autoevolution
 

Mazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody Madness

Did you see that meme about the rotary engine where they quote Donald Trump in saying "Great idea, doesn't work?" It might be true, but it's still a cool car, one that refuses to die due to its unique engine and styling.
Mazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody Madness 10 photos
Photo: Brad Builds/Instagram
Mazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody MadnessMazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody MadnessMazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody MadnessMazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody MadnessMazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody MadnessMazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody MadnessMazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody MadnessMazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody MadnessMazda RX-8 "Gray Ghost" Has Window Delete and Widebody Madness
We think the RX-8 is one of the last bold sports cars made by the Japanese auto industry. It hasn't got the same performance and handling as its predecessor. But we still enjoy this look, featuring a face that seems to smile and relatively rare suicide doors.

You can find some of these pretty cheap, despite their cult status, and that's because most of the value is in the engine. Did it have enough oil? Was it thrashed or raced? How are the pistons looking? These are all questions you need to ask, but are difficult to answer.

Yet people still dream of daily-driving an RX-8 precisely because it's a bad idea. And digital artist Brad Builds was tasked by his fans with creating the craziest daily Mazda of all time, which he did.

The conversion leaves the RX-8 looking blind, as the headlights have been body-colored. A massive body kit is also added, with fender flairs, spoilers and a gratuitous rear wing. Rember that despite its sports car credentials, this thing only had a 1.3-liter packing about 230 horsepower.

Yet the most interesting feature of the RX-8 Gray Ghost is the rear window delete. The look is now reminiscent of both a tiny ute and a smart roadster, which coincidentally belongs to the same era.

What would you do if you wanted to daily-drive an RX-8 but had no money? Probably swap the engine out for something more reliable but still interesting. The most common swap is an LS1, but the problem with that is that it weighs about twice as much as the 13B. Now, that affects both balance and body roll, so you're essentially left with a dragster, not a sweet-handling sports car.


If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories