Autoblog

Click the image above for a gallery of the 2009 Mazda RX-8.

Mazda's redesigned RX-8 has officially been released into the wild and, surprise, it's exactly the same as the RS model that debuted at the Tokyo Auto Salon, right down to the wheels. Mazda admits that the 2009 RX-8 is simply a mild evolution of the outgoing model, with a few changes to the exterior and interior, along with a couple of mechanical revisions and a new suspension package.

On the outside, the RX-8's shape is largely unchanged, with a new front and rear bumper, restyled front fascia and larger exhaust pipes. Inside, Mazda has redone the instrument panel and included a "variable red-zone" on the tach that indicates when the Wankel is up to operating temperature (similar to BMW's M-powered products).

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Click image to enlarge the Mazda Furai concept

Mazda has released a teaser shot of its Furai concept, which will debut next month in Detroit alongside the "heavily revised" 2009 RX-8. Its name translates from Japanese to "sound of the wind," and the car takes the design language introduced on the Nagare and applies it to what is literally a race-bred sports concept. The Furai, you see, is built atop the Courage C65 chassis that Mazda campaigned two years ago in ALMS. Power comes from a 450-horsepower three-rotor engine that runs on E100 Ethanol. As for the '09 RX-8, Mazda's announcement states only that it boasts an updated design, better quality and features, and improved handling and acceleration. The announcement now has us wondering if the spy photos that came out yesterday are actually the car we'll see in Detroit, and not the 2010 as initially believed. Finally, Detroit will mark the first appearance of the Taiki concept outside Japan. The Taiki, you'll recall, was introduced at the recent Tokyo Motor Show. We'll be there in force to cover it all.

[Source: Mazda]