The RX-7 confirmed to be in the pipeline for 2017---RX-Vision Unveil!!
Even if it doesn't help the performance that much, people who will actually buy the cars brand new (not people who just chatter about cars on the internet) want power and torque. Whether you agree with it or not, a lot of it is a status thing. Someone who is going to buy a sports/performance car and make payments on it doesn't want to feel like his neighbor's kid's V6 Mustang outmatches it.
This is so true in so many ways it's not even funny.
Example: In today's market, if you re-release the 255hp Rx7, the 300hp 300zx, and 320hp Supra at similar prices, which one do you think would sell like hotcakes? It wouldn't be the Rx7. Even the fact that the Rx7 is the better overall performer wouldn't matter to the average consumer. It's all about those hp figures.
Full Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 222
Likes: 1
From: Reggio Emilia, Italy
fmzambon... "A higher powered car cannot sell in the same numbers as a lower powered car, all else being equal." There may be something in what you say, but you sure are making me work for it. For instance, if everything was the same for 2 cars -- everything else being equal -- and one line of cars had 400 hp whereas the other one had 250 hp, the car with 400 hp would sell more, not less. Who wouldn't take more if there was no loss of anything else?
If what you meant was that if one car has more power than another, but it costs just more or even disproportionately more, the maker of the more powerful car should expect fewer sales, you might be right. However, some would counter that in the league of halo sports cars there is a certain level of power or bar or hurdle to entry, and I think right now that bar is 450 bhp.
I remember discussing power with Henrik Fisker right before the Aston Vantage was announced and arguing that 375 bhp was too low if the car was meant to compare with the better porsches and some Ferrari's and Maser's. They brought it out at 375 or so and had to raise it to over 400 within a few years. I would probably have brought out a 5.3 Liter engine in the first palce with 450 bhp and capitalized on the Tad Marek v8 engine size Aston produced in one form or another since 1968 through 1997 or so.
There are classes of sports cars where they all need to have at least so much power or they are not really in that class at all. Such under-powered offerings are often priced in the group for which their power is short a few bhp and they sell poorly. I expect that Mazda will come out with something rotary powered and exotic that is priced $55-80,000 or so and destroys most Porsches at the track. Price it with Corvettes and offer the same or better performance in a more exotic package focused around light weight and Chapman-esque handling. A repeat of the FD, but faster and more exotic. That, anyway, would truly float my boat.
Gordon
If what you meant was that if one car has more power than another, but it costs just more or even disproportionately more, the maker of the more powerful car should expect fewer sales, you might be right. However, some would counter that in the league of halo sports cars there is a certain level of power or bar or hurdle to entry, and I think right now that bar is 450 bhp.
I remember discussing power with Henrik Fisker right before the Aston Vantage was announced and arguing that 375 bhp was too low if the car was meant to compare with the better porsches and some Ferrari's and Maser's. They brought it out at 375 or so and had to raise it to over 400 within a few years. I would probably have brought out a 5.3 Liter engine in the first palce with 450 bhp and capitalized on the Tad Marek v8 engine size Aston produced in one form or another since 1968 through 1997 or so.
There are classes of sports cars where they all need to have at least so much power or they are not really in that class at all. Such under-powered offerings are often priced in the group for which their power is short a few bhp and they sell poorly. I expect that Mazda will come out with something rotary powered and exotic that is priced $55-80,000 or so and destroys most Porsches at the track. Price it with Corvettes and offer the same or better performance in a more exotic package focused around light weight and Chapman-esque handling. A repeat of the FD, but faster and more exotic. That, anyway, would truly float my boat.
Gordon
. If two cars were exactly identical except for the power figure (and I mean EVERYTHING else being equal), then yes, the more powerful car would certainly sell more.What I wanted to say, however, was that in the real world a more powerful car is almost always more expensive to run than a lower powered car. This additional expense can keep some customers away, possibly even if the initial purchase price was the same between the lower and the higher powered car.
This is just to say that coming out with a 400+ hp rotary ONLY could be a very risky strategy, as the sales volume would be very small. Adding a lower powered variant alongside the "super" rotary could help generate more sales and better recoup the R&D costs.
Your reasoning about a given power level being required to "play" in a certain class is very true. It all depends on what class the next Rx is targeting. And at that point its price would likely be defined by other (non premium brand) cars in the same class.
Andrea.
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,279
Likes: 728
From: Florence, Alabama
live stream of the new Miata intro from Monterey NOW
Watch the Mazda Miata unveiling live | Autoweek
howard
Watch the Mazda Miata unveiling live | Autoweek
howard
You know, I really don't think pictures does the new Miata justice. It looks very dimensional with all its little humps. I bet it looks killer on person. Can't wait to check it out at Sema this year.
live stream of the new Miata intro from Monterey NOW
Watch the Mazda Miata unveiling live | Autoweek
howard
Watch the Mazda Miata unveiling live | Autoweek
howard
yeah but those earlier pics were concepts and artist renderings and such
I think it's great. Mazda is moving in the right direction, and if some modified version of this chassis will work for an Rx-whatever it would be great.
I think it's great. Mazda is moving in the right direction, and if some modified version of this chassis will work for an Rx-whatever it would be great.
Recovering Miataholic
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,562
Likes: 53
From: Fountain Valley, CA
A turbocharged ND MX-5 Miata would surely be quicker in the mid-range than our stock '94 FD (which my turboe'd '90 Miata could match up to 90 mph or so). The 220 lb drop in weight from the current model would put it at about 2300 lbs, but what is the hp?
IMHO the ND is beautiful; I like it better than my '90 NA, which I owned for over 18 years... love the fender tops being slightly above the hood... means a lot to the forward view.
IMHO the ND is beautiful; I like it better than my '90 NA, which I owned for over 18 years... love the fender tops being slightly above the hood... means a lot to the forward view.
Man cant wait to get the new mx5. I just got a job at a mazda and subaru dealer so ill await the day I get to drive it. Ive taken the impreza sti and brz sti for a spin best on our lot imo.
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 10,672
Likes: 413
From: Charlottesville VA 22901
Looks like a mini mustang which isn't a bad thing but I had hoped for more as well. It makes no never mind to me because I'm not into a 13 to 1 powered car. STill can't figure out why the hell mazda doesn't drop a rotary in the miata and call it the RX5
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 31,857
Likes: 3,243
From: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
I could be worse LOL
Looks like a mini mustang which isn't a bad thing but I had hoped for more as well. It makes no never mind to me because I'm not into a 13 to 1 powered car. STill can't figure out why the hell mazda doesn't drop a rotary in the miata and call it the RX5
Looks like a mini mustang which isn't a bad thing but I had hoped for more as well. It makes no never mind to me because I'm not into a 13 to 1 powered car. STill can't figure out why the hell mazda doesn't drop a rotary in the miata and call it the RX5
to the second point, i agree, a rotary Mx5 seems like the best idea since the bread slicer....they should have done it in 2004
*if you want a rotary muscle car, we have that, the Rx3 is the classic, and then the FC is the modern.
A little kindling for the fire... Here's to hoping it doesn't burn out. This one I REALLY like. Mid engine FTW!
A Glimpse Of A Future Rotary-Powered Mazda RX-9
A Glimpse Of A Future Rotary-Powered Mazda RX-9
A little kindling for the fire... Here's to hoping it doesn't burn out. This one I REALLY like. Mid engine FTW!
A Glimpse Of A Future Rotary-Powered Mazda RX-9
A Glimpse Of A Future Rotary-Powered Mazda RX-9
Those people in that Rx9 article don't have a clue. If "and that's a HUGE IF" Mazda builds another rotary sports car, that car is gonna have to be a HUGE, RELIABLE success before we can even start dreaming of something remotely resembling a mid-engine superstar. Personally, I think a future Rx9 will be an evolution of the 3 rotor Cosmo sport sedan. That seems way more realistic because there's a market for such a car and Mazda needs something uniquely luxurious in their lineup. If and when Mazda decides to go all out, then they can build an Rx12 mid-engine something rediculious rotary monster.
A little kindling for the fire... Here's to hoping it doesn't burn out. This one I REALLY like. Mid engine FTW!
A Glimpse Of A Future Rotary-Powered Mazda RX-9
A Glimpse Of A Future Rotary-Powered Mazda RX-9
this seems appropriate to leave here.
they don't really say anything that hasn't already been mentioned here, and the guy is annoying as hell. So overall, not worth watching. Sorry to those that did haha.
they don't really say anything that hasn't already been mentioned here, and the guy is annoying as hell. So overall, not worth watching. Sorry to those that did haha.
