Nip and tuck for RX-8
Upcoming facelift for Mazda's four-door coupe will be accompanied by a new GT versionMazda is clearly doing well with its RX-8 runout as it has already started issuing information on the upcoming facelift model due in July this year.
The update (already reported here) will give the four-door rotary coupe a new, bolder front end and a minimally revised rear end, while introducing a new GT variant that will pick up 19-inch wheels as well as suspension and engine modifications to further sharpen on-road agility.
While the basic sculpture is essentially unchanged, the new RX-8 faces the world with more aggression via enlarged side air intakes in the new front bumper, as well as a much bigger, black-mesh plastic mouth and ¬¬relocated side indicator lights directly below the headlights.
At the back, the 2008 RX-8 gets a subtly re-profiled bumper and new taillight lenses, while it is identified in the side view by a re-design of the front wheel arch "vents" in which the previous slot-style apertures are replaced by smaller decorative panels incorporating side indicator repeaters.
The GT model, in addition to its smart new 19-inch alloys, also gets a high-mount rear spoiler, deeper side skirts and some extra depth to the front spoiler.
Mazda says the RX-8 facelift will bring a "myriad of mechanical upgrades" to improve on-road capabilities but, generally, the car will continue the current formula with its two-chamber Renesis rotary engine, six-speed manual or six-speed auto transmission and lively rear-drive chassis. The current engine develops 170kW and 216Nm in manual transmission form, and 141kW and 222Nm in auto form.
The RX-8 has sold well for Mazda, eclipsing the two-seat convertible MX-5 in its first full year on sale in 2004 with 1639 sales, but has declined steadily since the current MX-5 was introduced in 2005. Last year Mazda sold 731 RX-8s compared to 1170 MX-5s. In total, Mazda has sold more than 170,000 RX-8s world-wide.
No pricing details have been announced for the new model, but it could be expected Mazda will want to stay pretty close to the current model's start point of $55,840 for the 40th Anniversary edition.
How much extra will be charged for the slightly-souped GT is open to speculation.
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