I went to the North American auto show in Detroit and saw some of the nicest and finest cars on earth! When I got there I decided to look at the 8 last.(save the best for last right?,haha) I was pretty impress with some of the new cars. Here are some: The first picture is a maserati. (Which I'll never afford)
The 2nd picture is the 05 eclipse. I think it looks alot like a 350z(i think this has been discuss in other threads).
And finally the last picture is the Rx-8 with mazdaspeed body kit. As you can tell, there are many people surrounding the 8. I did ask one guy,while he's sitting in the driver side, "what did you think?" And he replies, "This car feels and looks soo good, that I want to buy one now."
I was also standing there for 10 mins, and listen to what people had to say about our 8 and it's nothing but great things!

 

wow that 8 is being molested...

 

It was the same mob around the 8 at the San Jose auto show. No problem getting into the Mustang or 350Z -- but the 8 and the Corvette, forget about it! BTW, the Mustang is nasty looking up close (and I don't mean that in a good way). Ford Aerostar interior. Of course all the cars you really want to sit in -- the Elise and the GT -- are roped off. Damn velvet ropes!

 

I'm proud that our cars are the one everyone looks at at the auto shows. It was the same in Charlotte too but they had some slaesmen from local dealers here talking to people and one asked me what I had after I was listening to him talk to someone about the 8 they had, and he went and got the guy and told him to talk to me since I had one! It feels good when they want you to try to do the car right by telling someone how it is, not some sales pitch.

 

Theyshould have slapped some clear corners on that red

 

i still think the mazdaspeed bodykit looks the best!

 

No i think my appearance package is the best body kit

 

I think what they should have done is fence the rx-8. Like the masterati, you had to sign a list and they will bring you over one by one to view the interior. Sadly, when i was standing by the 8, you had a lot of knuckle heads yanking the shift *** around, pushing/pulling buttons, and scratching the interior leather!... I feel bad for that 8. LOL

 

Man that maserrati is herendous. bleh.

 

Yep I was there this past weekend as well. Very nice of them to have the MazdaSpeed RX-8 and the MazdaSpeed 6 opened for people to sit in.

Intesting note:
They had the new MazdaSpeed 6 turbo engine on display (right beside the MS6) as one of those cut away engine model and one of the sales there was telling people that's the new Rotary Engine .... hmmm....

 

I was at the autoshow this sunday with my girlfriend as well. We went to the area where the Mazdaspeed rx-8 was and I asked the salesperson/expert/whatever they are when it was due out in the states.

She said it should be relased "soon" and will come with a turbocharged engine, much like the RX-7. So then, I got really excited and asked her who was going to make the turbocharger for it, to which she replied, "I dunno."

I should have known better, do they pick up these car experts off the street or what? :p

 

You know, as far as looks go, I think the Eclipse is a good evolution of the current model. You still wouldn't catch me dead in one. It's still just seems like a girly car (no offense to the ladies).
It's amazing how many people don't even know what the RX8 is...still. I think there are only three or four in the area where I live and I get stares all the time, and when I'm in a parking lot, it's "What is that?" AND, there are several (5) in the lot at my dealership, so if anyone is in the market and can't find any, come to Iowa City. I like that Mazda has not gone with a saturation campaign like that which was done with the 350Z when it first came out. Part of the reason I got my car (among the dozens of others) was that I knew it would be very unlikely that the same car would pull up next to me at a stop light, especially with the appearance package and front splashguards (I agree w/ shakRpahX8). I haven't experienced the problems with reps and salespeople being inept like some of you have. It's nice to be on the same page with my tech, and not have to tell him about TSBs and whatnot.

 

That Poor 8! Those little Rugrats putting their mitts all over it! Geez!

 

From the back, that eclipse looks more like the 3rd gen than the butt-ugly one that came after that. Seems like a step in the right direction. If only they would bring back the turbocharged engine and awd...

 

Horrendous? Maserati MC12 -- 25 per year for two years (2004 and 2005) for $680k, sold out in minutes...