RX8 Road test in AutoCar

[clive]

Hi All

You will find attached pictures taken from this week's AutoCar of a track test around a Japanese race track.

Enjoy!

<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Click on the photo's to enlarge:</font></p></blockquote><table border="5" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="5" align="center" width="30"><tr><td><div align="center"><a href="http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/forum-photos/autocar_uk_nov-2002/autocar_01.JPG"><img src="http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/forum-photos/autocar_uk_nov-2002/autocar_01a.JPG" width="338" height="326" border="0" alt="Click to enlarge"></a></div></td><td><p align="center"><a href="http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/forum-photos/autocar_uk_nov-2002/autocar_02.JPG"><img src="http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/forum-photos/autocar_uk_nov-2002/autocar_02a.JPG" width="338" height="233" border="0" alt="Click to enlarge"></a></p></td></tr><tr><td><div align="center"><a href="http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/forum-photos/autocar_uk_nov-2002/http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/forum-photos/autocar_uk_nov-2002/autocar_03.JPG"><img src="http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/forum-photos/autocar_uk_nov-2002/autocar_03a.JPG" width="246" height="338" border="0" alt="Click to enlarge"></a></div></td><td><div align="center"><a href="http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/forum-photos/autocar_uk_nov-2002/autocar_04.JPG"><img src="http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/forum-photos/autocar_uk_nov-2002/autocar_04a.JPG" width="246" height="338" border="0" alt="Click to enlarge"></a></div></td></tr></table></body>


All the Best
Clive;)

[zoom44]

i hate to be the bearer of bad news. while that article does seem to have some newer information and is a pretty good review of the car, the pics are of a preproduction car that is at least 1 if not 2 generations ago as far as styling. it looks to be the one from the road and track article that sam mitani wrote early this year or late last year. so the engine and suspension tunings are not what will be seen in the seen in the show room or in our garages (actually i dont have one of those so will be forced to park on the street). i think the newest est. bhp for the euro version is 240. the plastic inserts in the front air ducts are gone making them bigger. the turn indicators on the side mirrors are gone, replaced with some on the front fenders. i'll grab some of the newer pics and post them.

[zoom44]

here are the newest pics from the german mag autobild
http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/23379.jpg
http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/23383.jpg
http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/23381.jpg
http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/23382.jpg
http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/23384.jpg
http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/23377.jpg
http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/23378.jpg
http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/22634.jpg

[zoom44]

and these are from autoexpress uk
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_14/car_portal_pic_7362_t.jpg
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_14/car_portal_pic_7361_t.jpg
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_14/car_portal_pic_7357_t.jpg
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/picture_library/dir_14/car_portal_pic_7359_t.jpg

[MikeLMR]

I don't like all that plastic crap covering the engine ... you should be able to see the engine when you open the bonnet, not some plastic cover with badges on it ... isn't that what the bonnets for :D

[g11ary]

you would think that the engine must run cooler without all the coverings.
Whats the first place to get knocked on a car, The wing, I hope those indictors now there in harms way are gona be cheap. What was wrong with them on the wing mirror

[richrx]

i just bought autocar and it sounds awsome, the newer pics(red) are also stunning. I WANT ONE NOW:( i think i'll be off to my local dealership to test it when its released:D

I think you'll all agree that it will be a sucess

[Glenn Butcher]

It does look like a very beautiful car indeed! - yes, I WANT ONE TOO! :)

[clive]

Originally posted by g11ary
you would think that the engine must run cooler without all the coverings.
Whats the first place to get knocked on a car, The wing, I hope those indictors now there in harms way are gona be cheap. What was wrong with them on the wing mirror

Hi Gary ,

There wouldn't be any concerns there as provideing you flow the air correctlly , just think of how snug the bodywork envelops the engine on an F1 car ! direction of the air is everything , remember how Keith's Gen 2 overheated when we were at at Le Mans because he left the radiator shroud off and the fan couldn't direct the air through properly . l beleive the rule is 1/4 of an inch gap with correct air flow is suffiant any place on the engine .

Hope this helps.

All the Best Clive.

[Martiny]

Its stunning in red! The interior looks a little tamer in red, too. Unfortunately, I dont have £20K plus for a new one :( .

However, I might be a dad in a few years, so I might need to get a used one, as I have and FD at the moment.

I know its not a sports car like the 3rd Gen RX-7, and I hope that means it will appeal to a wider range of people. What I mean is, I hope Mazda sell a whole lot of them!!!

Cant wait to see one for real!