GO
GoAutoLogo
MENU

Make / Model Search

Car reviews - Mazda - RX-8 - range

The Car

7 Oct 2004

FINALLY, after concept reveals, motor show displays, static launches, test track drives, foreign road tests and pricing and specification announcements, resurgent Mazda's new RX-8 flagship has arrived on Aussie soil.

But while the media got to sample the four-door sports car at its local launch on the NSW north coast in June 2003, the 400 paid-up punters already in line for the RX had to wait another month to get their hands on the keys.

Mazda Australia predicts that before the end of the year another 500 RX-8s will have been sold, with another 1000 to go to good homes in 2004.

If not for supply constraints, Mazda's executives are unanimous in their verdict that they could sell many more than that, pointing to the 3000 serious enquiries wracked up for the car before launch.

To give you an idea of how strong that interest is, the excellent Mazda6, currently braining them in the medium segment, managed 5000 enquiries before launch.

What has attracted all this interest - apart from a seemingly never-ending wave of publicity - is the RX-8's unique (for now) combination of pure sports car performance allied with a hint of flexibility courtesy of the "Freestyle" door system.

Those two little rear-opening doors move the RX-8 away from the almost insulting pretence of rear accommodation in most 2+2s. Chuck in a boot that swallows two golf bags and you could almost sell this car on practical grounds.

Almost.

The fact is for all the hype about Freestyle, RX-8 is a true sportscar.

At its heart is the latest iteration of Mazda's rotary engine technology called Renesis. A twin-rotor design that - despite what would be rated at a piddling 1.3-litre for a normal combustion engine - produces a stimulating 177kW at 8200rpm and 211Nm at 5500rpm.

That's normally aspirated and no turbochargers as there were on the last rotary engined Mazda sports car, the legendary RX-7, which went off sale here early in 1999.

Driving power to the rear wheels is the choice of a close ratio six-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, the latter sacrificing an incredible 36kW (but adding 9Nm) because Mazda could not find a self-shifter that could rate all the way to the 9000rpm redline. Instead, the auto has a 7500rpm cut-off.

Underpinning all that is a platform with a double wishbone front suspension and five-link independent rear-end. It is all-new, as is the electric power-assist rack and pinion steering.

Brakes are ventilated discs all round with the assistance of ABS and EBD. There's a limited slip differential helping power-down, while making its first appearance on a Mazda is Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), which is switchable.

Keeping the car in contact with the road are 18x8.0-inch alloy wheels fitted with 225/45 rubber.

Despite its B-pillarless design, Mazda says RX-8 achieves the same side impact resistance as a conventional car. It expects a four-star Euro NCAP crash test. There are also six airbags - front, front-side and curtain, for additional reassurance.

RX-8 comes standard with plenty of equipment too, including cruise control, power windows, six-disc in-dash CD player and climate control air-conditioning . Starting price is $56,170, with the auto option adding $830. That's under the luxury car tax threshold and stiff competition for its most obvious competitor, the Nissan 350Z with its $59,990 starting point.

If you want more there is always the Leather Pack, which features leather seat trim, Xenon headlights, Bose premium sound system, power-operated driver's seat, front foglights and (on the manual) drilled aluminium pedals. Pricing starts at $62,610 for the manual, with the auto adding $670.

Did you know?

Despite the substantial power deficit and price premium, Mazda still believes 30 per cent of RX-8 customers will opt for the auto

Click to share

Click below to follow us on
Facebook  Twitter  Instagram

GoAuto can help you buy a new RX-8

Customer Terms and Conditions – New Car Lead enquires

Agreement

This is an agreement between GoAutoMedia Pty Limited ACN 094 732 457 of PO Box 18, Beach Road, Sandringham, VIC, 3191 (“we/us”), the owner and operator of the GoAuto.com.au website (“the website”) and the person wanting GoAuto.com.au to provide them with a lead for the purchase of a new car (“you”).

By completing a New Car Lead Enquiry, you agree to the terms and conditions and disclaimers and acknowledge the policies set out below.

Terms and Conditions

  • In order for us to effect a lead you must you must complete a New Car Lead Enquiry (“Enquiry”).
  • We will call you as soon as possible after you complete the Enquiry and certainly no later than the next business day. When we call, we will discuss with you your new car requirements.
  • You consent to our passing on the Enquiry and your requirements to an appropriate authorised motor car dealer as a lead.
  • We will contact you again in approximately eight days following your initial enquiry to check on the progress of the Enquiry.
  • While we will provide the dealer with the Enquiry and details of your new car requirements, we take no responsibility for what happens after passing on that material as a lead.
  • You acknowledge that we are a new car information service providing new car editorial information, pictures and prices to our customers as a guide only. Any new car prices published on the website are the manufacturers’ recommended retail prices and do not include delivery charges and on-road costs. Any authorized motor car dealer to which we pass on your Enquiry as a lead will provide you with full details of the price at which the vehicle will be sold to you.
  • You acknowledge that we do not sell motor vehicles. Any sale of a new car to you by a dealer after we have passed on your Enquiry to that dealer as a lead, is a sale by that dealer not by us.

Privacy Policy– New Car Lead Enquires

  • We take privacy very seriously. We understand that you will only complete an Enquiry if you can trust us to protect your personal information and use it appropriately. Our policy is to ensure that the personal information collected when you make an Enquiry is only used for the purposes of connecting you with an authorised motor car dealer.
  • We do not on-sell information collected from you or any other customer.
  • From time to time, we may email you with information or promotions that may be relevant for car buyers. You will continue to receive communications from us unless you tell us that you do not want to receive any advertising or promotional information in the future by unsubscribing from these communications.
close
* Denotes required field
** Australian inquiries only

Motor industry news

GoAutoNews is Australia’s number one automotive industry journal covering the latest news, future and new model releases, market trends, industry personnel movements, and international events.

Catch up on all of the latest industry news with this week's edition of GoAutoNews
Click here