Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Frankfurt 2007: Mazda RX-8 Special Edition]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/17/frankfurt-2007-mazda-rx-8-special-edition/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/17/frankfurt-2007-mazda-rx-8-special-edition/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/17/frankfurt-2007-mazda-rx-8-special-edition/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Mazda is celebrating 40 years of putting engines inspired by pony kegs in their cars by rolling out a special version of the RX-8 2+2. Mazda's official hyperbole about the RX-8 brags that the car changed customer expectations of what an affordable sports car should be when they launched the four-place coupe in 2003. It sure did; we've now come to expect less than the stated power output from the Renesis Wankel, which also swills oil like a... well, like a Wankel. Now that we've ensured that every single Rotary fan on Autoblog will lambaste us, let's go on to say that we really do like them. Any engine you can mercilessly spin out to 10,000 RPM without aerating the block has significant entertainment value. The fact that there's about three major moving parts is cool, too.

The Special Edition RX-8 has two new colors for its sinewy sheetmetal, Metropolitan Grey and Crystal White Pearl. There's also new ten-spoke wheels, blue tinged foglamps, and the obligatory emblems to dress up the exterior. Open the clamshell doors and the Special Edition greets you with a specially outfitted interior, full of Alcantara, contrast stitching, leather, and silver bits. It's not all just prettying up, either. The suspension crossmembers get shot full of foam for quieter operation, and there are new springs that are held in check by Bilstein dampers. So, while there's been no massive power upgrade to the RX-8, the Special Edition is more than just a glamorization of an affordable, entertaining coupe.

Press release after the jump.

Gallery: Mazda RX-8 Special Edition



Continue reading Frankfurt 2007: Mazda RX-8 Special Edition

Frankfurt 2007: Mazda RX-8 Special Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>editionmazdamazda rx-8MazdaRx-8rotaryrx 8rx-8rx-8 special editionRx-8SpecialEditionRx8specialspecial editionSpecialEditionwankelMon, 17 Sep 2007 13:04:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/989229/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/09/17/frankfurt-2007-mazda-rx-8-special-edition/989229/article-detail.xml 989229 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/09/carscoop_mazdarx8_for-post_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/09/carscoop_mazdarx8_for-post.jpg <![CDATA[Celebrate 40 years of rotary power with Mazda]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/30/celebrate-40-years-of-rotary-power-with-mazda/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/30/celebrate-40-years-of-rotary-power-with-mazda/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/30/celebrate-40-years-of-rotary-power-with-mazda/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click image for a gallery of the Mazda Cosmo Sport

The good old internal combustion engine has been in service since the 17th century when Sir Samuel Morland rather impractically used gunpowder to drive water pumps. It was not until 1876 when Nikolaus Otto invented the modern four stroke engine that the internal combustion engine became practical for automobiles, however. Those same four cycles, intake, compression, combustion and exhaust are used in the Wankel rotary engine, although instead of the strokes of a piston the rotary creates it's cycles as a roughly triangular shaped rotor spins inside its housing. Doesn't make sense? Click here.

2007 marks Mazda's 40th in using the rotary engine. Our favorite application of it would have to be the Cosmo Sport, of course. Many of you will choose the RX-7 as a personal favorite. It's also alive in the current RX-8, which even sports a hydrogen-powered version for the alternative fuel crowd. And we'd be remiss if we forgot to mention the jaw-dropping four-rotor 787B racer that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Those of us who own, or have owned, a rotary engined vehicle and loved it can take this moment to say "thanks" to Felix Wankel and to Mazda for its commitment to the rotary. Forty years and going strong!

We've assembled four galleries of famous Mazda rotaries, including the Cosmo Sport gallery below, as well as galleries of the RX-7, RX-8 and 787B Le Mans racer.

[Source: Mazda]

Gallery: Mazda Cosmo Sport

Continue reading Celebrate 40 years of rotary power with Mazda

Celebrate 40 years of rotary power with Mazda originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 May 2007 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12a13bfelix wankelFelixWankelmazdarotaryrotary engineRotaryEnginerotorrx 7rx 8rx-7rx-8rx7Rx8wankelWed, 30 May 2007 13:25:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/906727/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/05/30/celebrate-40-years-of-rotary-power-with-mazda/906727/article-detail.xml 906727 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/05/cosmosport_track_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/05/cosmosport_track.jpg -1 2