Most people know that Mazda sports cars built. But for lovers of conduct, the company's history of building sport coupes with lightweight rotary engine that distinguishes it from competition. The Mazda RX-8 is the last of these cuts, and is the only one with a configuration of four doors.

The heart of the Mazda RX-8 is its high-revving, 1.3-liter rotary engine called Renesis. It is a word invented: the "R" and "e" stand for "rotary engine", while "NESIS" comes from the word "genesis." Odd name aside, the Renesis engine is a bit of genius: unlike its predecessors, it locates the exhaust ports on the side of each of the combustion chambers rather than the outer edge of the rotating housing. Sounds simple, but it allows a change of more power, more fuel economy and lower emissions.

Because of the compactness of the engine, the engineers managed to climb further in the RX-8 chassis, giving the car coveted 50/50 front / rear weight distribution. This is balanced with the suspension tuning, steering and strong svelte 3,000-pound curb weight in the rear-wheel-drive RX-8 one of the best handling cars on the market. However, the power of the car is a bit lacking, new competitors offer much more oomph.

Current Mazda RX-8

The Mazda RX-8 is a four-seat coupe with a pair of rear hinged "suicide" doors that facilitate access to rear seats. Each RX-8 is powered by a 1.3 liter twin-rotary engine with a production based on the transmission. The six-speed manual version produces 232 horsepower at 9000 rpm the stratosphere, and is able to operate in a 0-60 of 6 seconds. The six-speed automatic is 212 hp and a redline of 7500 rpm. All RX-8 is rather meager 152 lb-ft of torque, which means that you must keep the rotary engine of the boil to keep the car alive. Therefore, we suggest that buying a RX-8 with the manual.

There are four available trim levels: Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and R3. Even the base car is equipped with 18-inch wheels, performance tires, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and six-speaker stereo with CD player and auxiliary audio jack. Articles available on the Touring and Grand Touring include a limited-slip rear differential, automatic xenon headlights, driver seat power, memory functions, heated seats, leather upholstery, automatic climate control, keyless ignition entry, surround sound audio, Bluetooth and navigation system. The R3 is an alternative high-performance 19-inch wheel package, an aggressive suspension, Recaro sport seats, exterior body modifications and other toppings "high-tech convenience.

While the Mazda RX-8 has the appearance of a race car adapted sport, its behavior on the road is much more docile. Taken by its wide corners and comments by solid drive into an absolute riot on a winding road, but the average commuting time line not to beat you on a daily basis. The rotary engine of the engine requires a high level to make serious power, but the supply is virtually free of vibration and noise levels are submitted. If you want a good engine (print, sound and delivery), there is no smooth.

Inside, the RX-8 innovation of two and a half-back suicide doors provide the kind of practice any other sport coupe can match. To the extent that they are shorter than 6 feet tall, those seated in the rear seats and is supporting a major role. Overall, the RX-8 is one of the best examples of a car that is both fun to drive and very livable on a daily basis. Just be prepared to pay at the pump, the high-revving rotary fuel swill as an SUV.

Used Mazda RX-8 models

Introduced in 2004, the Mazda RX-8 has announced the return of the rotary-powered sports car in the United States, after a decade-long hiatus near. Until 2008, it had a slightly different design of this car, while features were added gradually over the years.

Initially, the RX-8 is the automatic transmission four-speed unit. We avoid this car for the six-speed automatic with paddle shifters available for 2006 and later (although we always recommend the manual first). The Shinka Package (Japanese for "change") was offered pour'06 and included an aggressive suspension, unique 18-inch wheels, leather / faux suede seats and some other subtleties of luxury. The following year, this package has been replaced by the 40th Anniversary Special Edition, which offers a gray exterior, red leather seats, various 18-inch alloy wheels, a firmer suspension and the requirement of badges. De'08 model year also saw the navigation system restricted to the Grand Touring model.

The biggest change came in 2009. The exterior was given a more aggressive grille with a wider and more subtle changes. The interior has also gave a few minor adjustments here and there. Most of the time, the expanded list at this time. Not more than 16 inches were mounted on the wheels of the car base - there were 18 across the board of directors - and things like Bluetooth and an auxiliary audio jack has been added to the list of options. A clear improvement of the navigation system touch screen replaced the old pop-up unit controlled by console-mounted buttons. It is also the first year for the Mazda RX-8 R3.