Introduced in 2002, the Mazda RX-8 replaced the RX-7 coupe which had been in production by then for the best part of a decade. Like it's predecessor, the RX-8 has a rotary engine, but unlike the RX-7, the RX-8s rotary engine isn't turbocharged. For the European market the RX-8 comes in two models, one with 189bhp, and a higher powered version with 228bhp, while in the USA there is one with closer to 250bhp available. It comes with a 6 speed manual transmission and rear wheel drive, which according to most reports I've seen gives it great handling.
Mazda is alone in continuing to offer a rotary engine. Other makers including Citroen and NSU (since taken over by VW) produced rotary engined cars in the 1960s and 70s, but apart from Mazda, all rotary engine makers gave up producing them as they proved to be unreliable, suffering from excessive engine wear, and were not fuel efficient (a death knell for an engine in the energy crisis ridden 1970s). Mazda managed to crack the reliability problem, fitting hardened tips to the engine rotors (the principal moving component of the engine) but the rotary engine remains relatively fuel inefficient. Apparently the RX-8 also has a thirst for engine oil (by design as it helps prevent premature engine wear), but Mazda have ensured it complies to the latest emissions regulations at least! (As of 2007). So why have Mazda persisted with the rotary engine? The main advantage of a rotary engine is it's smoothness. At any engine speed the rotary is extremely smooth with very little vibration, giving great refinement to a rotary engined car. Rotary engines are also much smaller than an equivalently powerful reciprocating piston engine as they have far fewer moving parts, no valvegear and do not need additional balancing shafts. Additionally they can rev up and down the rev range very quickly making them ideal for use in a sports car. Also, I believe having a rotary engine marks the RX-8 out from any other sports coupe on the market, which certainly helps give the car a unique image.
Another unusual feature of the RX-8 is that it actually has 4 doors. It looks like a 2 door coupe, but it has small rearward opening back doors which make it much easier to gain access to the reasonably big (for a sports coupe) rear seats.
Ever since their win at Le Mans in 1991 with the Mazda 787B, Mazda have periodically released special editions of their sportscar range in the same "Le Mans" colours as the 1991 LM winner. Similarly painted limited editions of the MX-5 were sold in the UK after the 1991 win and since then the paint scheme has been applied I believe to the RX-7 and now the RX-8. I happen to think it looks great but I do know from talking to other collectors that it is not to everyone's taste! A true "Marmite" car then! (You either love it or hate it!).
AUTOart have done a fine job in capturing the look of this RX-8 in 1:18th. Highlights include the superb looking brakes and a fine interior, plus accurately opening doors. The Le Mans style paintwork and graphics are superbly applied and overall it is hard to fault this model.
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