Photo: Kolesa
The RX-8 is one of the most talked-about models in recent years. Mazda was interested in giving it a successor at one point, hence the unveiling of the RX-Vision Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2015, and the constant securing of different monikers.
An absolutely gorgeous proposal, the study never materialized, and we suspect that the crossover boom may have had something to do with it. Factor in the stricter emission regulations, and it starts making sense why the Japanese company wasn’t willing to risk a lot of money on R&D to make it happen.
Offered in a coupe body style, with 2+2 doors, and cramped rear seats, the Mazda RX-8 entered production at the Hiroshima facility in 2003. Nine years later, and with almost 200,000 units made, assembly ended altogether, thus leaving the model’s fanbase wanting more. Not everyone was a fan of the rotary engine, and this car was known to have some reliability issues, especially when mistreated. However, that hasn’t stopped people from buying it, and today, you could land a decent one for roughly $10,000.
It comes down to each individual to decide if it’s worth their hard-earned cash, though it’s an extremely fun-to-drive car for the money. A hypothetical successor, which doesn’t seem to be anywhere on the horizon, would need to top it, and while Mazda does possess the right tools to bring it to life, they do not seem interested in it. They also have a new rotary engine in their portfolio, which is an 830cc unit that acts as a generator on the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV. Mind you, with 164 hp (166 ps/122 kW), the crossover isn’t exactly a dream ride, but it could pave the road for a potentially new rotary-powered sports car, especially one with electric assistance that would make it future-proof, for the next few years anyway.
Mazda may not intend to give us such a machine, despite the constant rumors coming from all sorts of ‘insiders,’ but the internet has had its way with it for numerous times. Yes, we’re talking about renderings, because most pixel manipulators have tried to guess what it could look like if it were to happen.
The latest digital illustrations have the peeps at Kolesa behind them, and they use a simple recipe: retain the overall body of the RX-8, complete with the suicide rear doors of small proportions, and sprinkle everything with the auto firm’s latest design language. It borrows some cues from different crossovers when it comes to the lighting signature, and it features the typical Mazda grille. Overall, it doesn’t look bad, but it doesn’t look good either, so would you buy it if they gave it a go with this styling?
Offered in a coupe body style, with 2+2 doors, and cramped rear seats, the Mazda RX-8 entered production at the Hiroshima facility in 2003. Nine years later, and with almost 200,000 units made, assembly ended altogether, thus leaving the model’s fanbase wanting more. Not everyone was a fan of the rotary engine, and this car was known to have some reliability issues, especially when mistreated. However, that hasn’t stopped people from buying it, and today, you could land a decent one for roughly $10,000.
It comes down to each individual to decide if it’s worth their hard-earned cash, though it’s an extremely fun-to-drive car for the money. A hypothetical successor, which doesn’t seem to be anywhere on the horizon, would need to top it, and while Mazda does possess the right tools to bring it to life, they do not seem interested in it. They also have a new rotary engine in their portfolio, which is an 830cc unit that acts as a generator on the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV. Mind you, with 164 hp (166 ps/122 kW), the crossover isn’t exactly a dream ride, but it could pave the road for a potentially new rotary-powered sports car, especially one with electric assistance that would make it future-proof, for the next few years anyway.
Mazda may not intend to give us such a machine, despite the constant rumors coming from all sorts of ‘insiders,’ but the internet has had its way with it for numerous times. Yes, we’re talking about renderings, because most pixel manipulators have tried to guess what it could look like if it were to happen.
The latest digital illustrations have the peeps at Kolesa behind them, and they use a simple recipe: retain the overall body of the RX-8, complete with the suicide rear doors of small proportions, and sprinkle everything with the auto firm’s latest design language. It borrows some cues from different crossovers when it comes to the lighting signature, and it features the typical Mazda grille. Overall, it doesn’t look bad, but it doesn’t look good either, so would you buy it if they gave it a go with this styling?
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