Mazda RX-8 Spirit R to signal end of RX-8 production

Article
Gallery

By Alborz Fallah | October 10th, 2011

One of Japans’ most iconic cars, the Mazda RX-8, is set to finish up production by June next year, with details of the special edition run-out model announced last week.

The Mazda RX-8 Spirit R, takes its name from the final edition of the model’s prequel, the Mazda RX-7 Spirit R and comes with a range of additional exterior and interior features. There is no additional power extraction from the 1.3-litre rotary and at the time of writing it will be available in Japan.

Despite the end of production for the RX-8, Mazda says rotary ending development will continue, which makes us think the RX name is still determined to live on.

“Mazda’s iconic rotary engine recorded its famous victory in the Le Mans 24-Hour endurance race 20 years ago. Throughout 2011, we have been celebrating the 20th anniversary of that victory by demonstrating the winning 787B racecar at Le Mans’ Circuit de La Sarthe and various other events around the world. At each one, the screaming rotary engine and the sight of the 787B have enthralled everyone from young children to race fans who witnessed its victory in 1991. These events have been a powerful reminder of the widespread passion for the rotary engine. Although RX-8 production is ending, the rotary engine will always represent the spirit of Mazda and Mazda remains committed to its ongoing development.” Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda’s Representative Director, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, said.

Do you own an RX of some kind? Tell us some stories of what the car has meant to you in the comments section below.

List of additional standard features for the Mazda RX-8 Spirit R:

Base models
RX-8 Type RS (with six-speed manual transmission) and RX-8 Type E (with six-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission)

Special equipment

Manual & automatic additional features:

Exclusive SPIRIT R badge
Front headlights, front fog lights and rear combination lights (with black bezels)
Front and rear brake calipers (red)
Transmission tunnel trim (piano-black)
Curtain and front side SRS airbag system

Unique features for manual RX-8 Spirit Rs

Specially-made SPIRIT R bucket seats from RECARO
225/40R19 89W tires and 19-inch alloy wheels (bronze)

Unique features for automatic RX-8 Spirit Rs

Leather seats (black with red stitching)
Leather-wrapped steering wheel (black with red stitching)
Parking brake lever (with red stitching)
Center console box front seat armrest and rear console box lid covered with synthetic leather (with red stitching)
Sports suspension, larger brakes
225/45R18 91W tires and 18-inch alloy wheels (gun metallic)

Limited edition available in

Aluminum Metallic
Sparkling Black Mica
Crystal White Pearl Mica

Car Fanatic

Big deal. They’d do better to crank some more power out of it at least.

AOK

Sadly Mazda can not crank anymore out of the 13B Renesis….I own a 2009 and every day this car puts a HUGE Smile on my face…it is a FANTASTIC Sports Car, light to steer, driving Dynamic is just sweet and a chassis very few other car makers can topple, perfect weight distribution….POWER it has more than enough for me, like the MX-5, they have never been about POWER…
Some will NEVER get it…it is WAY more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow…
So many just don’t know what they are missing with the RX-8….Just superb, and WHEELS car of the Year…one of the hottest contests I can ever remember for WCOTY, and the Mazda was ‘BRILLIANT’ to use their words…a few Years later the NC MX-5 won WCOTY…what can I say…I now own both, SE 2011 MX-5 Roadster and Series 2 RX-8.

Joker

How about an “exclusive” turbo?
Sick of badge/interior jobs for limited/end of model life cycle editions.

AOK

NOPE, Mazda can not add a turbo and comply with emissions.

UMWHAT

who gives a shlt about emissions

Yeti Man

We do!
AOK

Well derr, No car can be sold NEW if it does not comply with emissions.

Matty B

Unfortunately for Mazda, the RX-8 will never be remembered anywhere near as fondly as previous RX models.

I think the RX-8 is a good car for what it is, but I always felt like it was never quite all it could have been. It was more like an excuse to build a rotary instead of trying to be a true sports car.

AOK

Sorry, that statement is just rubbish, If you have not lived with one you don’t know what you are talking about.

Harry

As a past owner of a series 6 RX7 the thought of buying an RX8 is abhorrent. I am glad that you seem to be so enamoured with your RX8, but I can never see it as a true successor to the RX7. To me it would have been more in keeping with the heritage of the RX7 to just put the Renesis into the MX5 and be done with it, it would have been an all round better car. I for one am glad that the RX8 is at an end, my only hope is that it will spell the revival of the greatness that was the RX7. My advice for Mazda is to include a rotary engine option in the all new MX5 that is coming out, and then to go after the higher performance/more expensive segment that is currently occupied by the stuff like Porsches and Nissan GTRs. Lastly, while you may be right about turbocharging the Renesis, I do not believe that it has to be the end for turbocharged rotaries in general, the addition of direct injection alone has a lot of promise.

AOK

In your Opinion, now just how many motoring awards did the SA, FC, FD RX-7 receive?? The RX-8 came out of the Evolv Concept, it was never intended as a direct replacement for the REW…The old REW could not be build today..Simple…Would not comply with safety or emission regs today, NO peripherally exhaust ported RX will…Just like the RX-8 now no longer compiles in Europe and can not be imported/used there..like other engines…Thankfully Mazda are still working on a new rotary of some form more than likely the 16X, or a hybrid type…If you think Mazda are going to go after the GTR you are mad, will never happen in Todays world economic climate…YES Mazda like all of them can do it but at what cost, I am sure most here would spend $170,000 on a Mazda?..Get real.

KO

Awards?
The RX-7 doesnt need bogus awards
What about motorsport heritage?
winning at bathurst many times?
Still being raced in all forms of motorsport competitively to this day
Still being tuned and continually reborn with each new owner

The RX-8 is a good road car
but it aint no halo car
it isnt mazda’s best effort
and thats what bothers people who have lived with RX-7′s
it’s was a step backwards
just look at the depreciation vs. 350Z of similar age
Jackhead

This topic is 4 months old but i can’t let such blasphemy exist.

The Rx-7 existed in a sports car rich environment, a time when it’s competition and consumer choice included giants such as GTR’s and their lesser derivatives, Supra’s, 300zx’s, Silvia’s, Wrx’s, 3000gt, NSX, Evo’s, Typre R Integra’s, Mr-2′s, Gti-r’s, M3′s, Cossy Sieras and escorts.

the rx-8 had what to compete against? the 350z… hardly the pinnacle of performance motoring…

the rx-7 was the last of the great rotaries, the wheeze box that resides in that slow wallowy overweight chassis they call the SE3P deserves no accolade.

If all your after and base your opinion on is a car with motoring awards do your self a favor and buy a mazda 3…

lot’s of pub bragging for you then.

leave the real rotaries (rx-7′s) to the big boy’s who appreciate pure track performance.

Boom !!

I drive an RX8 and my next car will be a rotary in a few years and it will be brand new. Nothing on the market moves me in the same way. So, at the end of the day, it is a matter of taste.

Matty B

The part about being a true sports car, yeah you’re right. It is a good sports car. But for a car with such pedigree, the RX-8 is a disappointment. I’ve spent more than enough time behind the wheel of both an RX-8 and RX-7′s and also MX-5′s to make a valid judgement.

Whilst the RX-7 especially series 6 and onwards were japanese superstars with huge potential. The 8 has just never even got in the race.

incentive106

This RX-8 is probably one of the best handling, nimble, communicative cars ever made, but it just lacks the ooomph – there is no excuse Mazda, no excuse. It’s well built, looks aggressive, useable – just too damned slow in the real world conditions. I’m sure it would work really good on fast sweeping roads, but in real world with tight corners, uphill sections, it just does not work well. Maybe Mazda Oz will give this car a justice and produce a limited edition SP with the turbo – and sell it for an affordable price – dreams.

AOK

NO not coming to Australia (Spirit R is just a tarted up GT) and NO they can’t add a turbo for emission reasons.

Mr Gaspo

Over styled in a typically Japanese way… Cool engine… Otherwise no thanks
http://zuboora.com mohamad is right when he

I want those front seats

Old Dog

mohamad finaly lost his stammer.

http://zuboora.com mohamad is right when he

I know ay. It took took a while. But I got got there champ. Good dog roll over over.

Yeti

I loved my RX8. The handling was perfect, it looked amazing and could still carry the kids. It did lack torque. You had to ring it’s neck to get going. And it was very expensive to run; fuel, Tyres, oil, servicing. But most importantly it was different. When every car on the road looks and is the same the RX8 was unique.

AOK

I Agree…BUT, One does not buy any Sports Car for Economy???…I consistently get 480-495 KMS from a 60 litre tank of petrol…Tyres!!…ALL low profile type of this type of tyre is expensive…so far 43,000 KMS and still more left in my Tyres…I rotate every 5,000 KMS and you must maintain Tyre Pressure.

Nissan

If you havnt changed your tyres in 43,000kms you must simply drive like a 14 year old girl….

http://www.ss.com Tom

na rotary…. no thanks
Wayne Kerr

Maybe the next gen RX will have the turbo I4 from the SP23, so it can have handling and torque.

Never understood why Mazda kept putting low torque engines into rear wheel drives and high torque engines into front wheel drives.
Philthy

I haven’t had the pleasure of owning an RX myself but a uni mate had an obnoxiously loud brown series 3 RX7 with a 13B turbo. I think a little part of his soul died when he had to sell it.

It didn’t always run too well but when it did the sound of the thing coming on boost and the shove in the seat was amazing.

Also… brap brap brap brap brap brap brap
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1435885244 Yani Hendriawan

I wanna steal those front seats
Kane Alto

Keep voting for the Greens and we keep getting European emission laws pushed onto us and missing out on some spectacular engineering because of “Emission Laws”

Arky

Because America doesn’t have emission laws either.

Because the emission laws in Australia weren’t passed by John Howard.

Oh wait.

Nothing wrong with emissions laws. Plenty of companies seem to be able to make awesome cars while still complying with them. I’d rather these companies have to innovate that way instead of being able to be lazy and keep churning out the smog.

http://www.formalcars.com.au Tony

Those seats would look great in my 1995 Aust Delivered Series 6 RX7!

I don’t mind the lack of power in the RX8, its more the fuel efficiency for such little power. At least from my RX7 I get some serious forward movement for the fuel it does use
IfItAintARotorItAintAMotor

I love my RX-8, it’s the first ‘real’ car I’ve had. I love everything about it, the noise it makes as it screams to 9000rpm, the tiny little pause before the aural assault continues as you slap from second to third at about 95km/h. It was obviously never supposed to be as ‘hard’ as the RX-7′s, a bit more aspirational than that.

If it is the last rotary to come out of Mazda, I’ll be sorely disappointed. Better start looking at an FD as an investment?
Aaron

I have the honour of owning a 2002 Spirit R Rx7 Type A in the special Titanium Grey and amazingly it is the 1st of 100 made in this unique colour and i have also driven the RX8 on multiple occassions.

As above the Rx7 is an all out sports car with an excellent power to weight ration, 50/50 balance and a unique rotary engine.
The Rx7 has pedigree and the RX8 will never be able compete with that.

The Rx8 won awards based on the catagory. Its was a relativily cheap clean car that seemed to be well rounded in all areas except fuel (it possible won because of the doors??), it won the award because its basic, not because its the best car ever made.

After owning my Rx7 and then driving an Rx8 on occassions, i must admit it was missing allot of things that made the RX series what it is today. The car felt slow, soft, big and it really wasnt agile like the others which makes a rotary great.. whether its with the older stock Rx3′s although they had only 83 odd kw’s or the 02 Spirit R they had a raw feel which makes you wanting to stay in the drivers seat and just drive.

I honestly believe that the Rx8 should have been named either the rebourne MX6 or MX7 not an RX.

Jackhead

This rx-8 does not deserve to wear the SP badge, it just degrades the performance pedigree that the SP denotes…

skc

I have owned my RX8 since 2003. About six years ago I started tracking the car. I do an average of six track days an year and this is where the car really shines. My lap time at Lakeside was as low as 62.02 seconds.

It is now supercharged with 195kw at the rear wheels and it simply awesome on the road. I have covered just over 100 000km with no mechanical issues.