Waiting for ASH8 to post up the Part numbers for all the Spirit R & Spirit R SE additions ;-)

 

umm 8 kilos=17.6 pounds....the stock wheels weigh around 20-21 pounds so idk why you think these weigh more.

 

Yes, it's sensationally light, isn't it, and no doubt explains why the 19" ones in the UK cost ~£1500 each.

I do apologise, my earlier post was (obviously not very well) expressing my frustration at one or two earlier posts who made immediate assumptions that 20" wheels had to be heavier, slower etc. (i.e. bad) rather than checking out the facts.

It seems to me fine to have a personal preference or prejudice that says 'I hate big wheels on an Rx8' ... or whatever ... if that's how you feel, but not to then try and justify it without any reference to reality.

 

What would you rather have? $8000 in rims or $8000 for a turboed/supercharged performance option.

 

Ideally both.

But if push comes to shove, I'll take the improved control, grip and handling of the super-lightweight wheels over the extra power of the turbo / supercharger any time.

I'm taking my car to Spa and the Nurburgring next month on successive days.

No doubt on the 'Ring when on the several long straights I'll be wishing I had more power.

But on the 140 or so corners (depending on how you count them) will I be shouting for more power ... or better control, grip and handling to keep my car moving in the right direction?

 

ahh i see now. I completely agree with you. I think that wheels like those and a select few look really good in 19 and even 20. Some people just get huge ugly wheels that i dont like the look of but these BBS are incredibly awesome. I'd rock em even if they didnt weigh 16 pounds. It's just a huge bonus that they DO weigh 16 pounds. Wish they werent so darned expensive!!

 

Yeah, some of the 20"ers look like SUV wheels ... But not those ones!

But as you say, it's a real shame they're so expensive. Over here in the UK in dollar terms, they are about $9,000. Ouch!

 

Damn man! might as well just go supercharger for that kind of money. I dont know how much they are over here in the US but i'd guess about the same. still incredible tho.

 

i knew it, 8 years ago~

i think i still have that badge somewhere in my garage.......

 

Don't like the wheels.. don't think it needs the brakes..

What I DO like is how they got rid of the chrome in the rear tail lights

http://re-xtreme.blogspot.com/2012/0...rit-r-rx8.html

 

Does anybody actually have one of these?

 

I thought when I viewed Mazda's EPC and seen AUST that Australia were getting the Spirit R, but it appears the Right Hand Drive ADR (Australian Design Rules, AUST) are going to Indonesia in our vicinity...and not here.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2...-spirit-r.html

 

On the mazda japan site, the spirit R seems to have the R3 wheels painted in gold 0_o

 

They're not the same wheel, homeslice.

 

- An extra 1,000 RX-8s are on their way due to popular demand -

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to extend production of the Mazda RX-8 SPIRIT R by 1,000 units. Mazda initially intended to make 1,000 units of the special edition four-door, four-seat rotary engine sports car, but will extend production due to a large number of orders. Sales of the RX-8 SPIRIT R, the final special edition model, were launched in November of 2011.

Mazda has received orders for the special edition RX-8 SPIRIT R from a variety of customers of all ages including sports car fans and rotary engine enthusiasts. The 6-speed manual transmission version is proving most popular, constituting 66% of orders. It features aero parts and Bilstein dampers as well as RECARO bucket seats and 19-inch bronze-painted forged aluminum wheels. Orders are almost equally divided between the three available body colors, Aluminum Metallic, Sparkling Black Mica, and Crystal White Pearl Mica.

Mazda commenced sales of the RX-8 in April 2003, and as of the end of March 2012, has produced 192,094 units (figure includes those intended for overseas sale). Mazda plans to end production of the RX-8 in June 2012.


Main features of the limited Mazda RX-8 SPIRIT R series (disclosed on October 7, 2011)
Special equipment for RX-8 SPIRIT RFor both manual and automatic transmission models
•Exclusive ornament
•Front headlights, front fog lights and rear combination lights (with black bezels)
•Front and rear brake calipers (red)
•Larger brake rotors
•Updated ignition coils
•Transmission tunnel trim (piano-black)
•Curtain and front side SRS airbag system
•Driving Stability Control and Traction Control System
•Leather-wrapped steering wheel (black with red stitching)
•Leather-wrapped parking brake lever (with red stitching)
•Center console box with front seat armrest (synthetic leather with red stitching)
•Rear console box with a lid (with synthetic leather)
•Exclusive to the 6-speed manual transmission model
•Bucket seats from RECARO (red and black leather* and fabric)
•Hard suspension (with Bilstein dampers)
•225/40R19 89W tires and 19-inch forged aluminum wheels (bronze)
•Aero parts
•Aluminum pedal set
•Leather-wrapped shift **** (black with red stitching)
•Exclusive to the 6-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission model
•Black leather seats (with red stitching)* and 8-way power seat with memory function
•Sports suspension
•225/45R18 91W tires and 18-inch alloy wheels (gun metallic)
•Heated front seats
•Leather-wrapped shift **** (black)



••
••

 

This is GREAT news for fans of the Rotary...

I think many Japan enthusiasts are finally realizing that this will be that last Rotary RX- ever made new, as we know them.

Not saying we won't see a new "rotary", all indications are it will be some hybrid abortion with the engine used as a range extender, sorry, but if it ain't the main power source, then it ain't a rotary or a car I would want.

 

i want one guess i better check out ebay....

 

1:18 ?

 

buy a silver/white/sparkling black S2, buy oem r3 bodykit, buy r3 rims and powdercoat bronze.

buy r3 seats and reupholster bolsters dark red.
buy r3 steering wheel and armrest and shifter
buy r3 handbrake

paint silver "buffet strip" to black

buy bbk
paint calipers red.

buy bilstein hd shocks.

pop open headlights and tail lights and paint chrome matte black.

boom spirit r rx8, whoopdidoo... really lame if you ask me, its just another color-way of the 2009-2011 rx8s.

cheapest way to replicate this, is buy a canadian cwp r3 and just reupholster the seats from black to red and powdercoat the wheels bronze and get a bbk and paint the headlight crome matte black.

I would have wanted..
bucket seats like the rx7 spirit r,
18x9.5 r3 wheels,
spirit r special spoiler,
spirit r special front bumper,
spirit r special sideskirts,
spirit r special ganador style mirrors.
AND how about some extra power??

 

TOO BAD we STILL won't get it.

F-U MNAO!

 

I agree...it would be nice to know what Mazda is up to. They keep saying they will continue on with the rotary, which is fine, but if it is not the main power source in some sort of a hybrid setup, I would expect most rotary enthusiasts to balk at it.

 

I want one for under 30K OTD.....

 

Where do you get an OEM r3 bodykit?

 

From Mazda

duh.

 

http://www.worldcarfans.com/11204274...le+Feedfetcher

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...NEWS/120429808