Mazda’s rotary sports cars hold a near-mythical place in the hearts and minds of many aficionados. The ‘different-ness’ of the triangular Wankel design evokes a kind of independent streak in many people, and the fantastic platforms that Mazda has wrapped around its rotary engines haven’t often disappointed either. The RX-8 is no exception to either of these aspects of the rotary sports car’s charm, though it is beginning to show its age.
The Mazda RX-8 hasn’t seen much in the way of updates over its nearly six-year term. A ‘second-generation’ car was released in Detroit for the 2009 model year, but apart updated electronics and some new bodywork, the car is almost indistinguishable from its forerunner. The only major addition to the range for the new generation is the availability of the factory-tuned RX-8 R3 model, which we received to test recently.
Though the R3 trim doesn’t add any power over the stock RX-8, it does purport to offer something special for the ‘driving-conscious enthusiast’. And it certainly delivers a great deal of fun and capability, provided you know what to expect.
Styling and Exterior
The 2009 RX-8 gets a handful of visual updates that the R3 model shares in or one-ups with its own unique additions, which include new front headlights, redesigned front and rear bumpers, larger exhaust tips, LED rear tail lights, and a rear wing spoiler. Nineteen-inch wheels, a rear-wing spoiler and a front air dam with integrated splitter add aggressiveness to the overall package, and visual appeal bordering on the boyish tuner side of the spectrum.
The R3's center stack is classic RX-8Nevertheless, the RX-8 R3 pulls off the overall look, with a mean and attractive stance. A unique new color is also added to the range for 2009, with the R3 getting exclusive use of the ‘Aurora Blue Mica’ made famous in press photos of the car. Our version was equipped with the ‘Velocity Red Mica’ color, not unique to the R3, but certainly capable of accenting its strong lines. In public, both the color and the car received many unsolicited compliments, from enthusiast friends and from random passersby alike.
Technical
The 1.3L rotary engine, which is simultaneously the real selling point and one weakness of the RX-8, receives no substantive updates for the second generation, and is still rated at 232hp (173kW) in manual-transmission guise. Fuel consumption is horrific, even if you believe the optimistic sticker rating of 16mpg city/22mpg highway. Real-world use saw closer to 13mpg in mixed driving, with that figure sinking under enthusiastic use. Highway-only cruising, when restricted to 60mph or thereabouts, could return the rated 22mpg or even slightly better, but only under optimum conditions - little traffic, no hills, and constant speeds.
The R3 variant can only be had with the six-speed stick, but that’s not likely to be a complaint given its target market, and besides, it’s a very slick, typically-Mazda unit, with light, short throws and an easy-to-work clutch. Heel-toe downshifting is a breeze with the excellent pedal spacing, and the car’s breathy 9,000rpm rev-limiter seems to beg to be booted on aggressive maneuvers.
For drivers that will truly approach (or even occasionally exceed) the car’s limits, the RX-8 R3 is a safe and easy car to drive. Its tendency toward mild understeer can be rectified with careful throttle use, and the nearly perfect seating position, plus a communicative steering wheel, limited-slip differential and well-adapted Bilstein sport suspension give the feedback necessary to balance the car right on the edge. Mazda also claims the urethane foam-filled front suspension cross-members also add to the feel of the car, while reducing noise and vibration.
The near-vertical door-mounted controls are awkward at first, but are easy to grow accustomed toOther changes for all 2009 models include minor adjustments to the rear suspension geometry for improved handling, a low-pressure exhaust on manual-transmission models and an even more rigid chassis. The exhaust note of the RX-8 R3 was decidedly more aggressive than earlier stock RX-8s in a side-by-side test, and the low-pressure system is likely the cause.
Power is obviously lacking, especially at the low end where torque is king (the RX-8’s rotary can muster only 159lb-ft), but the car’s revised rear-end gear ratio, shortened from the previous 4.444 to 4.777, puts more torque at the wheels, though it does so at the cost of top-end gearing.
That last fact may put a dent in use of the newer models for amateur motorsports, especially autocross, where the RX-8 has reigned supreme in its class since its introduction. Gearing in second runs out at a mere 61mph with the new rear-end, compared to the 67mph of previous-generation cars.
On the Road
In traffic, the RX-8 R3’s meager power is noticeable, and the shorter gearing means more frequent shifts. Once at speed, the cabin is relatively quiet and calm, as one would expect of a Mazda. Stomp on the throttle and the variable intake will open things up, increasing noise in the process, but maintain constant velocity and the RX-8 is a pleasant cruiser.
Recaro seats are aggressively bolstered, but attractive and functionalThe rear seats of this nearly-four-door 2+2 configuration are actually usable, even by larger adults, making the RX-8 eminently practical for those that don’t want to give up a sports car but need more than two seats. Unfortunately, the specter of poor fuel efficiency raises its head here, cutting back against the practicality of the car, even in these days of $2/gallon gasoline. Mazda has at least enlarged the tank’s capacity to 16.9 gallons (63.9L) for the 2009 model year.
Flogging the back roads, the RX-8 R3 is a delight, the careful work of Mazda’s original chassis engineers plus six years of refinement and a healthy dose of sporty tuning evident in every corner. Where the RX-8 shines is in making even an average driver feel like a born-and-bred racer, while truly talented drivers can make the car dance.
Equipment and Features
Inside, the RX-8 R3 is essentially a standard Touring-spec car with a few notable exceptions, most importantly the Recaro seats. Though the reviewer is admittedly somewhat larger than average, even smaller folk found the driver’s seat oddly narrow and uncomfortable thanks to the Recaro seat’s aggressive bolstering. It surely worked for sporting purposes, but a long intra-state trip or cross-country haul to see the family would surely and sorely test even the thinnest, most masochistic of drivers. The passenger seat, similarly embossed with the Recaro logo and featuring equally evil-looking bolsters, was somehow much more comfortable, a phenomenon perceived by everyone that tried the car.
Upgrades over the Touring-spec car for the R3 include a 9-speaker 300W Bose sound system, which proved an enjoyable companion when the sound of the singing rotary wasn’t my entertainment. The Bluetooth hands-free phone interface operated as expected, and the upgraded leather handbrake and keyless entry systems were nice touches one would expect on a car of this level, and especially with the $32,580-as-configured price tag.
The aggressive 19in wheels are striking in personNavigation is not an option in the R3 model, making the Grand Touring version the only one to get the updated 7in unit for 2009. But for those concerned with sport - and therefore weight - it won’t likely be missed.
Final Verdict
Overall, the 2009 RX-8 R3 presents a tempting package, in an affordable - at least initially - price range, but the true enthusiast in me can’t help but think the previous car would be preferable for any real sporting applications. The new 19in wheels, which look wonderfully potent on the street, would make for very expensive track-day tires, or could mean a bump to a less-competitive class in some instances. Normally, these issues wouldn’t enter into the calculus, but considering the enthusiast pitch Mazda has given the R3 package and its ostensible target market, these are the sort of factors that could make or break a buying decision.
Considering the shortcomings of the R3 are in part shortcomings of the 2009 models in general - specifically, the shorter rear-end gear ratio - the whole model year may be less than ideal for autocrossers and stock-class road racers.
But for street-only use, the RX-8 R3 is hard to argue with, providing a fully-warrantied, attractive and sporty package with a minimum of fuss or expense. Four adult-capable seats, plus easy entry and exit, have long been the RX-8’s unique advantage in the segment, and despite the weak fuel economy, the sheer fun-factor behind the wheel makes the RX-8 an attractive option for the sport-oriented.
The Mazda RX-8 hasn’t seen much in the way of updates over its nearly six-year term. A ‘second-generation’ car was released in Detroit for the 2009 model year, but apart updated electronics and some new bodywork, the car is almost indistinguishable from its forerunner. The only major addition to the range for the new generation is the availability of the factory-tuned RX-8 R3 model, which we received to test recently.
Though the R3 trim doesn’t add any power over the stock RX-8, it does purport to offer something special for the ‘driving-conscious enthusiast’. And it certainly delivers a great deal of fun and capability, provided you know what to expect.
Styling and Exterior
The 2009 RX-8 gets a handful of visual updates that the R3 model shares in or one-ups with its own unique additions, which include new front headlights, redesigned front and rear bumpers, larger exhaust tips, LED rear tail lights, and a rear wing spoiler. Nineteen-inch wheels, a rear-wing spoiler and a front air dam with integrated splitter add aggressiveness to the overall package, and visual appeal bordering on the boyish tuner side of the spectrum.
The R3's center stack is classic RX-8
Technical
The 1.3L rotary engine, which is simultaneously the real selling point and one weakness of the RX-8, receives no substantive updates for the second generation, and is still rated at 232hp (173kW) in manual-transmission guise. Fuel consumption is horrific, even if you believe the optimistic sticker rating of 16mpg city/22mpg highway. Real-world use saw closer to 13mpg in mixed driving, with that figure sinking under enthusiastic use. Highway-only cruising, when restricted to 60mph or thereabouts, could return the rated 22mpg or even slightly better, but only under optimum conditions - little traffic, no hills, and constant speeds.
The R3 variant can only be had with the six-speed stick, but that’s not likely to be a complaint given its target market, and besides, it’s a very slick, typically-Mazda unit, with light, short throws and an easy-to-work clutch. Heel-toe downshifting is a breeze with the excellent pedal spacing, and the car’s breathy 9,000rpm rev-limiter seems to beg to be booted on aggressive maneuvers.
For drivers that will truly approach (or even occasionally exceed) the car’s limits, the RX-8 R3 is a safe and easy car to drive. Its tendency toward mild understeer can be rectified with careful throttle use, and the nearly perfect seating position, plus a communicative steering wheel, limited-slip differential and well-adapted Bilstein sport suspension give the feedback necessary to balance the car right on the edge. Mazda also claims the urethane foam-filled front suspension cross-members also add to the feel of the car, while reducing noise and vibration.
The near-vertical door-mounted controls are awkward at first, but are easy to grow accustomed to
Power is obviously lacking, especially at the low end where torque is king (the RX-8’s rotary can muster only 159lb-ft), but the car’s revised rear-end gear ratio, shortened from the previous 4.444 to 4.777, puts more torque at the wheels, though it does so at the cost of top-end gearing.
That last fact may put a dent in use of the newer models for amateur motorsports, especially autocross, where the RX-8 has reigned supreme in its class since its introduction. Gearing in second runs out at a mere 61mph with the new rear-end, compared to the 67mph of previous-generation cars.
On the Road
In traffic, the RX-8 R3’s meager power is noticeable, and the shorter gearing means more frequent shifts. Once at speed, the cabin is relatively quiet and calm, as one would expect of a Mazda. Stomp on the throttle and the variable intake will open things up, increasing noise in the process, but maintain constant velocity and the RX-8 is a pleasant cruiser.
Recaro seats are aggressively bolstered, but attractive and functional
Flogging the back roads, the RX-8 R3 is a delight, the careful work of Mazda’s original chassis engineers plus six years of refinement and a healthy dose of sporty tuning evident in every corner. Where the RX-8 shines is in making even an average driver feel like a born-and-bred racer, while truly talented drivers can make the car dance.
Equipment and Features
Inside, the RX-8 R3 is essentially a standard Touring-spec car with a few notable exceptions, most importantly the Recaro seats. Though the reviewer is admittedly somewhat larger than average, even smaller folk found the driver’s seat oddly narrow and uncomfortable thanks to the Recaro seat’s aggressive bolstering. It surely worked for sporting purposes, but a long intra-state trip or cross-country haul to see the family would surely and sorely test even the thinnest, most masochistic of drivers. The passenger seat, similarly embossed with the Recaro logo and featuring equally evil-looking bolsters, was somehow much more comfortable, a phenomenon perceived by everyone that tried the car.
Upgrades over the Touring-spec car for the R3 include a 9-speaker 300W Bose sound system, which proved an enjoyable companion when the sound of the singing rotary wasn’t my entertainment. The Bluetooth hands-free phone interface operated as expected, and the upgraded leather handbrake and keyless entry systems were nice touches one would expect on a car of this level, and especially with the $32,580-as-configured price tag.
The aggressive 19in wheels are striking in person
Final Verdict
Overall, the 2009 RX-8 R3 presents a tempting package, in an affordable - at least initially - price range, but the true enthusiast in me can’t help but think the previous car would be preferable for any real sporting applications. The new 19in wheels, which look wonderfully potent on the street, would make for very expensive track-day tires, or could mean a bump to a less-competitive class in some instances. Normally, these issues wouldn’t enter into the calculus, but considering the enthusiast pitch Mazda has given the R3 package and its ostensible target market, these are the sort of factors that could make or break a buying decision.
Considering the shortcomings of the R3 are in part shortcomings of the 2009 models in general - specifically, the shorter rear-end gear ratio - the whole model year may be less than ideal for autocrossers and stock-class road racers.
But for street-only use, the RX-8 R3 is hard to argue with, providing a fully-warrantied, attractive and sporty package with a minimum of fuss or expense. Four adult-capable seats, plus easy entry and exit, have long been the RX-8’s unique advantage in the segment, and despite the weak fuel economy, the sheer fun-factor behind the wheel makes the RX-8 an attractive option for the sport-oriented.
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