2007 Rx-8
#304
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Originally Posted by LionZoo
I think the magazine is full of it. The reason is very simple, the Kabura was a design concept by Franz von Holzhausen of Mazda's North American design center. It was not a coordinated effort with the rest of the Mazda product line to produce a new "family look" and it certainly had nothing to do with the RX-8 other than using a modified version of its platform for the car's architecture. I don't think von Holzhausen has the influence to change the looks of Mazda's other models and since the Kabura debuted so recently, I also highly doubt that Mazda had enough lead time to change the RX-8 to resemble the Kabura. If you look at the picture, you'll see that the front end is almost exactly like that of the Kabura's and that the wheels are the same also. It's not too hard to use photoshop, therefore, I call BS.
#307
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https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...9&page=1&pp=15
that thread above is just as realistic as the pic from that mag. much better chop skills shown in that thread than in that magazine![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
ps- there are no confirmed changes for 2007MY as of yet. when there are you can be sure i will post them
that thread above is just as realistic as the pic from that mag. much better chop skills shown in that thread than in that magazine
![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
ps- there are no confirmed changes for 2007MY as of yet. when there are you can be sure i will post them
![Big Grin](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
#308
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[QUOTE=CERAMICSEAL]I obviously don't know either, however I must say, don't under-estimate the design influence of the MANA Cali design studios. Don't forget where several of Mazda's sportscar designs began including the FD (Third gen RX-7) and possibly even our beloved 8; I don't remember.
No need to rely on memory. I have before me the bound volume with complete design history that Mazda sent us early (Jan. 2003 for me) orderers. After the EVOLV concept, Mazda decided to build the 8 and compared competing designs from Hiroshima, Europe and MNAO (Mazda of North America). MNAO had an aggressive, Kabura-like shovel front. That didn't make it into the compromise model, which in turn was rejected by management. Desperate to get a new front end for the 2001 Detroit show, Mazda enlisted the help of MNAO's Wu-Huang Chin to get something that moved in the direction of the final design, but was nowhere near as good. It got middling reviews, but Mazda was so unconvinced that it shook up the whole design team and brought in a new man, Ikuo Maeda. He started off with a clean piece of paper and drew the exterior shape on it. The exec in charge put the sketch up in his office, and it became the 8. Although Maeda was the chief designer, he brought in Chin to redesign the interior.
My read: MNAO lost out on exterior design for good reason. The Maeda design is lithe, innovative and tasteful. Now that Cadillac and the Chrysler 300 have sold lots of in-your-face, chromey bruitmobiles, the Kabura may signal more MNAO aggressiveness to come. Not the more subtle Mazda of the 3 and the Miata, which I much prefer, but then I'm going to be admiring my 8's looks for years to come, so the company will be looking elsewhere for buyers.
BTW, I am very satisfied with my black/grey cloth interior. With apologies to those who disagree, I think the red/black leather is vulgar.
Mitch
No need to rely on memory. I have before me the bound volume with complete design history that Mazda sent us early (Jan. 2003 for me) orderers. After the EVOLV concept, Mazda decided to build the 8 and compared competing designs from Hiroshima, Europe and MNAO (Mazda of North America). MNAO had an aggressive, Kabura-like shovel front. That didn't make it into the compromise model, which in turn was rejected by management. Desperate to get a new front end for the 2001 Detroit show, Mazda enlisted the help of MNAO's Wu-Huang Chin to get something that moved in the direction of the final design, but was nowhere near as good. It got middling reviews, but Mazda was so unconvinced that it shook up the whole design team and brought in a new man, Ikuo Maeda. He started off with a clean piece of paper and drew the exterior shape on it. The exec in charge put the sketch up in his office, and it became the 8. Although Maeda was the chief designer, he brought in Chin to redesign the interior.
My read: MNAO lost out on exterior design for good reason. The Maeda design is lithe, innovative and tasteful. Now that Cadillac and the Chrysler 300 have sold lots of in-your-face, chromey bruitmobiles, the Kabura may signal more MNAO aggressiveness to come. Not the more subtle Mazda of the 3 and the Miata, which I much prefer, but then I'm going to be admiring my 8's looks for years to come, so the company will be looking elsewhere for buyers.
BTW, I am very satisfied with my black/grey cloth interior. With apologies to those who disagree, I think the red/black leather is vulgar.
Mitch
#309
I hope there is atleast SOME kind of exterior changes to the 8, i just dont want them to screw it up like they did the 6. Im kinda hoping they do something like mitsu did with the 3rd gen eclipse facelift (97-99)
Slapping on some diffrent shades of paint doesnt really do it for me; id rather just get a used 05 or a 06 if i can get a good deal on it.
Slapping on some diffrent shades of paint doesnt really do it for me; id rather just get a used 05 or a 06 if i can get a good deal on it.
#310
Carbonormous
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Me too. I think it's time the design shows a purpose even subtle. Get rid of the finicky stuff light outdated and too busy taillights and the cheap plastic front fender vents. Make it aggressive and bring us either fuel efficiency or more power. Either/or, I won't be picky.
#311
美浜ー先輩??!
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My feeling on the issue is adding a small turbo system similar to what they are doing with their newer cars such as the MS6, MS MX-5 and other cars may help to boost power and torque which many reviewers have claimed is lacking.
#312
Wheels, not rims!!
iTrader: (8)
not much space to fit a turbo in a rx8.. so a rx8 with a renesis would be some what hard to turbo.. thats why you dont see much kits coming out for it. and the greddy kit has a tiny turbo... also reliability goes down big time when it has force induction. same goes with gas mileage.. price goes up too.. mazda has to take care of the repairs because the car breaks under warrenty.
#313
The old sequential setups were complicated and what not but a small single is pretty straight forward. Not only that but reliabilty and tuning are correlated so so long as the tuning is good you shouldnt decrease the engine life more the 10-15% Th reason you dont see meny kits is the fact that until reciently there was no way to get the power due to lack of engine management. Also there isnt tons of people looking to turbo the 8 due to warrenties but tht is slowly changing. Much like the fact that the amount of successful forced induction kits is rising as of late. As for space there is enough for the aussie division to cram a turbo down there and even make 360whp. Mazsport is working on a turbo in that same spot as the greddy too and they had awsome preliminary results. So my point is it can be done.
#314
Zoom-Freakin'-Zoom
iTrader: (5)
Originally Posted by SayNoToPistons
not much space to fit a turbo in a rx8.. so a rx8 with a renesis would be some what hard to turbo.. thats why you dont see much kits coming out for it. and the greddy kit has a tiny turbo... also reliability goes down big time when it has force induction. same goes with gas mileage.. price goes up too.. mazda has to take care of the repairs because the car breaks under warrenty.
you are talking out of your ***!!!
beers
![Beer](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/beer.gif)
#316
Registered
Originally Posted by Icemark
Hmm I didn't know the vette exceeded 3/4 of a million units in total sales.
Well then the best selling import sports car.
Well then the best selling import sports car.
#318
He's baaaack!
Originally Posted by robrecht
Hey, how come nucleus never came back to this thread after the 2007 "changes" were announced?
Nucleus
#319
i pwn therefore i am
Originally Posted by nucleus
Well, I was wrong on the 1.5 Liter in 2007, eh? Too bad no one took me up on my wager! Maybe 2008 will be the year for the 1.5
Nucleus
Nucleus
#322
Registered
Originally Posted by nucleus
Infamous Mazda video?
Increased displacement, and forced induction is coming!
Increased displacement, and forced induction is coming!
![Mdrmed](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/mdrmed.gif)
#323
Go Texas Longhorns!
Miata is the best selling sports car in history, coupe convertible etc....its sold something like 2 million units over nearly 16 years.
the miata single handly saved the sports car business.
the miata single handly saved the sports car business.
#324
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Originally Posted by brillo
Miata is the best selling sports car in history, coupe convertible etc....its sold something like 2 million units over nearly 16 years.
the miata single handly saved the sports car business.
the miata single handly saved the sports car business.
![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
#325
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Originally Posted by nucleus
Infamous Mazda video?
Increased displacement, and forced induction is coming!
Increased displacement, and forced induction is coming!
it also gives a rundown of all the lineup changes through spring 07