http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=6757

The pic makes me want to

But from reading the article it is still early days and the design team is just being formed so there is hope yet.

 

Not gorgeous... but IMO better than the 8 anyday.

 

so I have a feeling that that ENTIRE article is speculation.

 

These rumors have been going on for a while now.

I'll wait to see some spy shots of test mules. Then we'll be able to say for sure if this is going through.

 

Yeah that article has nothing substantial to it at all.

Let's just say I'll believe it when I see it (then again, I said the same thing about the 16X two years ago... let's hope they prove me wrong again).

What I'd really like to see is a reviving of the Rx4-style coupe. There have been a lot of companies that brought back "old favorites" (The mustang comes to mind as a similar type of car, but similar in concept you also have the beetle, the mini, the charger...).

A muscle rotary would be awesome, and would fit with the fact that the 16X apparently has much more torque...

Jon

 

"While Mazda hasn't published horsepower figures yet, we hear it's in the neighborhood of 200–250 bhp."

Why so low? I have to believe that the 238hp peak power in the RX-8 has detracted from it's sales. Given the pace of horse power increases, how many non-rotary enthusiasts are going to be excited about a car that is out dragged by all of the mid-sized V6 family sedans on the market and gets the fuel economy of a Honda Pilot?

I would agree that the article is speculative, but the fact that Road and Track published the information lends credence to the reality of the car. The RX-8 came out in '03, which would be 8 years to 2011. Who's to say this isn't more of a replacement for it?

 

Some sportscar... ha ha. The new 2009 Cadillac CTS-V has 542 horsepower!!! And if any 8 (from the factory) has ever dyno'd at 238hp I'd eat roadkill.

You need 400+ hp for respect in todays sportscar market or a remarkable lighweight chassis mid-powered engine combination think Lotus Exige. But then again these kinds of cars list for twice what an 8 does...

 

When the SAE testing methodology was introduced the RX-8's claimed power output was lowered (again). 238hp is completely reasonable based on the performance numbers it produces.

 

Why doesn't anyone get it?

There will NEVER be another rx7!
Why? Because notice that the last production rotary was the rx8?
If Mazda did decide to release another, it would be an rx9, or another generation of the rx8.
Either way it won't be anything like the rx7.

Think of it as the new r35GTR compared to the 32, 33, or 34. Not even close.

 

I kind of agree about the number sequence. Each generation of the car has been so different, the 2nd gen should have been RX8, 3rd RX9 and then RX10. We should really be looking at the RX11! (lol) As for power, the new 16X is supposed to produce 250-300hp but a big increase in torque, up to like 200-220 ft lbs.

 

Nice car; however, IMO its a far cry from the origional.

 

It looks ok......... let's see how it goes!!!

 

from my understanding, the re-release was based on the sales performance of the RX-8. Sales have been less than desirable. the RX-8 was a little bit of disapointment with all the RX-7 owners as it was not a sports car. It lost the feel of what our cars gave us. I was talking with some reps from Mazda and they indicated to me that after 2009 model they may discontinue the RX-8.

Originally the goal was to re-release the RX-7 in about 08-09. Plans were dropped after poor RX-8 sales. Still a posibility of a re-release but very unlikely. Now with all the enviromental actions going on, the industry is expecting another big change. Car producing big horse power numbers are expected to be cut as they produce to much enviromental damage. After the muscle car era it took from the 80s until the late 90s to really see big power hungry cars again. It took almost 20 years to get back to where we were. No if the laws pass we ould loose everything and be looking at another 20 years to catch up in technology again. What does this mean? No Rx-7. would never meet the emissions regulations.

 

It's gonna be sad that if they come out with another one... it probably won't have the flip up lights...