2003→2008 Mazda RX-8

Enter the final production model of the RX-8. The RX-8 incorporates both genuine sports car styling and an interior package spacious enough for four adults. It also includes a further refined front-midship layout as well as a four-door configuration without a center pillar. Exceptional driving performance comes through 50:50 front/rear weight distribution and small yaw-inertia movement.

RENESIS is the name for the next-generation rotary engine. It’s compact design and increased power can be attributed to a new side-intake, side-exhaust layout with the exhaust ports moved to the side housing of the rotor chamber. This allows the size of the ports to be freely set, resulting in an expanded air-intake port area. Naturally aspirated, the RENESIS is smaller and lighter than Mazda’s previous turbo rotary engine (13B-REW), and it is only 338mm high, the same as the transmission. This made it possible to mount the engine about 60mm further rearward and some 40mm lower than in the RX-7, which already has the engine’s center of gravity behind the front axle.

In addition, the adoption of dual exhaust ports for each chamber achieves twice the port area of conventional designs and also allows exhaust port timing to be delayed for increased thermal efficiency in the expansion process. Unburned hydrocarbons are retained for combustion in the next cycle, which greatly reduces emissions. A three-stage induction system, featuring shutter valves at the intake ports of each rotor, utilizes the incoming air’s dynamic charge effect and improves filling efficiency, while twin electronic throttles precisely and flexibly control the valve operation.

Active-safety measures include large-diameter 17-inch ventilated disc brakes on each wheel, a four wheel ABS and newly adopted DSC (dynamic stability control) that senses when the vehicle begins to skid or spin, and counters it by controlling engine torque and applying the brakes as needed.