| FAMILY-MAN SPORT A LOT TAMER THAN THE RX7 AND ALMOST A 4-DOOR |
MAZDA RX8
Featured: March 2009. Words: Justin Ong. Photos: Mel Lee
The Mazda RX-8 means many things to many people. Some see it as a
stylish Japanese sports car, while others might see it as a tame
replacement to the edgy RX-7 that preceded it. But what it actually
means is that you can now have a sports car with four doors and seats
four adults while still having a significant amount of fun.
It's chunky looks lack the elegance of its predecessors but there is no
denying that Mazda's four-door coupe is the most striking of the
dwindling crop of Japanese models. What's more, the decision to go
with the suicide rear doors allows the car to keep it sporty shape while
adding a large dose of practicality.
Styling aside, the real draw of the Mazda is the fact it continues to be
the only production car in the world powered by a rotary engine. The
new RENESIS Wankel twin rotary is a unique gem in a sea of piston-
driven competitors, offering an experience that is unlike any other
engine configuration.
As the rotary is inherently balanced, it feels endlessly creamy across
the entire working range. Revving it hard introduces a subtle staccato
of micro vibrations that indicate the engine's function but never
intrudes. In fact, it's so smooth that you feel cheated every time you
bump into the 8000rpm rev limit; the rotary feels as though its just
getting into its step then.
The weakness, on the other hand, continues to be the Wankel's
relative lack of torque and without the aid of sequential twin
turbochargers as used on the 13B-REW, the new Multi Side Port
version with the modest 211Nm feels rather light in the grunt
department. You need to rev it long and hard to get it moving, but at
least the engine enjoys it.
Turbocharged or not, the 13B engines have never been the most
soulful sounding examples around, and in the RX-8 they seem to have
developed an even more mechanical monotone. A car this good and
good-looking really deserves a better accompanying soundtrack than
the 'electric motor in overdrive' tune that it currently produces.
With the standard 4-port version of the RENESIS, you get a
respectable 211bhp on tap so performance is brisk rather than
outright sporty. Equipped with the new 6-speed automatic
transmission, the RX-8 just about dips under 7 seconds in the
benchmark sprint so it is outpaced by several recent hot-hatches, a far
cry from the fire-breathing days of the RX-7.
Driving it quickly requires you to be very aggressive with the
transmission. With its almost VTEC-like drop off in power and a slack
gearbox, it is necessary to keep it in the uppermost quadrant to extract
the most out of the 13B. Which can be a costly affair because the
rotary has lost none of its traditional appetite.
Even with the introduction of the new side exhaust ports that all but
eliminate overlap with the intake in the RENESIS, the engine still
returns poor efficiency figures compared to similarly powered
conventional engines. When the official fuel consumption claim is 8.5
km/L, you'd best be ready to see numbers below 5km/L with hard
usage. On average, you should be able rack up between 350 and
400km on the odo with the 65L tank before it signals you for a pit stop.
If you're prepared to live with this, then the RX-8 will return the favour
by serving up one of the best driving performances coming out of
Japan. With its heavily engineered chassis and double wishbone
suspension, it continues Mazda's tradition of developing a well-
balanced and very capable dynamic showing.
The biggest surprise is the quality of the ride, much improved over the
usual crashiness of anything Japanese with the word 'sports' attached.
In fact, the way the RX-8 drives over poor roads feels almost
Continental, with the associated nuggety ride that is pleasingly firm but
rarely harsh even with the sizeable 18” rollers. Top marks for comfort.
Drive it slowly and the RX-8 feels unremarkable, feeling hardly any
different from, say, the Mazda6. Whip it into a frenzy, however, and the
quirky coupe really comes into its own. The body is beautifully
balanced, with an exquisite integration between the two axles that
makes hard cornering feel completely natural.
Predictable but almost to a fault, it often takes drivers to the safe end
of the pool. Adjustment to the car's stance is not as progressive as the
RX-7 allows so at the upper limits, it isn't as engaging. The automatic
transmission has as much to do with this as the chassis engineering
itself, so results will differ with a manual.
There's also a noticeable amount of flex, due to the absence of B-
pillars, and this can sometimes affect the car's precision and
response, adding a slight delay to the inputs you make to the nicely
weighted steering. The steering itself is not chatty but the rest of the
chassis does tell you enough to let you get on with the job.
Performance notwithstanding, the RX-8 comes with an interior that will
allow you to seat four with ease. There's not much in way of headroom
and the cabin gets quite intimate once all the doors are closed but this
is a true 4-seater as opposed to a 2+2. Styling is typical Mazda,
ordinary if somewhat kitschy save for the gorgeous seats.
Even it if is no longer the terror that the previous generation car was,
the RX-8 does have considerably more appeal. Generous space and
comfort means that those who did tear around in an RX-7 in their
earlier days would find an able companion for their golden years in
this. And if you're not hung up on ultimate power and performance,
Mazda's four-door coupe means you get a weekend warrior that you
can drive everyday. justin
Featured: March 2009. Words: Justin Ong. Photos: Mel Lee
The Mazda RX-8 means many things to many people. Some see it as a
stylish Japanese sports car, while others might see it as a tame
replacement to the edgy RX-7 that preceded it. But what it actually
means is that you can now have a sports car with four doors and seats
four adults while still having a significant amount of fun.
It's chunky looks lack the elegance of its predecessors but there is no
denying that Mazda's four-door coupe is the most striking of the
dwindling crop of Japanese models. What's more, the decision to go
with the suicide rear doors allows the car to keep it sporty shape while
adding a large dose of practicality.
Styling aside, the real draw of the Mazda is the fact it continues to be
the only production car in the world powered by a rotary engine. The
new RENESIS Wankel twin rotary is a unique gem in a sea of piston-
driven competitors, offering an experience that is unlike any other
engine configuration.
As the rotary is inherently balanced, it feels endlessly creamy across
the entire working range. Revving it hard introduces a subtle staccato
of micro vibrations that indicate the engine's function but never
intrudes. In fact, it's so smooth that you feel cheated every time you
bump into the 8000rpm rev limit; the rotary feels as though its just
getting into its step then.
The weakness, on the other hand, continues to be the Wankel's
relative lack of torque and without the aid of sequential twin
turbochargers as used on the 13B-REW, the new Multi Side Port
version with the modest 211Nm feels rather light in the grunt
department. You need to rev it long and hard to get it moving, but at
least the engine enjoys it.
Turbocharged or not, the 13B engines have never been the most
soulful sounding examples around, and in the RX-8 they seem to have
developed an even more mechanical monotone. A car this good and
good-looking really deserves a better accompanying soundtrack than
the 'electric motor in overdrive' tune that it currently produces.
With the standard 4-port version of the RENESIS, you get a
respectable 211bhp on tap so performance is brisk rather than
outright sporty. Equipped with the new 6-speed automatic
transmission, the RX-8 just about dips under 7 seconds in the
benchmark sprint so it is outpaced by several recent hot-hatches, a far
cry from the fire-breathing days of the RX-7.
Driving it quickly requires you to be very aggressive with the
transmission. With its almost VTEC-like drop off in power and a slack
gearbox, it is necessary to keep it in the uppermost quadrant to extract
the most out of the 13B. Which can be a costly affair because the
rotary has lost none of its traditional appetite.
Even with the introduction of the new side exhaust ports that all but
eliminate overlap with the intake in the RENESIS, the engine still
returns poor efficiency figures compared to similarly powered
conventional engines. When the official fuel consumption claim is 8.5
km/L, you'd best be ready to see numbers below 5km/L with hard
usage. On average, you should be able rack up between 350 and
400km on the odo with the 65L tank before it signals you for a pit stop.
If you're prepared to live with this, then the RX-8 will return the favour
by serving up one of the best driving performances coming out of
Japan. With its heavily engineered chassis and double wishbone
suspension, it continues Mazda's tradition of developing a well-
balanced and very capable dynamic showing.
The biggest surprise is the quality of the ride, much improved over the
usual crashiness of anything Japanese with the word 'sports' attached.
In fact, the way the RX-8 drives over poor roads feels almost
Continental, with the associated nuggety ride that is pleasingly firm but
rarely harsh even with the sizeable 18” rollers. Top marks for comfort.
Drive it slowly and the RX-8 feels unremarkable, feeling hardly any
different from, say, the Mazda6. Whip it into a frenzy, however, and the
quirky coupe really comes into its own. The body is beautifully
balanced, with an exquisite integration between the two axles that
makes hard cornering feel completely natural.
Predictable but almost to a fault, it often takes drivers to the safe end
of the pool. Adjustment to the car's stance is not as progressive as the
RX-7 allows so at the upper limits, it isn't as engaging. The automatic
transmission has as much to do with this as the chassis engineering
itself, so results will differ with a manual.
There's also a noticeable amount of flex, due to the absence of B-
pillars, and this can sometimes affect the car's precision and
response, adding a slight delay to the inputs you make to the nicely
weighted steering. The steering itself is not chatty but the rest of the
chassis does tell you enough to let you get on with the job.
Performance notwithstanding, the RX-8 comes with an interior that will
allow you to seat four with ease. There's not much in way of headroom
and the cabin gets quite intimate once all the doors are closed but this
is a true 4-seater as opposed to a 2+2. Styling is typical Mazda,
ordinary if somewhat kitschy save for the gorgeous seats.
Even it if is no longer the terror that the previous generation car was,
the RX-8 does have considerably more appeal. Generous space and
comfort means that those who did tear around in an RX-7 in their
earlier days would find an able companion for their golden years in
this. And if you're not hung up on ultimate power and performance,
Mazda's four-door coupe means you get a weekend warrior that you
can drive everyday. justin
FACTBOX:
Model: Mazda RX-8
Engine: Twin 654cc RENESIS Wankel Rotary Engines
Power/Torque: 212bhp/211Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic with paddle shift
0-100km/h: Sub-7 seconds
Top Speed: 200km/h (claimed)
Consumption: 8.5km/L (claimed)
Price: RM233,669.00
It's:
- a practical and stylish coupe
- very sporty driving
- fitted with a rotary!
It's not:
- the fastest of Japanese sportsters
- the most efficient, either
- something 350Z owners will give way to
You should buy it:
- if you want a sporty number that's both practical and
comfortable
You should not buy it:
- if you're hoping that this is the RX-7 in a new suit.
Model: Mazda RX-8
Engine: Twin 654cc RENESIS Wankel Rotary Engines
Power/Torque: 212bhp/211Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic with paddle shift
0-100km/h: Sub-7 seconds
Top Speed: 200km/h (claimed)
Consumption: 8.5km/L (claimed)
Price: RM233,669.00
It's:
- a practical and stylish coupe
- very sporty driving
- fitted with a rotary!
It's not:
- the fastest of Japanese sportsters
- the most efficient, either
- something 350Z owners will give way to
You should buy it:
- if you want a sporty number that's both practical and
comfortable
You should not buy it:
- if you're hoping that this is the RX-7 in a new suit.