ALT-1 Mazda Rx 8
Ferris Bueller, who was portrayed by Matthew Broderick in the hit comedy movie, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” from the mid-1980s, had once stated, “Life moves pretty fast.” That was the exact thing that Mazda did when they decided to give the RX-7 the axe after so many years; we all have to move on sometime, right? So, what did Mazda do?
As a successor to the late Mazda RX-7 from the 1980’s and 1990’s, Mazda had done it again as far as producing another product with a rotary engine; it is called the Mazda RX-8. The RX-8 was first introduced in 2004, with an aggressive front end and a low ground clearance to produce a not-so-subtle stance. Unlike its predecessor, the Mazda RX-8 has rear-hinged doors in the back, but they are not really used for two extra passengers, as the car would not have that much room for it. The interior of the RX-8 is similar to any other Mazda such as the 3, the 6, and the CX-7 with your normal AM/FM radio with a single-disc CD player, Bluetooth controls, a sunroof, and a three-spoke steering wheel. But what is really interesting is what is underneath the hood.
The RX-8 comes in two different rotary engines, which basically determines which type of transmission goes with it or vice versa. The automatic transmission comes with the 1.3-liter Wankel rotary engine that produces 212 horsepower whereas the engine for the manual transmission model produces just 20 horsepower more at 232. Acceleration is not that particularly slow for a sports car likes this, but you will also have to sacrifice gas mileage due to the hard-to-maintain rotary engine. Gas mileage comes up at 15 miles per gallon around town and 23 miles per gallon on the highway. I mean, I thought that SUV’s and other larger cars have this type of mileage…but a sporty little Japanese car? Now I have heard everything.
There is also something a little bit different about this little Mazda. Sure, it is Japanese, and it can drift, but the horsepower is actually powering the rear wheels instead of the front like all other Japanese-made cars. This car does not even offer all-wheel-drive like a Mitsubishi EVO or a Subaru Impreza Sti. When I was at Tustin Mazda test driving the RX-8, I decided to have a little bit of fun; of course, the salesperson was next to me, and he actually told me to punch it as hard as I can. When I made that hard right turn on to Jamboree Rd from Portola Pkwy, I felt the car’s tail slide to my left while hearing the rear tires spin and squeal. That was fun, but also a bit intimidating. I thought to myself, “Was I really drifting for the first time?”
Braking was also quite impressive with the RX-8’s 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS. I had experienced a bit of brake fade, though, but I am used to it. Acceleration, though? Horrible; just horrible. Even at a straight-line. 0-60 mph comes up in 7 seconds for an automatic? A stock Mazda 6 with the 3.7-liter 6-cylinder is faster by just one second. While turning hard in the corners, the suspension was just stiff enough for me to not experience much body roll to the side, but I did feel a bit of under steer.
If you are a sports car fanatic, but still need a bit of room to put some cargo in, the RX-8 is the one for you. The suicide rear doors are a big help for loading cargo, and you will not be disappoint by this fantastic multi-tasking car without breaking a huge bank at the pump. Of course, 91 octane is required, even with a not-so-thirsty 16.8-gallon tank.
