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By Autotropolis Editors
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Strengths: |
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Unique, high-revving rotary engine; free-flow door system with room for four adults; aggressive styling; affordable price; excellent handling. |
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Changes: |
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For 2008, Mazda offers a special-edition 40th Anniversary RX-8 to celebrate the company's 40th year of employing rotary technology in its passenger cars. The car comes only in Metropolitan Gray with Cosmo Red leather interior, and has a stiffer suspension, special 18-inch wheels, blue tinted fog lamps, a silver engine cover, and unique badging.
Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring trim levels are still offered, and all base prices remain static. The DVD navigation system will only be offered in the Grand Touring model. |
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Value: |
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The 2008 Mazda RX-8 offers a unique driving experience in the automobile world. Not only is the twin-rotor 1.3L RENESIS rotary engine the only one of its kind, but no other car in the class offers four doors. Add to the mix crisp handling and an entry price of just over $26,000, and the RX-8 easily slots in under the Infiniti G35 coupe, Nissan 350Z coupe, and BMW 3-Series coupe. |
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Overview: |
The 2008 Mazda RX-8 is the perfect compromise between a pure sports car and a sports sedan. The high-revving rotary engine sounds like nothing else, and the free-flow door system allows four adults easy access to the front and rear seats. The rear seat features a handy fold-down center section that allows long items like skis to extend from the trunk into the cabin.
Mazda has done wonders with the Wankel rotary engine, and the powerplant benefits from fewer moving parts and much better balance than traditional combustion engines. The RX-8's perfect 50/50 weight distribution equates to crisp, nimble handling in all conditions.
All RX-8 trim levels-Sport, Touring, Grand Touring, and 40th Anniversary-have the 1.3L rotary engine and are available with either six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, with paddle shifters on the auto.
The manual-equipped car produces 232 horsepower with a 9,000 rpm redline, while the automatic cars put out 212 horsepower at 7,500 rpm. Each car returns 16 mpg city. The manual gets 22 mpg and the automatic 23 mpg on the highway.
Standard convenience and safety equipment across the model range includes keyless entry, air conditioning, an alarm system, cruise control, power windows, a tire pressure monitor, anti-lock brakes, and front, side, and curtain air bags.
Touring and Grand Touring models add xenon headlights, a power moonroof, a Bose stereo, and a six-disc CD changer. Unique to the Grand Touring car are heated leather seats with power adjustment, heated mirrors, and advanced keyless entry and start.
DVD navigation is optional only on the Grand Touring model for $2,000.
A limited number of 40th Anniversary models will be built for 2008 to celebrate Mazda's long-lived use of rotary technology in their production cars. The special edition model comes with a silver engine cover, stiffer suspension, blue tinted fog lamps, unique wheels, a leather-wrapped shifter, and special floor mats. It is only available in Metropolitan Gray with Cosmo Red interior.
The Sport model offers a Performance Package, which adds xenon headlights, and stability and traction control. Sirius satellite radio is a $430 option across the range, as is a $1,100 Appearance Package.
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