I'm stunned nobody has already found and posted this.
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110822/OEM01/308229979/1117
cause- low sales- 1134 in 2010, down 49% from 2009, and it's reported that 2011 sales are down another 21%. (they peaked at over 23.5k sales in 2004)
discuss.
alfadriver wrote: I'm stunned nobody has already found and posted this. http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110822/OEM01/308229979/1117 cause- low sales- 1134 in 2010, down 49% from 2009, and it's reported that 2011 sales are down another 21%. (they peaked at over 23.5k sales in 2004) discuss.
Wow. being down 21% off of 1134 cars doesn't leave very many cars this year, especially since it's only August. Too bad. It is absolutely not financially adventurous, and it doesn't loo like that technology is going into anything else anytime soon.
Yeah that's the trouble with the sports car market - we're a noisy minority. That is, we all say we want a rotary-engine car, but reality - and human nature - show that for everyone saying they'll buy it, 99% don't, and that's out of tiny segment to begin with. Kit car builders learn this the hard way over and over.
could it have hurt that the RX8 was an ugly beast?
I've always really liked the RX8, despite it's compromises. However, if it didn't pass emissions requirements in Europe it's royally screwed. Hopefully if the 16X ever sees the light of day it'll properly address the problems the rotary faces. The economic situation paired with gas prices makes for a hostile climate for a car like that. It's too bad, because the chassis itself is probably one of the most dd-useful rwd platforms.
In other words, that sucks but I'm not surprised.
The answer is miata. When the miata came out the RX7 was a 30K car. The Miata was a 19K car. This killed the RX7. So Mazda tries to rebrand things with the RX8. THe problem is the RX8 really is not anything. IT was a cross between an RX7 and a Millenia. THe problem here is that although it does both jobs well mot people shopping for a car usually want one or the other. Hence forth the RX8 being a great car has no real nitch other than it is a rotary. I think the last nail was MPG. It was trying to appeal to a crowd that is MPG sensitive. And it fails miserably in the MPG war. I will be sad to see it go but not as much as the last rx7. I am still hoping that the RX7 will come back. But being that the MX5 is the bread and butter of mazda I am sure they will never bring back the RX7 as it would be a competitor to the MX5
Back in 1990, I remember a brand-new yellow Miata on a show stand with the hood up... and a rotary in it. Hello...
RX8's handled awesome, but DAMN they're slow. Hopefully Mazda figures it out with the next iteration of the rotary.
I honestly wish they would offer that body with a regular engine to make the numbers work, it may be cheap enough to produce in those quantities, and I love the four door design. My 6'1" frame fits neatly and nicely in the rear. Given good enough mileage, and a price below the GTO, it could be a great substitute for the disappearing Goat.
Are they even continuing development of the rotary? I'd read somewhere that the new US regs would kill it.
Wonder how this will affect their racing. They were able to run with the Big Dogs with the RX8, and totally stock too!! (Sarcasm)
mndsm wrote: RX8's handled awesome, but DAMN they're slow. Hopefully Mazda figures it out with the next iteration of the rotary.
I wouldn't call them SLOW exactly, just not fast enough for the MPG returned. They're faster than some of their competition, slower than others.
Honestly the rotary ship seems to have sailed. When it's a massive improvement in speed AND economy to swap in a piston engine, the rotary just seems to be there for tradition. And a sports car should be high performance, not just high tradition. What would a piston engined RX-8 be called? PX-8? That's not a bad name. Or RX-8 could be kept and the "R" would be for "reciprocating."
If Mazda still had the Ford ties, they could drop the Coyote V8 in there. But then, Ford might not like how much better it was than the Mustang.
tuna55 wrote: I honestly wish they would offer that body with a regular engine to make the numbers work, it may be cheap enough to produce in those quantities, and I love the four door design. My 6'1" frame fits neatly and nicely in the rear. Given good enough mileage, and a price below the GTO, it could be a great substitute for the disappearing Goat.
Likewise. It was on my list back in '04 and I liked it a lot. Ended up with an Infiniti G35 mainly because of mistrust/unfamiliarity with the rotary. Warranty claims and stone cold resale market on RX-8's in subsequent years validated my concerns. I would have jumped all over that thing with the MS3 motor in it.
dculberson wrote: What would a piston engined RX-8 be called? PX-8? That's not a bad name. Or RX-8 could be kept and the "R" would be for "reciprocating."
If it follows naming convention, it'd be called an MX-8
scardeal wrote:dculberson wrote: What would a piston engined RX-8 be called? PX-8? That's not a bad name. Or RX-8 could be kept and the "R" would be for "reciprocating."If it follows naming convention, it'd be called an MX-8
[slaps self in forehead] Oh yeah.
dculberson wrote: If Mazda still had the Ford ties, they could drop the Coyote V8 in there. But then, Ford might not like how much better it was than the Mustang.
Now there's an idea...
Don't need no Coyotes... all Mazda needs is to learn to not fail at fuel, stick a better pump and a bigger turbo on the DISI, and stuff that pig in there.
Dashpot wrote: I would have jumped all over that thing with the MS3 motor in it.
I've had that thought a number of times myself. It would have been a much harder decision between a 275 HP R/MX-8 and a 305 HP 350Z than the magic spinning triangles version. At the time, I had an hour+ 30+ mile commute in traffic with about 5 turns.
Mazda just needs to ask Ford for some 3.5 liters of Ecoboost and domination of the V6, rwd, grand touring car world would commence.
mmmmm 365 hp and 420 ft-lbs mmmmm
No surprise with the cancellation. It's hard to justify production when sales are so low and the cars drink fuel like Charlie Sheen consumes scotch and blow.
The Rx8 has always been a niche car, much like all the rotor cars. If Mazda wants to showcase it technological prowess with a performance car, it should use a variation of the MS3 motor. There will plenty of opportunities to play on race tracks.
RossD wrote: Mazda just needs to ask Ford for some 3.5 liters of Ecoboost and domination of the V6, rwd, grand touring car world would commence. mmmmm 365 hp and 420 ft-lbs mmmmm
I have to wonder how much of that tech isn't already Mazdas doing. Let's see here. Ford has almost 0 boosted cars in the US, aside from the SVO's. Suddenly Ecoboost turns the world on its head? Something smells fishy.
*Disclaimer- I am not hating on the Ecoboost. It's a wicked engine, and I hope they put one into a Mustang, because a TT v6 stang tickles all the right places. But I can't imagine that it would have been a solely ford design.
Ford had 1 turbo engine the 80's (2.3T, used in the TBird Turbo Coupe, Cougar XR-7, and Mustang SVO / GT Turbo). The 2.2T in the Probe GT was a Mazda motor. Then Ford when SC with the TBird Super Coupe and Cobra SC. EcoBoost is indeed out of left field.
For those calling it slow, it may be in a straight line, but the RX-8 turns in track times on par or better than the E46 M3 and S2000 in different tests. That's pretty good in my opinion...
Maybe GM will pick up this technology and develop a 4-rotor to put in a mid-engined Corvette........
Oh wait...
The rotary in the rx8s totally sucked. A co-worker just had to shell out $4500 out of pocket b/c Mazda wouldn't give her the "FREE" engine it ended up getting anyway! The car only had about 30k miles on it, and I guarantee you it wasn't beat on.
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