Mazda Releases All-New Four-Door Four-Seater Sports Car
'Mazda RX-8'

- Powered by next-generation rotary engine 'RENESIS,' 5,000 pre-sale orders received in Japan -



Mazda Motor Corporation today announced the domestic launch of the Mazda RX-8, the new four-door four-seater sports car powered by an all-new rotary engine, available at Mazda and Mazda Anfini dealers throughout Japan. Sales start from the beginning of May, and delivery of pre-ordered vehicles will be made from the end of April.

The sales target for the Mazda RX-8 is 1,000 units per month in Japan. More than 5,000 advance orders have been received via the online order system since January.


Mazda RX-8 'Type S'
(with factory-installed options)

The Mazda RX-8, powered by the all-new naturally-aspirated rotary engine "RENESIS," is an entirely new type of sports car that features distinctive sports car styling and excellent performance while providing ample interior space for four adults and incomparable driving excitement. Fully embodying Mazda's brand personalities, "Stylish," "Insightful" and "Spirited," the new RX-8 is a brand icon.

Lewis Booth, President and CEO of Mazda said, "The Mazda RX-8 is the result of Mazda's spirit of challenge and carries Mazda's soul under its hood - it is a sports car like no other. It meets the needs of sports car enthusiasts who pursue the unique driving pleasures found in a sports car, but are not willing to forgo comfort, convenience and practicality. It is the ideal car for active customers who always wanted a sports car but had been unable to own one because of the needs of their families or friends."

The major features of the Mazda RX-8 are:
1. Sports car values that assure driving pleasure - the compact, naturally-aspirated rotary engine "RENESIS"
2. Four-door, four-seater sports car with sharp and controlled handling characteristics
3. Unconventional practicality and functionality as a four-seater sports car
4. Superb balance for advanced controllability and comfort
5. Focused concern for safety and the environment

Outline of the Mazda RX-8
1.
Sports car values that assure driving pleasure
The Mazda RX-8 delivers precise and quick response, a high level of controllability and high performance limits for a genuine sports car feel.
- RENESIS is a lightweight and compact rotary engine that produces 250PS of horsepower. The naturally aspirated, twin-rotor engine employs side intake and exhaust ports and features approximately 30% more intake area than previous rotary engines. Fuel efficiency and emissions are also substantially improved. This was achieved through the use of a Sequential Dynamic Air Intake System and drive-by-wire technology.
- The front midship powertrain layout, with the substantial weight of the engine located behind the center of the front wheels, is part of Mazda's sports heritage that has been applied over the years in cars such as the Mazda RX-7 and MX-5/Miata roadster. With the Mazda RX-8, Mazda has taken the evolution of its sport-dedicated layout a step further with the advanced front mid-ship configuration, made possible by the next-generation RENESIS rotary engine. Owing to its reduced size, the Mazda RX-8 locates the engine 40mm (1.6 in.) lower, 60mm (2.4 in.) further aft than the RX-7's, while also allowing the dashboard to be moved 80mm (3.0 in.) forward, reducing the distance between the engine and passengers by 140mm (5.5 in.). This design places the engine very close to the center of the vehicle and reduces the yaw inertia moment.
- The low hood design enabled by the advanced front midship powertrain layout allows the use of Mazda's newly developed in-wheel type double wishbone front suspension and long link, multi-link rear suspension. This suspension arrangement assures close compliance with the road surface under all driving conditions, achieving excellent control and stability.
- Based on information obtained in testing and analysis, engineers devised a suitably rigid underbody frame and cabin reinforcement to give the Mazda RX-8 a body that, in terms of rigidity and low weight, surpasses those of comparable sport sedans of the same wheelbase.

2.
Unique sports car styling
With the design of the Mazda RX-8, Mazda DNA was taken a stage further to create a new idiom of "Sports Car Dynamism." Mazda has created a new set of sports car values by expressing the following: space to comfortably accommodate four adults, sports car handling, genuine sports car quality realized by the use of authentic materials, and the emotional impact unique to a rotary powered sports car.
- The guiding concept for the exterior was "Athletic Tension," with designers paying particular attention to creating a dynamic style. With its athletic tension, the car conveys a look of pent-up energy waiting to be unleashed-the look of a car with true sporting potential.
- The theme of the interior design calls for "Comfortably Snug" that expresses a more modern and refined sports car taste. The spacious, innovative interior invites and welcomes through opened doors, and while comfortably appointed, the interior echoes the dynamic impression of the Mazda RX-8's exterior and creates an emotional tone that will appeal to sports car drivers. Key elements that express the look and feel of the cabin are its dynamic form and comfort, its emotional appeal and quality.
- In addition to achieving precision fit, functional elegance and an overall feeling of quality, the Mazda RX-8 ventures into new areas of customer delight and offers exceptional enjoyment whenever the vehicle takes to the road. Innovative ideas are evident in every aspect of the vehicle design, including the Activematic Steering Shift Switch with easy finger and thumb operation to maximize excitement when shifting gears and driving, and the instrument panel with indirect blue illumination.

3.
Innovative packaging for four adults
Whether fully exploring the fun of sports car driving or enjoying a drive with friends and family, the Mazda RX-8 embodies values not found in previous sports cars by providing a practical, functional interior space for four adults.
- By optimally locating the exhaust manifold, catalytic converter and related components, the RX-8 offers a lower seating position for cabin occupants. Designers concentrated on the floor configuration and front seat backs to ensure ample space for rear seat passengers.
- The center-opening freestyle door system allows effortless vehicle entry and exit to both front and rear seats.
- The 290-liter (VDA) trunk provides plenty of space for everyday needs, as well as for a trip with a family of four on board.

4.
Revolutionary driving quality that guarantees both driving pleasure and comfort
The Mazda RX-8 pursued both the high performance demanded of a genuine sports car, as well as refined ride quality for everyday driving needs.
- Mazda conducted extensive Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) studies aimed at optimizing the structures of the front and rear suspension mounts to improve overall stiffness and reduce transmission of vibrations from the suspension to the car body.
- The rear suspension uses a newly developed six-point rubber mount system for the sub-frame and assures rigid support for the links as well as a more comfortable ride with low road noise.
- To suppress sympathetic resonance of floor panels with road vibrations, the Mazda RX-8 uses the same model control panels found in Atenza (Mazda6). These floor panels incorporate pairs of depression or concave lobes that vibrate at the same frequency but in oppose phase, to significantly reduce the transmission of road noise.
- The Mazda RX-8 manual transmission models employ a lightweight one-piece prop shaft to reduce NVH levels.

5. High-level safety and consideration for the environment
- Active safety mainly concerns the brakes and their ability to provide the stopping power required for high-performance driving.
- On the passive safety front, the Mazda RX-8 delivers world-leading collision safety with an exclusively developed highly rigid body structure: Mazda Advanced Impact Distribution and Absorption System. Even with its center pillarless design, the Mazda RX-8 provides the same level of safety as a regular four-door sedan in side collisions by installing high-strength, vertical steel pipe reinforcements in the rear doors. These pipes act as built-in pillars that exhibit greater strength than even conventional center pillars.
- The RX-8 employs an all-new "Shock Cone Aluminum Hood" developed to enhance the absorption of impact and reduce the severity of head injuries sustained by pedestrians in an accident. Unlike the framed structure of conventional aluminum hoods, the inner panel of this hood is uniquely shaped with numerous craters, similar to cones. The structure with these craters, called "shock cone," yields effective impact absorption across the entire surface of the hood.
- The new RENESIS engine achieves Mazda's lowest emissions levels and highest fuel efficiency for a rotary engine. The RENESIS achieved high-fuel efficiency (10·15 mode) of 10km/liter for the Mazda RX-8 (five-speed manual transmission model) and meets the requirements for Excellent Low Emission Vehicle (E-LEV) classification.
- Recyclable thermoplastic parts are extensively employed to conserve resources and reduce environmental impact.

Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (Excluding tax/unit: 1,000 yen)
Engine Type Transmission Retail Price
210PS RX-8 5MT 2,400
4AT
(Activematic)
RX-8 Type E 4AT
(Activematic) 2,750
250PS RX-8 Type S 6MT

Major specifications of Mazda RX-8
RX-8 RX-8 Type E RX-8 Type S
Dimensions Overall length 4,435mm
Overall width 1,770mm
Overall height 1,340mm
Wheelbase 2,700mm
Track (front/rear) 1,500mm/1,505mm
Seating capacity 4 persons
Engine Type Rotary engine, two-rotor, water-cooled
Max. Horsepower 154kW(210PS)/7,200rpm 184kW(250PS)/
8,500rpm
Max. Torque 222N·m(22.6kg-m)/5,000rpm 216N·m(22.0kg-m)/
5,500rpm
Transmission Type 5MT 4AT
(Activematic) 4AT
(Activematic) 6MT
Fuel consumption
10·15 mode 10.0km/L 9.0km/L 9.0km/L 9.4km/L

Suspension Type (front/rear) Double-wishbone/Multi-link
Brakes Type (front/rear) Ventilated disc/Ventilated disc
Tires & Wheels Tires 225/55R16 94V 225/45R18 91W
Wheels 16X7.5JJ 18X8JJ

 

At least now we know how many Pre-Orders they received. If I was Mazda, I would be quite pleased with this number.

 

- Powered by next-generation rotary engine 'RENESIS,' 5,000 pre-sale orders received in Japan -

5000 in Japan only

 

And there are seven people hand assembling the engines? I'll book the trip to my dealer for 2009 then

 

I took that to mean that the factory in Japan has received 5000 orders. All properly placed orders are transmitted to the factory to be filled. To me, that is 5000 orders world-wide, which I think is a reasonable number.

 

i think the press release is specifically about them oficially being available for sale in japan and then says they had 5,000 preorders. so i believe they mean 5,000 preorders just in japan.

 

1000 per month, 5000 equals 5 months. If that is Japan, then they finish with Japan in October. Can't be.

 

from one of our freinds in japan, Akimitsu:

 

Why couldn't Mazda just hire more techs for the engine building process to speed up production? If the orders outgrew supply by a wide margin..

 

It's not the engine process holding up deliveries. Renesis' has been in production for several years and are used in the Mazda STAR racing series. Remember that production will have to switch to LH-drive after the Japan run.

 

I would volunteer for that job! Ship me over baby! :D

 

Toadman: You mean they are producing right-hand and left-hand batches after each other? I wonder.... I an recall visiting the BMW factory in downtown Munich several years ago and they were producing RH and LH cars on the same line.

 

It's my understanding that most manufactures typically run separate runs for LH and RH drive cars.