Mazda RX-8 Review: RX-8 Revisited

Made very differently from the RX-7, we decided to have a go in it once again, just to refresh our memory, and for the fun of it. Only this time we decide to get dirty...

For those of you who are not in the know, the 1.3-liter rotary engine, made out of two 650cc rotary chambers is joined together with a single rod (try to think of it as meat on a satay stick). It is also called the Renesis. You won’t find this word in the dictionary, because Mazda never intended to plagiarize. Instead, they made the word up with the "R" and the "E" standing for "Rotary” and “Engine." The "nesis" comes from "genesis."

We have to admit, although in no way is the Renesis engine like the venerable RX-7’s twin rotary, it definitely is an impressive bit of engineering. Unlike its predecessors, the exhaust ports are located on each side of the combustion chambers, instead of on the outer edge of the rotary housing.

It might sound like a no brainer, but it does allow for more power, higher fuel economy and lower emissions, and Mazda tuned the engine in the way of being a more efficient unit instead of outright power.

The rotary never had any problem with weight distribution, where building a car was concerned. The good people at Mazda were definitely able to mount it further back in the RX-8's chassis, giving the car that coveted 50/50 front/rear weight distribution.

This, coupled with balanced suspension tuning, sharp steering response and a svelte 3,000-pound curb weight, makes the rear-wheel-drive RX-8 one of the best-handling cars on the market.

We’ve driven all sorts of RX-8s before, the 5 speed manual and 4 speed auto in particular. However, after driving the six-speed manual version brought in by Mazda, it really is the only way to go in an RX-8. There are so many reasons why.

Firstly, it is a sports car. To the enthusiast, buying an automatic RX-8 is just as ridiculous as buying an automatic Honda NSX or Civic Type R. You really want feel to the car when throwing the short-shifter among the very accurately sorted out gates. Besides, the manual-shift RX-8s get a more powerful version of the 1.3-liter rotary engine, putting out nearly 235hp at 8,500rpm.

The redline hits a really high 9,000, at which you feel the whole car buzzing like a bee. It isn’t a bad thing really, and one suspects that Mazda deliberately wanted this to happen. It really lets you feel the car, and it does get the heart pumping faster.

Low-end torque has never been a strong property of rotary engines, and with a turbo not being seen anytime in the near future, a mere 220nm coming together at 5,500 rpm, the RX-8 doesn't really feel like anything much below 4,000.

With the smoothness of the rotary however, you will never want to be below that mark because revving it, and keeping it in its responsive range is just really, really addictive.

We G-Teched the thing, and we timed the RX-8 at 6.5 seconds to 100km/h and 15.1 seconds through the quarter-mile – very respectable numbers, but not enough to win many straight-line acceleration crowns in this class.

However, Mazda's rotary coupe quickly makes up ground when the road turns curvy. As many have said before, the chassis actually outperforms the RX-7, if only it had more power!

We drove it really quick through the rain, with the dynamic stability control off, and having the car slide around corners a fair bit. Each and everytime, the rear reliably caught back on traction, making the car very easy to handle, with no bad habits. All this, with a package directly out from the factory. No tuning needed!

However, one must becareful not to shift too much weight to the front during a heavy downshift. Heel and toe is a must here, as a sudden jerk in third causes the rear to loose traction. This is good for the enthusiast, a nice trait courtesy of the excellent, 50-50 weight distribution characteristics.

In spite of its capability, the Mazda RX-8 rides comfortably enough to serve as a daily commuter, though with fuel economy not being the best, it's not the most economical way to go. The rear seats are definitely spacious enough to seat adults on short trips, and reverse-hinged suicide doors allow many other things to happen. We’ll leave that to your imagination now…

RX-8s come standard with all the essential amenities. Manual versions come with a firmer suspension and 18-inch wheels. There is the Shinka special-edition package available overseas if you want a firmer, sportier ride (definitely the way to go) but it is nothing that can’t be fixed with a good set of aftermarket coilovers. There are other luxuries like leather upholstery and climate control.

Credits: Amery Reuben