet, so we don’t know details at this time.



Regards,



Scott


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Subject: RX-8 "more power" ambiguity in 10 best article



Dear Car and Driver



In your article on the most recent 10Best RX-8 you say: "We also hear that RX-8 updates, due in February, include more power and upgrades to the automatic transmission." Are you implying that only the automatic version is going to get more power or is the high power 6spd model going to get more power as well.



If you don't know the details what the hell are you writting then?

 

because sensationalized information sells copies

 

More power i.e. more power to the auto. I doubt anything will change for the manule transmission.

 

its about time

 

the press kit is expected to be ou tin conjunction with the NAIAS stuff so it wont be long before C&D are up to speed with the rest of us

 

This is from a discussion on the the Mazda6 forum concerning the Mazda6 having more power than the RX-8:

You're assuming that the RX-8's output won't change. With the strong liklihood of a 1.6L RENESIS, the RX-8's output should approach 300hp. Whether it's the advent of a 1.6L or an FI solution across the board, the RX-8 will be getting a significant power upgrade in the very near future. It's not even coming close to sales targets (sales are down almost 50% this year) because of its' low power output compared to the competition.

Here's the link to the full discussion:

http://forum.mazda6club.com/index.php?showtopic=44771

 

It could also be related to the new 6-speed auto which will have a bit more power, but it didn't mean a increase to the manuals power output.


but *crosses finger for more manual power*

 

My understanding was the torque converter for the automatic was the weak point and reason for keeping the power and RPMs down.

6 speed automatic should be very smooth. What other cars have a six speed auto?

 

Lots of cars have 6-speed auto these days. Like the new Miata, the new Golf/Jetta/etc, as well as most luxury cars.

Although it seems like not that long ago I was driving the 3-speed auto Plymouth Sundance POS that I inherited from my sister. Even well into the 90's a lot of autos had only 3 gears. Man, cars have come a long way in the past 10 years or so.