Please note Mazda said JULY!!!!

To: All Mazda Dealers
Attn: Dealer Principal/General Manager

The Mazda RX-8 IS UP AND ROLLING! The most revolutionary sports car ever will be on its way to your dealership soon. To better explain the production and launch timing and processes, below is a calendar of key launch milestones. Also attached is a listing of some of the major marketing launch activities for the RX-8.

Jan. 7: Production RX-8 was shown for first time at the Detroit Auto Show, pricing announced.

Jan. 8: Pre-sell website opened for customer orders. Japan receives over 5,000 pre-orders, US receives over 1,200 pre-orders, US dealers report first three months of supply sold out.

Jan. 9-16: Global Long-Lead Media Preview allows 350+ journalists to drive RX-8 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Feb. 17: Mass production, job 1 (MP1), began on schedule.

Mar-Apr.: Media reviews appear in enthusiast publications and websites. Reviews strongly positive about car and engine.

Apr. 9: Public debut of RX-8 in Japan.

May 12: Mass production, job 2 (MP2), begins. MP2 cars are full-production, US-specification cars, incorporating lessons learned on MP1 (Japan market) cars.

June-July: US pre-sell customers receive six status e-mails directly from Mazda: when their car is placed in the build-stream, when a VIN is assigned, when car is built, when car is shipped, when car arrives in US and when car arrives at assigned dealership.

***Mid Jul: Pre-sell RX-8s arrive at dealers.***!!!

Mid-end-Jul.: Allocated production RX-8s arrive at dealers.

As you can see, this extensive time-table is designed to ensure a strong and successful rollout of RX-8.

I know you are anxious to get this car and many have customers who also can’t wait. The RX-8 is Mazda’s worldwide flagship, and it WILL be delivered and launched perfectly. RX-8 represents everything that zoom-zoom has been promising, and I’m confident it will put us back where we should be: at the top of consumers’ minds.
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Every message I got from either my dealer or RX-8 orders said June-August delivery (playing it safe I figured). I think all the salesmen that were saying May are to blame. I even questioned one from an eBay auction and he swore (literally) up and down that he had a bunch of cars coming in May.

So much for the 6 status messages...unless you count the two bogus ones with wrong VINs :D

 

Like you said...Mazda has ALWAYS said "mid July" and I bet they make good on their April notice...
Problem is this forum is loaded with nay sayers ...

 

You're quite right, Mazda has said July all along. However...

... we seem to be missing at least two of these promised progress reports, and I don't hold much hope for the last one arriving within a week of the car being in my garage either.

 

This makes sense to me. My car was "ordered" as part of the dealer's alloted production, not a pre-order. I was bitching that it was not on the first east-coast boat. Mine is now on the 2nd boat, due to arrive port last part of July. According to this, my car is - ON TIME.

 

I put a deposit on my car 5/8. The order date was 2/21. I was told I was in the 3rd allotment, with delivery in late August. Apparently, my car was moved to the 2nd allotment. It was built 6/17, and is "on the water". I expect delivery in late July, a month early. No compaints here. :D