2012 Mazda RX-9 preview?

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By George Skentzos | December 30th, 2007

The trickle of supposedly leaked images from Mazda continue as renderings purportedly that of the 2012 Mazda RX-9 make their way onto the internet.

They reveal a far less attractive incarnation of the current RX-8, with familiar dramatically flared wheel arches, open-mouthed grill and near identical bonnet bulge treatment.

According to the source, most of the obvious can be confirmed including a rear-wheel drive layout, Wankel powerplant and a limited slip differential.

The rumours surrounding the RX-9 include the engine displacement rising from 1.3 to 1.8-litres, supposedly to alleviate issues such oil consumption and poor fuel efficiency whilst the transmission is said to be a dual-clutch six speed sequential setup, similar to the Mitsubishi Evo X.

Source: JustPut

BoB

Interesting concept… but wouldn’t a 1.8L Rotary Engine consume more oil/fuel than the current 1.3L one?
http://www.caradvice.com.au/ alborz

I think its a fake, it looks like a photoshop, but we wont know for a few more years!

badger

its not a photo shop i seen u last week.
but one thing i will say is it looks like a db9 in some ways.
or a bentley continental gt

http://navelcontemplation.blogspot.com/2007/03/i-don-get-fashion.html supercujo

Having a larger rotary allows you to use larger apex seals, giving you a lot more scope for materials that can be used. The apex seals can be thicker allowing more ceramics (which don’t like being thin), lower friction and thus less oil consumption.
http://navelcontemplation.blogspot.com/2007/03/i-don-get-fashion.html supercujo

Even though it is a photochop, the current theme at Mazda has been faithfully reproduced here.

Although looking at the Furai concept machine, it looks like the design language at Mazda is changing a bit.
Myke

They have to be a fake considering pictures are out five years before the car is released.
Captain Mainwaring

This won’t be 2012, it will be late 2009 as a 2010 model year car, by which time the current RX8 will be 6 years old.
I don’t agree that it’s far less attractive than the RX8 – it’s a stunner, makes the RX8 look like a fairground dodgem car. Sad that the clever back doors didn’t make the cut though, but it will be a better sports car for that.
Myke

This isn’t replacing the RX-8 though, it is?
I assumed they’d sell both alongside one another.
MatthewM

If it is to be a 2 door rotary powered coupe, why can’t they just call it the FE series RX-7?
Bavarian Missile

I want one!!!!!!!

Lets hope they do make it,the BMW CS was just a concept but will be produced now ……wont it???
Daniel

I think it looks better than the RX-8.

marcus

Yeh, but i not a fan of the front fender look. Go seamless and beef out the fender with a different style maybe.
love everything else. Take the 9 to new look, not to detract from the rx8, but do not adopt the rx8 style front end. 1 st Class all the way, purely a sports car look.

Captain Mainwaring

Yes Myke, this is the RX8 replacement. They’ve already hinted that the four-door four-seat thing didn’t really work. Not a big enough market segment to have a bet each way.
No Name

Did I mention in the RX8 forum a few days ago that the RX8 replacement would not have the rear suicide doors. I think its a good representation of what it will look like.
http://. Naughtyius Maximus

Full Blown Hot and Nice. Iam a Ford supporter openly like most hot cars and not just one brand like some other weasels on here.
acfsambo

I like it but it would look a bit better if the roof line was droppeda bit or if it was slughtly longer. It looks squished to me, the hight is too much compaerd to the length
MEE

This is true image of RX-9 Concept which was announced sometime in 2006….

The link is here

http://www.autovia.com/extras/wallpaper/Mazda_RX9/Mazda_RX9_1.sized.jpg

CarAdvice, I like this website, but sometimes you guys are very slow….
Wheelnut

I doubt that these images are fake or photoshopped.

Because on average; most car companies start the Design Research and Development process of a new car at least 5 years before it hits the showroom.

For example the TT-36 Concept car unveiled at the Sydney Motor Show 2 Years ago and is expected to be released in another couple of years = 5 years..

Therefore I’d say the images of the car you see here is a pretty good indication that its what the car will most likely look like.
Wheelnut

Looks more like a sophisticated european sports car [the grille looks similar to that of the new Audis]
Whereas the RX-8 which looks like a boy racer [inspired by Fast N The Furious]
E Tiffany

This new design very much appeals to me. IT WOULD have been nice if Mazda had continued with the four seats and the small suicide doors. BUT this is okay. It’s a real sports car. The RX-8 is rather effeminate in styling… this is far from that. AND if Mazda can squeeze some reasonable gas mileage out of the thing… along with providing a 0-60 time between 4 and 6 seconds…while retaining the rotary… it will sell real well… I do think. BUT… if they can’t squeeze any good gas mileage somehow out of the rotary… Mazda needs to dump it…. and let it be History
http://caradvice.com.au Chris Parr

looks good, hopefully has more power/performance than rx8 which is way to slow for price/market/looks..
http://www.importjap.com/blog ImportJap

What’s needed is simply an evolutionary take on the RX-7 series 8, and you have a customer right here.
http://ozmazdaclub.com David (OMC)

This looks hot…another great design from Mazda.
D 1 0 N

Looks hot, I see hints of Audi in it. Far better than the current RX-8
Duck

Love the rear!……………………the front not as much but its alright!
Albi

This design is way better than the current rx-8.
pete.r.oto

i saw a 4rotor 2,6l turbo with 1660 hp; and somethin´ like that will be good in such body…….
anony-mouse

I like. Personally, I think the current-gen RX looks butt-ugly from the butt backwards. This here captures the basic styling elements of the current car, which looks nice in forward perspective, then fixes what’s wrong with the rear end. Albeit there is just a little too much Aston DB9 in that rear window.
JEM

It’s definitely better-looking than the RX-8, with luck it’s also been shortened a bit and it looks like the third door is mercifully gone. Those front-fender exhaust vents (real or otherwise) are becoming one of those herd-mentality Japanese fads.
LL

It appears to be a development of Kabura prototype. Strange that they show it in black color.
Richard

I like it. Always liked Mazda’s sportscars (though not as nice as British ones!) despite hating the styling on most Japanese cars. This is even better than most.
Clancy

I like it better than the current RX-8 which had too many lines, swells and bumps. This is cleaner, sexier…
Meh

Fake or not, it’s a bit ugly.

Could one imagine such an aggressive design coming out of Japan? Mazda are traditionally conservative and minimalist in their aesthetics.

Still, it will be interesting to see what the final design looks like, the mazda3 and CX-9 originally had some rather wild looking concept designs as well.
dabatman

i must admit, i likey! being a current rx8 owner, this rendition seems to take what i don’t like about the current rx styling and cleans it up. i.e. rear looks more sophistacated and not toy like. loosing the clear rear lenses was a plus. also, seems to have smoother lines. don’t get me wrong… i love my rx8 and will be keeping it until this makes it to the showroom floor.
Shinka

I will be trading in my 2006 Shinka for this! Very Beautiful Car!
QuiquePR

MatthewM Says:
December 30th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
If it is to be a 2 door rotary powered coupe, why can’t they just call it the FE series RX-7?
This model will not be FE series, because the Mazda RX-8 is the FE series, if this RX-9 came out hard FF series.
And the new president of Mazda of Puerto Rico has just given us an exclusive, as I speak to the press in Puerto Rico and said this: “The new president of Mazda of Puerto Rico, Noriaki Yashiro, remains positive at the scene of the 2008″ .
Yashiro confident about this performance in sales of the RX-8, which is celebrating its 40 anniversary this year and which has produced a commemorative model is already available on the market. Moreover, the new model RX-9 will be available in July this year and will be the TOP OF THE LINE our line of sports cars.
andrzej

It is a mix of BMW 3, Honda Civic, Aston Vantage and rx-8. Mazda took the best and left the rest. What a design! It looks like a 100 000$ car. I hope the interior is as nice…
exile

it looks more like a mazda 3. i prefer rx-8 compared to this. but still it looks nice
me

they should make this one twin turbo like the rx-7
Cesar

i heard it will push 450 HP and will be around 60,000 as an owner of a 8 i think this is a beautiful car…this is what im getting in 4 years
Joober

Nice!…… but…. 2012 – I wonder how much petrol will cost then.

IMO These cars, lets say RX8-9, 350z, Evos, Wrx’s etc is a lower band sports car, huge Fuel prices will really hurt people in this market segment and presumably already are, unlike people who own ferraris etc $1, $2, $4, $5 a ltr is still poo change for them.
WALTER WATSON

personally I think that this new design takes away from the history of the RX family. The car simply sits to high in the rear as well as the body resembeling a 350 Z with the exeption of the headlights and front bumper. I own an RX8 and would never trade it for a car that looks like that. Have they came out with any engine specs yet?
Frugal One

C/A cannot even get a [PROMISED] CX7 review/test done, and you are already talking about the new RX-9?

Cheers

F-0
Ben

Ehhh i have an Rx8 right now and i’m lovin it.

this rx9 looks pretty sick too..but i think the back could be better….should have kept the rx8 lights or a newer style keep it mazda unique..no it just looks like another sports car with those regular lights…but its still pretty nice
Bunny Boy

Hmm… I don’t want to be mistaken by everybody here because I am a Mazda fan. I got both the Mazda3 2006 & the Mazda6 2008. My next target is the next generation for RX8, which is this… the RX9. Unexpectedly, i felt disappointed with the new look.
Erick

as with all rx generations, they all were weird looking when they first came out, in my opinion anyways, but the rx gen’s are all almost 50/50 weight, all have the rotary motors weighing less than any other motor on the market… these are driver cars, made for racing!!! these doors on this rx-9 are supposed to move like van doors, not up, not out… backwards!!!!!!!!! push button door opening, on the key fab, and inside, i love this car, i’ll be first in line!
Albert

I have collected about 8 RX7,s till now. I think it is a nice looking car and know my wife would like one. It looks cheecky and sporty lots of fun
Philip

IMO they should make it look more like the RX7 design.
The RX7 design is stunning, it still look quite modern even in 2009.
A RX7 base design with new lines as modern cars, and a 1.8l rotary Turbo/Twin Turbo would be AWESOME… dreaming
Dominick

It looks like a photoshopped G35 to me. the rx series has been known to look original. Looks exactly like a g35 with little higher wheel well like the rx8. I think its fake.
http://www.vadiarotor.tv Vadia Rotor

“a 1.8l rotary Turbo/Twin Turbo would be AWESOME”
yes but there won’t be any 1.8 rotary, only 1.6
Mustafa

Regardless of the design, since we’ll be seeing it soon, the chances of a 1.8L rotary alleviating gas and oil consumption problems is stupid to even mention. By the way, 1.8L most likely refers to the 3 rotors rotary, so there wouldn’t be a 1.6L version. And yes, the 1.8L with turbo is probably one of the craziest engines out there and it’s out there because Mazda makes it. It’s called the 20B. And for those who complain about gas consumption, the rotary’s 1.3L is equivalent to a 3.5L 4-stroke engine because rotary engines get 2 power strokes out of three while the mainstream 4-stroke gets 1 out of 4. Therefore the 1.8L rotary is equiv to a 4.8L engine. Talk about “alleviating” gas consumption!
Jay Oz

FAKE AND UGLY, LOOKS LIKE A JAPANESE MERCEDES BENZ, U CAN EVEN SEE THE PHOTOSHOP ARTWORK HERE, LOOK AT THE REAR LIGHT EDGES, TOTALLY FAKE, I HOPE MAZDA WONT CONSIDER SOMETHING LIKE THIS
Carfanatic

I thought it looked Mercedes Benzish with a hint of Mazda
Andre

It better not be the successor of the RX7. I’m a RX7 driver and this is no where close to how RX7 feels like. The grill looks horrible. And please bring in the popup lights like every RX7.
Mark

Andre, this isn’t the successor to the RX7, it’s the successor to the RX8 (which was supposedly the successor to the RX7!). Plus, how do you know what it feels like? It’s not even in production yet or testing.

Popup headlights are out too and have been for years. When was the last time you saw a new car come out with popup headlights?

As for the looks, it seems to have got some styling from the Jaguar XFR (the rear end) and a bit of Nissan 350/370Z thrown in at the front (especially the flared wings/arches).
http://Facebook Mohd Hameedi Bin Omar

Quiet ugly than Previous model.I think better you look at my RX-9 Very rough Sketch but you’ll might be love it
life_enjoyed

uhh..looks kinda photoshop-ish…
looks very much like the car was a cut n paste mix n match kinda stuff..
ABMPSV

I never liked RX8. How is buying this cars which uses as much fuel as a V8! How many they sold here?? I know in Germany in Feb 2010 5 people bought this car.

tim

you don’t buy a car whit a rotary engine to be economic, but you buy it becous u whant to have something special nobody else has. and once u had 1 you don’t whant anything else. i had a 1986 rx7 gen 1 it was stunning and now i have a rx8 and its even better to bad it doesn’t have a turbo like the rx7 gen 3

din’t have any trouble whit both so for me ist te best engine in te world

Rocks_07RX8

Well, another addition to the RX-line rumor mill. mostlikely a photo shop but that car would be DAMN SEXY….especially if it was packing the same handling/ FR weight ratio and 300+ ponies
inmypjs

I think it looks better than the RX-8. But I do want the suicide doors in case one has to haul some cargo, the suicide doors comes in handy for easy in and out access. I really think it’s a great feature. They should not take it out.
rob

i love when people that know nothing about rotaries say 1.8? isn’t that gonna take more gas. we we say fuel econ we mean maybe hitting 25 mpg. can’t wait to get my hands on witch ever engine size the 1.6 or 1.8 no idea witch it will be but it will be nice to custom make intake and exaust manifolds using fc and fd electronics with a haltech ecu shit will FLY.
MK

its 2011 … still no sign of the rx9 … but i say the rx8 looks better than that concept.
the rx8 looks more sleek and has more curves. this concept just looks like a normal family car. if they incorporate some of the design from the SHINARI concept car, and add a bit of the rx8 curves from the front wheel arches, then i think that would be a suitable rx9 !
Name

Can’t they just take the FD chassis, make it better and drop a turbo version of the new rotary engine in it? Easier, looks better and would make the fans happy.
driven

This is not the successor to the RX-8! This is the successor to the RX-7!
Here pp are confused because of the similarities of the front design (BTW I have seen other concept designs too and I suspect this recreation is fake, there are only colored sketches at this stage and the front looks nothing like this!). Anyway we also need to remember that this is just 2 door coupe (no suicide doors) and the performance forecast (still to be announced) is predicted to be an improvement to the RX-7 specs. So pls stop the RX-8 talk.