Thursday 9th August 2007

Japan Gets Anniversary Edition RX-8

Mazda celebrates 40 years of rotary engines with this special edition RX-8

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All 200 units will be sold in Japan

Mazda is celebrating the 40^th anniversary of its rotary engine with this special edition RX-8. Limited to just 200 units, the ingeniously titled ‘RX-8 Rotary Engine 40^th Anniversary’ pays homage to the Cosmo Sport, Mazda’s first rotary-engined car.

In addition to the marble white paintwork, each car features keyless entry, special anniversary badging, 18in chrome wheels and a unique black and silver alcantara interior. Performance remains unchanged from the standard RX-8’s 228bhp output, but Mazda says it has improved the

Interior gets bespoke black and silver alcantara trim

car’s ride and handling by fitting Bilstein dampers and a foam-filled front cross member.

A worthy tribute, but unfortunately the car is only on sale in Japan where it costs the equivalent of £13,000 and is available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed auto ‘box.

'67 Cosmo Sport: the original rotary-engined Mazda

[oagent]

Did I read that right? £13 in Japan....
Whats the average wage like over there? Yet another case of rip off Britain - goes to start learning Japanese

[Goochie]

Thats a fair bit less than the special edition PZ that we get in the UK !

[kambites]

Average salary in Japan is roughly half what it is here I think. Not sure where I get that figure from though, I might be wrong.

[jon-]

kambites said:

Average salary in Japan is roughly half what it is here I think. Not sure where I get that figure from though, I might be wrong.

You're thinking of average height

[Fallen Angel]

All 200 will be sold in Japan - hmmm wonder if that is private buyers or those looking to make a fair bit on exports....

I actually quite like it... then pass it over to Pro Drive to their bit

[Trenchtown]

I am soooo fed up with all these sexy special editions never leaving the island. Mugen RR, NISMO editions, etc...

I don't even get the point: There is a market for those cars over here in Europe, and yet they refuse to sell them over here.

[ceriw]

"a foam filled front cross member"
A must have....? What an inane thing to write to promote the car.
Maybe it's big in Japan?

Edited by ceriw on Thursday 9th August 13:55

[StephenJJones]

Does anyone know of anyone that's importing them? Just e-mailed the boss to ask if I can order one to have as a new Company car! Be well cheap on the old Company Car Tax!

Tried to go on the Jap Mazda website, but Google doesn't do a good job of translating the page

[RichyBoy]

Isn't the minimum wage in Japan £10 per hour so surely average wages are higher.

[tommundy]

kambites said:

Average salary in Japan is roughly half what it is here I think. Not sure where I get that figure from though, I might be wrong.

I'd say the average salary is equal to or higher than over here and they have a lot better standard of living, product variation and customer services etc.

Cheers
Tom

[Hendry]

StephenJJones said:

Does anyone know of anyone that's importing them? Just e-mailed the boss to ask if I can order one to have as a new Company car! Be well cheap on the old Company Car Tax!

Tried to go on the Jap Mazda website, but Google doesn't do a good job of translating the page

Litchfield Imports would probably bring some in if they could get their hands on any. Don't expect it to be anywhere near £13K landed though.

[regroo]

Well they really pushed the boat out with the special edition!!! A bit of foam and changing dampers, is this the way one of the most barkingly tuneable engines should be celebrated? What about 300+HP, aggresive drivetrain, a pair of kevlar seats, alacantara trimming, magnesium wheels and lightweight windows?

[sad61t]

ceriw said:

"a foam filled front cross member"
A must have....? What an inane thing to write to promote the car.
Maybe it's big in Japan?

Edited by ceriw on Thursday 9th August 13:55

Foam filling stiffens the component without adding excessive weight. Given that it's part of the improved ride and handling, it's not inane just more detail than we're used to. Japanese are hot on minutiae.

[PhantomPH]

Mazda in 'yet another special edition' shocker!!!

Christ, it's all they ever do! Every colour option is a bloody special edition.

Lets put this sticker on the boot and pain it pink. Behold our new 'girly-girl' special edition...

I loved my RX-8. Then it blew up. Then I just really liked the second one they gave me as a replacement. Then I got tired of the poor traffic manners and it's drink problem and stopped liking it.

I should have glued a badge to the rear and called it a special edition!

</cynic>

P~

[kambites]

tommundy said:

I'd say the average salary is equal to or higher than over here and they have a lot better standard of living, product variation and customer services etc.

The Japanese people I work with probably do have a higher standard of living but they have a FAR lower quality of life. They work about 70 hours a week!

[bad_roo]

oagent said:

Did I read that right? £13 in Japan....
Whats the average wage like over there? Yet another case of rip off Britain - goes to start learning Japanese

RichyBoy said:

Isn't the minimum wage in Japan £10 per hour so surely average wages are higher.

Sweet. So you'd only have to work for an hour and a half in Japan to get one of those Mazdas? I'm booking a ticket.

[Dodgey_Rog]

oagent said:

Did I read that right? £13 in Japan....
Whats the average wage like over there? Yet another case of rip off Britain - goes to start learning Japanese

You forget, the public set the price on everything, its done by research on what the public are prepared to pay i'm afraid, its always been the case in the motor industry.

Thats why you used to have to pay some 20k for an MPV to cart your kids around when everybody knows that most families won't or can't afford to spend 20k on a car, thus the price slowly dropped over time.

Its something that i don't see changing too soon, but depending on how the economy goes it might change slightly. Over here in the US, i can walk into my local Porsche dealership and buy a brand new Cayman for $42k, which is about 21k GBP, there's tax on top of that as well, but you get the idea.

[Conian]

Trenchtown said:

I am soooo fed up with all these sexy special editions never leaving the island. Mugen RR, NISMO editions, etc...

I don't even get the point: There is a market for those cars over here in Europe, and yet they refuse to sell them over here.

We get special editions over here too....

MG Maestro



um




MG Metro





er




I'm off to Tokyo.

[stagman]

I thought that perhaps a few cans of oil and some spare rotor tips would be a nice extra to include for a special edition!

[kbee540]

The only thing the RX8 needs is 50 more horsepower and more torque. The only thing Mazda refuses to bolt onto it is 50 more horsepower and more torque. New colours and fancy dampers and some foam - woo and indeed hoo. Why bother?

Test drove one. Loved the handling. Liked (mostly) the interior and the practicality. Would have bought one, but it was just too weedy (used to a 4.4 v8 to be fair). Fix that Mazda and you might steal some 350Z and TT buyers. Until then - and no offense to our female petrol head friends - it remains a girlie car.