2006 Mazda RX-8

The Mazda RX-8 redefined the sports car segment when it was launched in summer 2003, and it continues to shake up the automotive world’s definition of what a sports car can be. With an exterior suggesting athletic tension, a twin-rotor engine that continues to win accolades from the automotive press and an interior offering comfort and practicality, the 2006 Mazda RX-8 is a new breed of sports car.

"The sleek, powerful and agile RX-8 debunks the notion of sports cars as fun but impractical," said Weldon Munsey, RX-8 vehicle line manager. "The RX-8 is a car equally at home zooming around a track or taking the kids to soccer practice. It is a true sports car that can pull double duty."

The 2005 Mazda RX-8 is available as either a 238-horsepower model fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, or a 197-horsepower model fitted with a four-speed automatic with Sport Shift, which incorporates steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for a Formula 1-style driving experience. Both automatic and manual transmission cars come equipped with power windows, mirrors and door locks, cruise control and a thumping AM/FM/CD audio system with six speakers.

Renesis Rotary Engine

Forty years of rotary-engine racing success went into the design of the RX-8’s advanced Renesis (Rotary Engine genesis – or rebirth of the rotary engine) engine. Incorporating many elements that made the RX-7 the most successful model in International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) history and brought Mazda the 1991 24-Hours of Le Mans overall win, the Renesis engine is exceptionally well-built and capable. This racing pedigree is evident through the various motorsports series employing the RX-8, including Pro Formula Mazda and the Grand Am Cup.

By turning a triangular rotor in a cocoon-shaped combustion chamber, the RX-8’s rotary engine efficiently performs the four processes of intake, compression, combustion and exhaust. The Renesis engine is remarkably smooth and high revving - all the way to 9000 RPM - and offers a smaller engine footprint than traditional internal combustion engines (some 60 percent smaller than a comparably powered V-6, and 40 percent smaller than a four-cylinder). ...Mazda RX-8: Page 2