Well they obviously didn't do a very good job at that here in the US. Take a look at what the domestic sales figures for the car have been the past few years.

They wouldn't change something that would have helped them sell a hell of a lot more of them? Trust me, the whiners on here are not the only ones who complained about the lack of upgrades (in the horsepower department). Someone came over to me at a gas station last year who said he just bought the G35 a few weeks ago, and said he was really looking into getting an 8 at the time but was too disappointed by the lack of power.

Also if they released an F/I 8, the price wouldn't be as high as you have imagined. The car would probably have been around the same ball park as a G35 Coupe...32-36k, and there are shitloads of those cars out there. Plenty of people can afford them.

All I'm saying is that in the US, for majority of sports car buyers, horsepower is everything.

 

Sales may not have been great, but I doubt ANY increase in price (even for an extra 50hp) would do anything to improve those numbers.

Like I said before, I would have liked to see more power but the only way they would sell more of these cars is to increase power and lower price. With quality also being a concern, throw that into the mix and you will see that the requests in this thread are nearly impossible to meet (ie more power, more options but same or lower price)

And about the comparison to the G35, I almost bought an 05 G35 6MT Coupe...it has HP on paper, but drive one after driving your 8. I expected a big jump when I heard of the 300hp, but I was thoroughly disappointed. I don't know if the "idea" of 300hp make you guys think that car is faster, but it made me decide to keep my 8.

 

preech on my fellow Phantom Blue Brethren, Preech on!

 

Hang on mate the Cosmo 20B was never exported outside of Japan new...only RHD JDM. Totally pointless to compare it to the RX-8...

To date they have made more RX-8's when compared to the RX-7 apart from series 1 in the same production period.
Mazda have made more RX-8's since it's birth than their only other sports car the MX-5-Miata to the end of January 2007.
If you recall the MX-5 (NA) had NO changes apart from colors and limited editions in its first 4 years also..

I am very sure we will see a mild face-lift in the RX-8 later this year for 2008MY.

To Quote Mazda Australia's customer services manager yesterday...

"The RX-8 is still very much our flagship model now and into the future as our unique sports car. Speculation on forums and blogs make for interesting reading if nothing else"