Saw the XCar today.. it was a real deal RX-8, still pre-production, but it had the renesis in it.

Press releases and a ton of photos are at rotarynews.com

Or, go to the raw photos from my digital:

http://images.rotarynews.com/images/XCar20020103/

 

sweeeeeeeeet... we should DEFINITELY ARCHIVE THIS, or at least keep the links, or something...

holy crap!! you could sit in it and everything???? WOW!!! i suppose you must be certified "press", eh??? wicked. :D

 

is that you in the back?? what'd you think of it??
were you able to run through the gates of the shifter??
what did you think of the front seats??
how about the suicides?? did you get to try the opening mechanism??
wow!! and what's the story with the black plastic cowling?? it HINGES up??? or did they just remove it for you photographers??
blah blah blah blah blah...

 

Very cool! Looks like the genuine article.

Where'd I put that damn time machine. I want mine now!

 

See now those are the colors i want for my rx-8 a dark blue metalic exterior with those silverish/grey interior.

Will u grant my wish mazda
pretty plz

 

Mazda: you can keep the rims and the tail/wing but P L E A S E give us this color combo.

 

I did sit in the back, but the pics of the guy getting out is an assistant/associate of mine (yikes!!) for rotarynews.com.

I'm the dork making an X with my fingers... it was a pic for RX-7 magazine, and they like crazy poses like that. (see the pic before with Toshio)

I'm not linking to the photo, since I look like a dork

Other thoughts, I did like it, a lot.

The following is what I posted at my site, first impressions if you will:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The RX-8 is a really good looking car. I may be bias, but I did a quick mental check to clear my mind, and I found myself really liking the lines.

The car they showed today was not a hack job. It was a pre-production RX-8, complete with the renesis, doors, folding center section of the trunk, gauges, radio, and gas filler, and trunk.

The directors touches to the car make it look quite mean. From how the wing angles up, to the silver inserts, to the stance.

I took a good look under the hood. The plastic peice that goes over everything is very very easy to pop off. In fact, it has to come off to fill the oil.

The spark plugs are very hard to reach from the top because of the ABS unit on the inside wall of the fender. The oil filter is fairly far back, but looked like it was easier to change than the 3rd gen FD3s RX-7's.

The air box, battery, and fuse box are very easy to reach, Looks like there could be a quick and easy way to replace the air box with an aftermarket unit.

The seats are very easy to get in and out of. the back seats do offer a fair amount of space for a 6ft american male.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ask away for other things, I'd appreciate if you'd post here, and over at Rotarynews. http://rotarynews.com/comment.php?action=write&pgid=142

 

Hey no problem I'll link it for you. :D



Great job on the pics!

 

Gee, thanks buddy!!

Damn, I'm a dork! But I'm sitting in an RX-8, and you aren't!

 

Looks like an oil cooler in there! Wonder if there's one on the other side, too?

 

FOUND IT!

 

I was just going to post about that, B-Nez. Great news to see twin oil coolers (was hoping maybe one was an intercooler but seeing how our hero was so up close and personal with the car I'm sure he would have mentioned if he saw a turbo :D).

More observations...

http://images.rotarynews.com/images/...3/mvc01172.jpg
Pre-production snafu? Lookie at the wires exposed between the door and the car. I think that wire surround piece should be attached to the frame of the car but it must've come off a bit.
Also what are those switch-looking things for below the driver's side a/c vent?

http://images.rotarynews.com/images/...3/mvc01197.jpg
Why is there padding/carpeting (whatever it is) on the underside of the trunk lid? Looks odd. But then again my cars are from the 80s. I think I'd rather see the paint than that gray textured junk.

http://images.rotarynews.com/images/...3/mvc01227.jpg
Ouch... sea of plastic. I don't like that. I like the backs of front seats to be upholstered, even if it's in vinyl.

 

Great pics!!

rotarynews.com, it looks like the space isn't so great. Back ánd front. Is that true or is it just the picture?

 

The first pic Bryan, yea I think it's partly because of it being pre-production and secondly I'm sure it's been a bit abused on the set of the movie

As per the second pic, most cars nowadays have that liner... get out of the 80s man! (though the music from then was the best hehe).

As per the last pic... I can't tell yet if they are all plastic or not... picture does no justice in this case, you gotta get up close and personal and give it a squeeze

 

Funny, we must be clairvoyant. I was looking at the wires and the switches as well :D The switch closest to the driver has that icon next to it. Almost looks like a key, or maybe power antenna? The symbol above it almost looks like a clock. I know that makes no sense, but that's just what it resembles. Hey! Alright! A coin tray! No one has really talked much about wanting one of those, so it seems Mazda threw in a little surprise bonus for us

 

I gotta say, I love this pic:



You look so thrilled, yet the guy in the driver's seat looks so...alseep!:D Did someone mention the serving of cocktails before the unveiling?

 

LOL, look at Dan. A kid in a candy store. :D

 

i want this color combo for my interior!



and i am starting a new news agency so i can get press passes to things like this. i'll hire anone that wants passes also. no pay but great bene's :D

 

I just thought i'd whine some more about how we better get a dark blue sliver interior color scheme.

 

FYI,

This car is currently at the Los Angeles autoshow. I saw it in person today. Awesome car.:D

 

oops. You already know that. Still an awesome car.

 

let`s do some counting.....

The Xmen II will be released in April/May this year. The Movie was shot in March/April/May 2002. More than a year before production start.

Conclusion: We are all looking at an early prototype!

Wait until tomorrow. Detroit will reveal production status!

 

Nice!! Those chrome deelys are dead cool.

PS. We better buy a floor mop to wipe up all this drool from our new forums

 

I don't care what anyone says, those wheels are super sweet and definitely evoke the 81-85 RX-7.

The one switch under the vents is for the foglamps, I've no idea what the other is for.

RX cars with coin trays aren't that new, my 88 RX-7 GTU has one.

 

The wheels on the one at the L.A. autoshow were 19s. I think the production model will have 18s.