LOL Nissans been doing this with there VQ series forever.... Thats right the 350Zs engine is also used in a Altima, Maxima, and Quest (thats right the VAN)

Its no different the badge engineering a car.

It cuts R&D costs and minimizes manufacturing costs across different plants/manufacturers

Sure they don't make profits on the Zs but they sure as hell get there money from the other threes sales without having to develope a specific motor for each one.

 

I just hope Mazda does not start turning into Honda or Toyota with pretty much an entire lineup of cookie cutter, boring cars for the masses.

 

I hope that they do, are incredibly successful at it, and use it to fund our rotary addiction.

 

What I meant by my statement was that they drop the sports cars entirely, ie. S2000, supra, etc. Don't be surprised if the Z car disappears with in the next few years too. I know the MX-5 will never get dropped, but that is not what most would consider a sports car.

 

Most would consider the Miata one of the best sports cars, or at least one of the purest, and while I understood what you meant, allow me to point out that Toyota is working in conjunction with Subaru on a Sports Car. Hyundai is making to decent sports car for what might be the first time ever. Many companies do choose to take a hiatus from the sports car market, and I don't see that as such a bad thing. Thats all I was trying to say.

Also, seeing as how many companies to feel and are proving that there is a market for sports cars still. I feel that a Mazda Rotary won't be prolonged due to the economy, but due to Mazda striving for excellence.

 

GM cut their brands because they owned or partially owned 9+ brands worldwide. They simply weren't selling enough cars globally, period. It had nothing to do with cannibalism of sales between models and brands even though many brands were duplicates of others. A lot of it had to do with Unions too. The UAW made more money from GM than Ford and Chrysler combined. My father worked for Ford then GM for 30+ years, so I know all about the UAW. I won't even touch that argument.

Platform and engine sharing is nothing new. It's been happening since the birth of the assembly line. It saves on R&D and production costs and helps keeps brands under CAFE limits.

For the short time the Pontiac G8 was sold, do you think it cut into Corvette sales? They're both GM cars, both have LSX engines, but one's a 2 door sports car, the other is a 4 door sports sedan. Same can be said for the CTSV, the Camaro and Vette. They all stand on their own, but use the same base engine.

This same concept can work for Mazda. Two rotary cars will sell more rotaries than one car will. They may not make as much off of each car, but they will possibly and more than likely sell more cars.

 

Nissan has absolutely no reason to drop Z production, it is one of the hottest 30K sports cars on the market and their sales are doing good.

The S2000 was dropped due to the same reason the RX8 is going to be dropped, poor sales.

S2000 isnt selling, yet the Civic Si is selling like hotcakes; its made evident to Honda that the profit is to be made in the FWD 20-25K customer bracket. Rather than an impractical convertable 30K car.

Just showing you the logic behind these major companies decisions. Do they care about the product, and racing heritage, and the enthusiasts? Of course they do, at least the respectible companies do. But profit and keeping the company on top will always, and rightfully so, be priority number 1.

Although it will break my heart tremendously, I would fully understand Mazdas decision to put Rotary powered cars on the backburner while they grow the company and tinker with piston powered sports cars.

my .02

 

It's all women's fault and ***** guys.

No one is a real man anymore.

Oh, got to sell the sports car cause I have a baby on the way.

In the meantime the wife still drives here SUV and made you into a bar of soap, whipped little boy.

Market has nothing to do with it.

Man hood does.

 

Very true. My brother has a Challenger R/T as a DD, he 'settled' for that because it has back seats for his kids....

Im proud to be related to one of the few that still figure out a way to keep the automotive adrenaline flowing haha

 

Man hood is manning up and putting your family and child first. If that means getting rid of a car then so be it.

 

You're joking, right? If there was a picture next to the entry "sports car" in the dictionary, it would be a picture of an MX-5. Not only is it a sports car, it's the most popular sports car in the history of the world. It has only 2 seats, a convertible top, a tiny trunk, and no purpose except to provide a giddily fantastic driving experience for people who contort themselves behind the wheel for no reason other than to drive out of their way to spend a few minutes on a seriously twisted road. My god, if the MX-5 is not a sports car, then please tell us… what kind of car is it?

 

ITT: Idiots who think they are right.

"Thats right the 350Zs engine is also used in a Altima, Maxima, and Quest (thats right the VAN)"

If you need a van, why not get one with a 3.5L? The fact that the 350z engine is also in a van doesn't make the 350z less of a sports car.

"Sure they don't make profits on the Zs"

Nissan is a business. Z's have been around for a while. If they aren't helping Nissan make money, they wouldn't sell them. Even if the production of Z's is for brand recognition for sales of other models.

Fact is (sadly) Nissan has a better sports car than Mazda at the moment. Deal with it.

 

Nissan is part of Nissan-Renault Group, one of the biggest Automotive Group in the world, Mazda is the smallest company into Automotive....

C'mon guys, Mazda can't do "only" sportscar...businness is businness...

one of the major success of the latests years is Cx-9/7, quite expensive car for Mazda's standards...and well- selling around the world.....

 

I chose my 2006 RX-8 over the Z. If Mazda puts out a descent RX in the next few years, my next car will likely be Mazda as well. If I had to choose today between a Z and an 8, it would be the 370Z.

My computer also uses Microsoft products, so...

 

OK, we all know that there are R&D problems to solve (see what had said Kanai) and big money to spend in R&D....

Mazda is not Toyota or Nissan.......i think they are working 24-7 if necessary (see the articles of development of rx-8, Ford did not want do to the car , they want to abandon rotary)...but resurces are less than a big group.....

 

You missed his point entirely.

His point was not whether or not the Z was better. His point was that Nissan is using the same engine across multiple platforms, even platforms that aren't "sports cars", and they are having success doing it.

The point was, Mazda can do the same with the rotary.

 

But Mazda isn't having success with the rotary anymore. People buy cars for mpgs

 

Ah last post went in before done via iPhone. As I was saying people are too hung up on mpgs coz of the media. How many commercials for cars DON'T mention the gas mileage? I don't get it personally 21 vs. 25 is like what 500 bucks a year in gas?? Blame the media and al gore for the death of the rotary.

 

lol to be completely honest, if mazda started making the fd rx7's again I would buy one, even if they didnt change a thing. the only picture I liked from that site was the old 7 haha

 

why cant they just keep the 8.

 

Because it is no longer competitive at it's price and market segment. End of story.

 

All cars come to an end. Let Mazda do their R&D and give us another rotary with their own time, and not to rush anything out that has a bunch of problems...*coughFDcough*

 

Pretty simple. There are two ways the 8 would be still in production today, and the next generation would be on schedule for production. One, if it had 350+ HP stock at it's current fuel efficiency rating. Two, if it got 25MPG at it's current Horsepower rating. Neither of those scenario's are in place or even close to being a reality. So bye bye RX8 and the rotary with it. Probably will NOT see them again.

 

Quite a few people get 25mpg in their RX-8s....

 

PLease tell me the secret to that 25MPG RX8 you have????????