So the rotary Mazda sports car could be making a return; rumours are of a very different kind of car to what we've known before - a range extender hybrid, with the rotary supporting the battery - but it's interesting nonetheless. Plus, the news means there's a chance to discuss Mazda's last rotary sports car - the infamous RX-8.
Sadly now often seen down at Shed money thanks to its well-documented engine problems, it can be hard to recall just how good a sports car the RX-8 was. That engine design meant it could be placed low and far back, giving a great centre of gravity. The powertrain was exciting, the chassis delightful and the looks attention grabbing. That it found favour with the press and public, at a time when the coupe market was so well stocked with good cars, showed how well the RX-8 was received.
The R3 version, like this RX-8 is, was the best of the bunch, featuring overhauled suspension and even a stiffer bodyshell to make it better to drive. Arriving towards the end of the RX-8's time in the UK, the R3s are rare; being the best ones adds further desirability.
Ah yes, you're thinking, but it's still afflicted by hot start problems, low compression, worn rotor tips and so on. Well, while there's no guarantee of those not emerging at some point, it's hard to imagine a better cared-for RX-8 on sale today. Scratch that; it's hard to imagine a much better cared-for car on sale today.
The ad lists a host of preventative measures employed to protect that delicate engine: Shell V-Power with Protek-R every tank; oil changes every 3,000 miles or less and spark plugs every 8, so seven services since the end of 2017; it's "religiously" kept below 3,500rpm when warming up, and cooled down at the end of the journey; taken to the redline at some point during every tank to prevent coking. It really is meticulous, obsessive care, exactly the kind of maintenance you would hope the majority of RX-8s enjoy, yet we all know sadly do not. This is the seller's second RX-8, bought from a fellow owners club member and with RX-7s in their previously owned history. It's hard to imagine a more suitable vendor.
Not sold? Well, there are a few choice modifications to this RX-8 as well. There are lighter wheels, uprated pads, discs and fluids, plus an LC Rotary remap. For a car that went off sale nearly a decade ago, and was introduced more than 15 years ago, there's still nothing quite like an RX-8. And, despite today's news, nothing ever quite like it again.
For some, the RX-8 is never going to float their boat - too needy, too light on torque, too Japanese. For those that it does appeal to, however, it's hard to think of many better RX-8s, or many more detailed adverts, than this one. And while it's never, ever going to be affordable to run a rotary coupe, or stress-free - you may have heard one or two people say so - that all this is on offer for £5,000 is almost painfully tempting.
Honda S2000s simply cannot be bought for that money anymore, the only 350Zs on offer will be old and leggy ones, and a £5k Audi TT is never going to provide the sort of thrills on offer from an RX-8. Some might say it won't provide the anguish, either, but you'll never know if you don't try...
That the future of rotary engines from Mazda looks positive has to be good news for everybody, as they provide something different in an automotive world that's becoming ever more homogenous. That Mazda's rotary past remains so affordable, despite its woes, should be considered a blessing as well - after all, it would be boring if we all liked the same thing...
SPECIFICATION - MAZDA RX-8 R3
Engine: 1,308cc, twin-rotor rotary
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 231@8,200rpm
Torque (lb ft): 156@5,000rpm
MPG: 25.2
CO2: 284g/km
First registered: 2010
Recorded mileage: 63,000
Price new: c. £24,995
Yours for: £5,300
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