Sleepy-z

The boss was nice enough to toss me the keys to Mazda corporations RX-8 before they send it back to headquarters so I enjoyed it on some backroads, took a few pics to share. Its a 09' model, kinda scary running around VA with florida tags and a california liscense but I keeped it safe. All in all a fun weekend, got lost in the country roads of VA, seriously I am new to the area so I just drove it around the outskirts of Richmond. I dont have a great camera at all so I just had some fun and edited a little, hope you guys enjoy.

My Z was a little jealous, she didn't get to play this weekend.

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

Wow, keys to a new RX8 that no one has (in NA) yet! How did you like it? Is that the base model?

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

I was nice of them to lone you the car. It help you guys get a little closer to the engine you are working on.

To be named later

Nice!

I'm still not a fan of the front bumper plastic, the foglights, or the rear reflectors above the exhaust, but hey, they could have done a lot worse. It still looks better than 98% of the cars on the road.

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

^ Where do you see foglights?

Sleepy-z

Yeah it was the base model I believe, 6spd MT, cd changer, I honestly haven't looked into the options though so I dont know. Last weekend my buddy won it as a raffle and I won a tribute for the weekend, someone was moving so I gave them the tribute, so the boss gave me the rx8 before they send it back to headquarters since I was nice I guess. I wont complain I drove it like it should be driven, its a sports car so I took it on a nice weekend drive through some twisty country roads, hell I even washed it for them today.

robrecht

Yes, because there's no foglights. I really like the larger, new style oil cooler openings without the cheesey chrome foglight treatment. Old style wheels.

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

thats sweet!! cool. Im still like the 1st gen much better, but I am kinda biased since I own one

robrecht

I saw in the other thread where you didn't think it would be good as a daily driver. Still think so? Is that because of poor fuel economy, reliability concerns? My daily commute is over back country and mountain roads so I think it's just about perfect as a daily driver, for me anyway. Closest thing you can get to Miata handling with 4 seats and some extra power.

Sleepy-z

Yeah fuel economy mostly, I daily drove a Z for a few years, premium gas and 20mpg adds up with a commute especially nowadays. As for reliability, no comment yet, I am still learning.

Jasonawojo

iTrader: (2)

Nice of you to get to play with it, and share pics!

shaunv74

Great pictures. Lucky!!

REsuperD

sweet! i like it. lucky guy

you won a tribute and gave it away? such a generous guy

Dejewski

I already sat in one about 2 weeks ago

SilverEIGHT

Sweet! Are the oil coolers 100% in the opening now since the ports are larger? 1st gens are about 60-70% exposed.

Go48

Is Mazda referring to the '09 as a 2nd gen RX-8? I tend to agree with those who suggest it is more like a within-generation upgrade, ala, 2nd gen, S4 to S5. As most of you know, RX-7 generational changes were much more pronounced, especially in the design of the bodies, but also in engine design/configuration as in the 2nd gen to 3rd gen changes.

neit_jnf

interior pics? engine bay?

looks like a cx-7 in the 1st pic...

Sleepy-z

The car was sorta filthy, the higher ups who had there hands on it didn't bother to clean it up that often so I didn't bother with anymore pics, I assume they dont change too much under the hood/interior. I just like to practice photography so when I get a real camera I can not only take a cool shot but also have good results, this was my crappy 3 year old 5mp walmart camera, once the wife is done with med school I will get a decent camera.

1.3L

Wow, the 8 is now past puberty; it has a mustache!

-1.3L

delhi

with all the heavy post processing, i didn't even realize this is the 09 RX-8.
Upon closer look, the headlights are bit too generic now. Else looks really the same to me.

CyberPitz

Very, very nice. Glad you had yourself a fun time with the baby!

neXib

I'd call it a facelift, like the 01 vs. 99 Miata.

I didn't notice that this was the new model either at first, must be the color. Nice car though.

Aipex8

iTrader: (1)

Interesting. What's the body piece right in front of the rear wheel... looks like a splash guard on the wrong side of the wheel.

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

sleepy: sounds like you had some fun!

Raptor75

Amen, I hate that new front grill. Back looks nice to me. I thought Mazda was going with new wheels on the 09 but based on this picture I guess not.

I like the original body work much better but I would like to get a hold of the new hardware underneath. There seem to be some good evolutionary improvements there.