30 Facts About Mazda RX-8

Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Japanese automobile manufacturer Mazda between 2002 and 2012.

The Mazda RX-8 was available for sale in North America from the 2003 model year.

The Mazda RX-8 was removed from the European market in 2010 after the car failed to meet emissions standards.

Mazda RX-8 introduced rotary-powered vehicles in the US in 1971, beginning with the R100 and eventually introduced the RX-2, RX-3, RX-4, RX-5, and three generations of the RX-7 sports car in the US and worldwide markets.

However, due to the lack of conveniences and user-friendliness, coupled with the high price tag and declining interest in sports cars and coupes at the time, Mazda RX-8 decided to withdraw the RX-7 from most major markets except Japan.

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Mazda RX-8 combined two previous products, with the exterior dimensions of the Mazda RX-8 to be slightly smaller than those of the Cosmo.

In Japan, sales were affected by the fact that the Mazda RX-8 did not comply with Japanese Government's dimension regulations, and Japanese buyers were liable for yearly taxes for driving a larger car.

Development of the Mazda RX-8 can be traced as far back as the 1995 RX-01 concept car, which featured an early iteration of the 13B-MSP engine.

The production version of the RX-8 closely resembles this vehicle save for minor trim details, and "Job 1" began in February, 2003 at Mazda's Hiroshima plant in Japan.

Mazda RX-8 was designed as a front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, four-door, four-seater quad coupe.

Prominent feature of the Mazda RX-8 is its rear-hinged "freestyle" doors that provide easier access to the rear seats.

The Mazda RX-8 has no B-pillars between the front and rear doors, but the leading edge of the rear door acts as a "virtual pillar" to maintain structural rigidity.

The Mazda RX-8's cabin was designed to allow enough room to house four adults, making it a genuine 4-seater rather than a 2+2.

At launch, the Mazda RX-8 was available in various models in different markets around the world.

In 2003 Mazda announced a factory Mazdaspeed Version of the RX-8 exclusively in Japan.

The Mazdaspeed RX-8 was offered in either Strato Blue Mica, or Sunlight Silver Metallic as exclusive colors.

At the 2004 North American International Auto Show, Mazda unveiled the RX-8 Hydrogen RE concept car, designed to run on either hydrogen or gasoline.

In 2005 and 2006, Mazda introduced the first special edition of the RX-8 called "Sports Prestige Limited" in Japan and "Shinka" in North America.

In 2007 Mazda RX-8 released a Japan-North America limited edition known as the Kuro .

Mazda engineers claimed that the second generation RX-8 was faster than the previous generation due to the lower gearing and improved suspension.

The 2009 Mazda RX-8 offered a new five-spoke wheel design featuring a symbolic and sporty design reminiscent of the rotary engine, with different arrangements for each wheel size.

In 2008, Mazda unveiled a Mazdaspeed RX-8 equipped with racing seats, and a new aerodynamic package for the refreshed RX-8.

Mazda RX-8 reworked a lot of the engine and related electronics in order to enable the engine to have the highest amount of peak power.

Sales of the Mazda RX-8 ended in 2010 in Europe after failing to meet the region's emission standards.

Mazda RX-8 has been campaigned and used in various racing series by privateers.

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In Belgium, Mazda are currently sponsoring an RX-8 silhouette racer in the GT series.

In 2014 the North Island Mazda Rotary Racing Association in New Zealand launched a RX-8 category in its Pro7 racing series which is the oldest MotorSport NZ sanctioned series in NZ.

The category was renamed in 2019 to the Mazda RX-8 Racing Series and now some of the largest grids in the country.

The class stipulates that the Mazda RX-8 entering the race must have a valid MOT and retain creature comforts such as air con, heater and stereo, therefore allowing the car to be used as a daily driver, as well as to and from the race track.

Mazda RX-8 has been used occasionally for professional drifting, with drivers like Masao Suenaga from Japan, "Mad" Mike Whiddet from New Zealand, and Kyle Mohan from the USA choosing the develop the chassis each to suit their own goals.