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| 2007 Mazda RX-8 continues the rotary revolution
The Mazda RX-8 is unlike any other sports car. It's the only rotary engine mass production vehicle in the world | |||
| 25 Oct 2006
: The Mazda RX-8 is unlike any other sports car. It's the only rotary engine mass production vehicle in the world. The 2007 model-year edition continues to push the parameters of the sports car segment, this year with only minor updates. New for 2007, the Grand Touring model offers available Sand leather-trimmed seats, while the Touring and the Grand Touring models add a standard 6-disc CD changer. Two new exterior colors are available on all 2007 RX-8 models - Crystal White Pearl and Stormy Blue Mica. The 2007 Mazda RX-8 is available as either a 232-horsepower model fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, or a 212-horsepower model fitted with a six-speed automatic with steering- wheel-mounted paddle shifters for a Formula 1-style driving experience (the change in horsepower ratings from 2006 is due to the new SAE rating standards). Both automatic and manual transmission cars come equipped with power windows, mirrors and door locks, cruise control and an AM/FM/CD audio system with six speakers. The lifeline of this powerfully agile sports car rests underneath the hood thanks to its advanced RENESIS ( Rotary Engine ge nesis - or rebirth of the rotary engine) engine. The Mazda RX-8 remains the only mass produced rotary-powered passenger car in the world. 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 9,000 rpm (7,500 rpm on Sport A/T-equipped models) - and offers a smaller engine footprint than traditional internal combustion engines (some 60 percent smaller and lighter than a comparably powered V-6, and 40 percent smaller and lighter than a four-cylinder. The RX-8 uses an aluminum double-wishbone front suspension, reducing unsprung weight over the use of steel components. An electric rack-and-pinion power-steering system transmits just the right amount of road information back to the driver. The electric motor provides additional assistance at low speeds to ease parking and reduces steering assistance at higher speeds to provide greater road feel, responsiveness and feedback. The RX-8's unique "freestyle" four-door design is proof that a true sports car does not need to sacrifice space or convenience for performance. The advanced design of the rear-hinged rear doors, provides a large door opening. With a spacious rear seat area providing ample passenger room for four full-size adults, and enough trunk space for a weekend's worth of luggage, this sports car proves its versatility. Mazda engineers integrated numerous active and passive safety elements throughout the car. Active safety features, which require input from the driver, include the use of large ABS-equipped disc brakes on all wheels as well as precise steering and suspension systems. Dynamic Stability Control (standard on manual transmission cars with Sport Package, optional on RX-8s with automatic transmissions) delivers a superior level of handling that can be disabled when driving and road conditions allow safe operation. Passive systems, or those that take effect automatically without the driver's involvement, also are present throughout the RX-8. Despite the absence of a center B-pillar, the RX-8 has an exceptionally rigid body, accomplished through the use of a series of locking pins, which hold the doors together and bind each door directly into the roof and floor. Integrating the frame components helps dissipate crash energy through the vehicle's structure. Other standard passive systems on the RX-8 include front airbags, seat-mounted side-impact airbags and side-curtain airbags. Additionally, the front end and engine bay have ample crumple zones, the front seats are designed to reduce whiplash injuries, the brake pedal is designed to break away in the event of a collision of sufficient force to protect feet and legs and all four seating positions are fitted with three-point seatbelts. Even pedestrian protection was considered, as the RX-8 is fitted with Mazda's "shock-cone" hood design that yields more to the impact of a pedestrian onto the hood than a standard design, yet is strong enough to not deform in normal use. In rollover tests performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the RX-8 achieved a five-star rating. Four trim packages are available for both automatic and manual transmission RX-8s: a Standard Model, a Sport Package (adds HID headlights, fog lamps and DSC to M/T cars; adds 18-inch wheels, a limited-slip differential, sport-tuned suspension and larger front disc brakes to these items for Sport A/T cars), a Touring Package (adds moonroof, auto dimming mirror with Homelink® and Bose® audio system with 6-disc auto changer to the Sport Package offerings) and a Grand Touring Package (adds power-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support, leather seating surfaces with the option of Sand leather trim - heated in front - and heated outside mirrors to the Touring and Sport Packages). A DVD-driven satellite-navigation unit is available as a stand-alone option and uses a single DVD for mapping the entire United States and portions of Canada. All 2007 Mazdas come with a roadside assistance program. |
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