To counter all your whinning:
A) static models generally mean lower depreciation rates for owners of that vehicle because everyone isn't rushing out to buy the much-improved newer one.

B) RX-8s or any other sports cars don't matter for crap in overall car sales. Many are loss leaders for their company. Mustangs are probably the exception, I'm guessing Ford makes significant money off that model. It is more of a muscle car though and those fall under a slightly different buyer and market segment than sports cars.

Take the Z for example. Nissan sells more 350Z's than Mazda does 8's. However, I bet that Nissan sells many many more XTerras and Altimas than 350Z's and makes a hell of a lot better profit margin on them. So it should come as no suprise that Mazda has dumped all their R&D into other cars that needed it more desperately last year. Both the 3 and the 6 now have performance champions to help re-invigorate those models and pull decent sales themselves. They have a handsome crossover SUV that stands to make the company a buttload of cash. They have a roadster which would have lost a lot of sales to new competitors if it didn't have a timely redisgn. Does it come as a suprise to anyone that Mazda is acting like a (GASP!) business? All considering, they have done an amazing amount over this last year and to expect them to update their least important model when they have bigger fish to fry is rediculous.

That being said they make cars and thus like cars and are probably really like the RX-8 themselves. As long as the bean-counters don't axe it, I garauntee you they have the long term, personal interest. Just be patient. I would not be suprised if Mazda gets to take a breather now and can devout some time to the RX-8 or pass it off to Mazdaspeed for the majic touch. I suspect good things outta 2008, but if they don't come to fruition I will wait another year and enjoy the resale value.

 

Remind me again what Nissan's fastest car 0-60 is again?

 

I knew there would be a 2007 model, but this will be the last year. There will not be a 2008 RX8. How do I know you ask? My Ouija board spelled out the phrase"08, no more mulligans".......Freaky......

 

guys be pattient is not 07 yet

 

Its time to go rape Mazda by asking for a ridiculously low price on a 05 RX-8 with the MSRP of $35k Hum i am was thinking of shoot for about $26k OTD after takes and license.

 

Maybe… just maybe… Mazda likes the car pretty much the way it is. Maybe they have the wisdom to recognize that the 8 is a truly wonderful car and they don't want to screw it up. If it was up to me, I certainly wouldn't change it in any significant way. And, reading all the articles, I doubt most auto journalists would either. When a car knocks it out of the park the first time up, why change it?

Don't know about you, but I'd take a 240Z over a 260Z any day.

 

^^^ The first 280z was cool too. Got rid of those damn carbs!!

 

Dont worry guys 2008 will be the year for the Mazdaspeed RX8 , MEANWHILE MAZDA IS SAVING ITS PENNIES

Michael

 

How much are you willing to bet?

 

The paddle shifters sound cool but other than that I have nothing to say

 

i have some pennies a some lint in my pants pocket

yeah i'm a high roller

 

That's about how much that prediction is worth.

 

They got it so right they stopped counting the surveys

Must have been to many postive responses messing up the curve for the regular cars they didn't do well on.

 

Like many cars, the 8 had teething problems in its first year of production—mostly with flooding. Since then the car has been reliable. The current recall on all 8's is basically a very generous public relations ploy—generous because, in fact, only a small percentage of cars in hot/low humidity environments have problems. If you want to give the 8 a Fox News-esque bullshit spin on the truth, that's fine, it's a free country. But the truth is the RX-8 is a reliable car. (I realize "truth" is somewhat out of fashion these days, but heck—it still means something to me.)

 

Do you have any proof of any kind to go with your angry biased statement? What does "reliable" even mean. It's a relative term and means different things to different people.

 

Yes, I do have proof: Consumer Reports readers rated the RX-8 in their Annual Car Reliability Survey as "disappointing" in its first year of production, but have now upgraded it to "average". As a result, CR added the 8 to their short list of "Recommended Cars." Road & Track completed their Long-Term Test of an '04 RX-8 in their October, 2006 issue. They rated the 8's reliability "Excellent" on a 3-point scale (Poor—Average—Excellent): "Repairs: Right rear speaker rattled and center console lid broke. Both replaced under warranty." And yes, I do get angry when I see untruths and exaggerations talked about as if they were fact. Sorry.

 

Sure, we would all like more power. But outside of power, I wouldn't change a thing. Oh, and my 56k mile 04 is still humming along very reliably.

 

What is amazing is that they still have not added automatic climate control (which all the international models have had since 2003), auto-off headlights, auto door locks, power passenger seat, power rear window controls (so people will actually use them for once), and a more functional cluster gauge. They'll ignore simple crap like that which other less expensive cars they sell come standard with, but will waste resources making an advanced remote entry system and start button feature.

 

The recall is not generous. You really think they did this out of the kindess of their hearts? As I said before, they stopped counting our surveys>>>>>>>>> that is how many complaints they recieved! However trivial you might consider the complaints Mazda has to see the bottom line. They have shown by the numbers of the 8 produced that they intended to sell many more then they have.

 

I liked the keyless entry system thing and I think it's one of those things that helps sell cars (novelty factor and all). I do, however, think your list of features that should be added is pretty much spot-on.

 

i would love power rear windows. i dont think i've opened them in the 2.5 years ive had the car and am always wanting to, but its just a pain.

 

you're kidding me! the rear windows are manual crank? That's crazy.

I suppose you can spin it as a child-proofing feature but come on...

and what do you mean by 'they need to add auto door locks'?
Can't you lock all the doors with one blip of a button?

 

the rear windows push out, like in minivans kind of.

i could care less about auto lock doors as well.

 

You guys need to reach back and pop those rear quarter windows open every once in a while. You get the sweet burble of exhaust without the wind noise. I agree that an option would be nice, but I for one don't want the added weight of more electric motors for quarter windows that are so small.