Info Mazda : Mazda RX-8 Spirit R

  CONCEPT & OVERVIEW 

Mazda RX-8 Spirit R.

Experience the new Mazda RX-8 Spirit R and you will experience something totally unique: the marriage of sports-driving excitement with comfort and quality. It's the perfect example of Mazda's long heritage of bringing sheer delight to drivers around the world, and the full realization of the Zoom-Zoom spirit.

 

STYLING

 

DELIGHT IN THE DETAIL

DRAMATIC LINES EXPRESSING ATHLETIC TENSION

Mazda RX-8 Spirit R's taut exterior gives perfect expression to the three major design objectives of dynamism, stability and tension, to create a form that gives a sense of motion even when stationary. Dramatic lines extend in three-dimensional relief from the aggressive front air intake through the body sides to the boot lid, clearly stating Mazda RX-8 Spirit R's dynamic performance potential from any angle.

The balance of visual mass between the compact-looking cabin and relatively substantial form below the glass areas produces a low visual centre of gravity that conveys a reassuring impression of stability -an impression reinforced by pronounced overfenders and location of the wheels at the extreme corners of the body. In addition, the boldly contoured overfenders and pared-down overall body styling combine to give an instant impression of tension while the blackened 18" rims with red brake caliper add unrivalled style to your perfection.

 COMFORTABLY SNUG INTERIOR

The interior echoes the exterior's athleticism while breaking with the traditional sports car look. Sophisticated, high-quality interior design offers a satisfyingly intimate fit in line with the comfortably snug design theme. Thoughtful selection of materials, textures and colours creates a fresh, mechanical image while the instrument panel's robust central section has wing shaped dashboard sections at each side to give occupants a sense of protection. In addition, emotionally appealing design touches such as rotor motifs are scattered throughout the cabin.

INTERIOR

 

DESIGNED TO DELIGHT

Elegance and comfort is what you will experience inside the Mazda RX-8 Spirit R. You will be deeply immersed with the subtle black with smooth red accents across the steering wheel, seats, hand brake, and side door trim. Not forgetting the specially-crafted Recaro seats only for Mazda RX-8 Spirit R which gives you ergonomic seats you could possibly ever imagine. The addition of 9-speakers Bose premium sound system provides you with the best entertainment you can always enjoy. Moreover, it receives Action Illumination to offer both visual confirmation of operation and a greater sense of delight.

The comfortably snug interior is remade with more dynamic forms and an enhanced feel of quality. The centre stack broadens towards the top to give a thrusting sense of movement. The sporty blackout-type 3-meter cluster features a unique variable red zone in the tachometer that moves according to engine conditions, helping to prevent over-revving when engine temperature is low.

 

UTILITY & COMFORT

 

AN UNPRECEDENTED SPORTS CAR PACKAGE

"A 4-door sports car for 4 adults"-this is the basic concept and Mazda RX-8 Spirit R fills it in style. The dramatically sporty body conceals a cabin with ample space for four, as well as easy entry and exit for all. Key to achieving this are the advanced front midship layout made possible by the compact RENESIS engine, and the innovative Freestyle door system.

SPACIOUS CABIN FOR FOUR ADULTS

The cabin is much larger than you would expect from the exterior styling, offering space that rivals a sports sedan with a comparable wheelbase. Ample headroom is assured thanks to the low seating position made possible by the advanced front midship layout and location of the exhaust catalyzer in dead space below the front seats. Generous knee clearance for passengers in the rear is achieved by minimizing front seatback thickness without sacrificing comfort or hold. And a concave floor under the front seats further contributes to the spacious rear legroom.

DEEP BOOT FOR PRACTICAL, EVERYDAY USE

The deep boot offers plenty of room for everyday use. Replacement of the spare wheel with an emergency puncture repair kit allowed the designers to sink the boot floor inside the rear frame for increased space. What's more, the boot lid is equipped with double hinges and dampers that do not intrude into the boot, making all of the space usable. With a capacity of 290 litres (VDA), the boot offers luggage space for two golf bags or two size-67 Samsonite suitcases -sufficient for a weekend getaway for four. In addition, the centre section between the rear seats incorporates a boot-through box for transporting long items such as skis.

 

DRIVING DYNAMICS

 

TWO CHOICES, ONE SPIRIT

RENESIS

RENESIS: THE UNIQUE RESULT OF UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY

RENESIS is the result of Mazda's long history of rotary engine development. As the world's only mass-manufacturer of rotary engines, Mazda has innovated a host of performance-enhancing technologies which reach full fruition with RENESIS. This advanced, naturally-aspirated power unit features 654cc x 2-rotor.

SIDE INTAKE/SIDE EXHAUST PORT LAYOUT

Mazda RX-8 Spirit R delivers all the pure Zoom-Zoom pleasure that makes Mazda cars so special.

SEQUENTIAL DYNAMIC AIR INTAKE SYSTEM

This innovative system continuously varies intake port area and intake passage length according to engine speed, making high power available across the entire rev range.

MIDSHIP LAYOUT

ADVANCED FRONT MIDSHIP LAYOUT

A key factor in Mazda's tradition of sports car handling is the front midship powertrain layout. Now, as the advanced front midship layout, it's been further refined for Mazda RX-8 Spirit R. Central to this enhanced layout is the naturally-aspirated RENESIS engine's compact size. Thanks to supercomputer design analysis, Mazda engineers were able to make the RENESIS engine both smaller at just 338mm it's approximately the same height as the gearboxand lighter, with absolutely no sacrifice in rigidity. This compact size allowed the engine to be mounted lower and further rearward, effectively shifting weight away from the front of the car. The result is an extremely low yaw inertia moment which directly translates into sharper, more linear steering response. In other words, significantly better cornering capability.

NEAR-PERFECT WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

Mazda RX-8 Spirit R achieves almost perfect 50:50 weight distribution through measures such as locating the fuel tank between the axles. Distributing the weight evenly over all four wheels assures outstanding stability and improved handling. In addition, the low positioning of the RENESIS engine lowers the centre of gravity, further contributing to Mazda RX-8 Spirit R's astonishing handling and response. Together with the wide tread, long wheelbase and short overhangs, it all adds up to truly exhilarating handling and unmatched stability, whether it's winding roads or the open highway.

FAST-SHIFTING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS

The 6 speed activematic gearbox features closely spaced ratios to maximize the RENESIS engine's power potential offer a fast, short throw for crisp sporty gear shifting, made smoother and lighter by linked triple-cone synchronizers for first, second and third gears.

SUPER LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL (LSD)

Newly-developed torque-sensing Super LSD supports safe, enjoyable driving from everyday motoring to forceful driving-at-the-limit. Unlike conventional LSDs with high Torque Bias Ratio (TBR) that demands a high level of driving skill, Super LSD features a low TBR of 2.0, and assures smooth predictable behaviour during fast cornering or on slippery surfaces, as well as improved stability in hard, straight-line acceleration and straight running.

BODY & CHASSIS

BODY AND CLASSIS DESIGNED AND BUILTAS A SINGLE, INTEGRATED UNIT

To deliver the controllability and high-limit performance of a genuine sports car, Mazda engineers designed the body and chassis as a single integrated unit. All components were newly-developed to achieve the best possible performance in spite of the centre-pillarless construction. The resulting high-rigidity body not only delivers outstanding handling stability, it also suppresses transmission of vibration and road noise to the cabin to increase passenger comfort.

HIGH-RIGIDITY LIGHTWEIGHT BODY

A sports car needs a stable, rigid platform to provide superior handling, but that usually means increased weight. Not surprisingly, Mazda RX-8 Spirit R takes an unconventional approach to achieve light weight combined with enhanced body rigidity. Thanks to the advanced front midship layout and lower engine mounting, the upper part of the central tunnel has space for a high-mount backbone frame. This innovative engineering solution runs horizontally, joining the front and rear main frames into a single unit that greatly increases the car's rigidity.

DOUBLE WISHBONE FRONT SUSPENSION

At the front, Mazda RX-8 Spirit R features a newly-developed, in-wheel type double wishbone layout. Long, hot-forged aluminium upper arms and forged aluminium lower arms combine light weight with high rigidity, while the increased arm length gives linear alignment changes throughout the suspension stroke for exceptional control on any road conditions. New bushings for the suspension arm mountings feature zero stopper construction to eliminate unwanted movement of the suspension arms and optimize compliance. Critical front suspension components are attached to a highly rigid subframe to assure stiff suspension support and accurate alignment. Large-diameter gas-filled monotube shock absorbers smoothly soak up shock under all conditions, and the hollow stabilizers have a straight layout for superior effectiveness.

MULTI-LINK REAR SUSPENSION

At the rear, the new multi-link arrangement features five links per side, each with optimized length to achieve linear alignment changes. Large-diameter gas-filled monotube shock absorbers are directly attached to the hub carrier at the bottom for enhanced stroke efficiency. Suspension geometry is carefully controlled to achieve compliance toe control for a consistently high grip, as well as compliance camber control to minimize response lag to steering inputs and improve resistance to external disturbances.

SAFETY

 

UNIQUE REASSURANCE

ADVANCED VEHICLE CONTROL

Active safety is primarily involved with keeping you in control of the vehicle so you can avoid hazards. And Mazda RX-8 Spirit R features a number of advanced technologies to do this. A 4-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (4W-ABS) prevents wheel lockup during hard braking, even on slippery surfaces. Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) works with 4W-ABS to minimize stopping distance by automatically adjusting brake force on the rear wheels according to weight distribution within the car. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) combines 4W-ABS with traction control to manage engine output and brake force on each wheel and minimize the risk of skids or spinning when cornering on slippery surfaces. A two-stage OFF mode allows either disengagement of DSC while maintaining LSD and attitude control during braking, or total system disengagement for highly skilled manoeuvres such as drifting round corners on race tracks.

SAFE, RIGID BODY WITH VIRTUAL CENTRE PILLARS

In spite of the centre-pillarless design, a layout that maximizes the door opening area Mazda RX-8 Spirit R offers both the rigidity essential to sports car handling and crash-safety performance comparable with a conventional sedan. The secret is a virtual centre pillar built into the rear doors. This pillar, made of high-tensile steel and a thick aluminum plate, is joined to the body by heavy-duty door latches at the top and bottom to realize a design that is actually stronger than a conventional centre pillar. In addition front and rear doors also incorporate side impact bars optimally positioned to channel impact energy into the body.

IMPACT-ABSORBING BODY CONSTRUCTION

The Mazda Advanced Impact Distribution and Absorption System body structure safely channels impact energy away from the cabin and its occupants. For low weight and efficient energy-absorption, the forward end of the front side members features an octagonal-section structure made of dual-phase high-tensile steel designed to progressively deform under high crash loads. The rear end of the front side members has a three-pronged structure to channel impact energy into the kickup section, hinge pillar and centre tunnel, and suppress cabin deformation in an offset frontal collision.

ATTENTION TO SAFETY IN EVERY DETAIL

Mazda RX-8 Spirit Ris designed for safety, right down to the smallest detail. An innovative crashable brake pedal design minimizes the risk of pedal-inflicted leg and foot injuries in a frontal collision. The front seats are designed to reduce the possibility of neck injuries in a rear-end collision. Energy absorbing material is used in the pillars and roof side rails to lessen the chance of secondary-impact head injuries. The V-shaped brace between the rear seats prevents luggage in the boot entering the cabin in a frontal collision. ISOFIX anchors in the rear seats give easy, secure installation of a child seat, and dedicated anchors allow use of tether belts to prevent the seat tipping forward in an accident. Even the bonnet is designed to minimize injuries in a pedestrian-vehicle accident: the Shock Cone Aluminum Bonnet features shock absorbing cones and multiple indentations in the inner panel for efficient energy absorption.

AT THE LEADING EDGE OF SAFETY

In spite of its light weight and compact size, Mazda RX-8 Spirit R boasts some of the highest safety ratings in its class. This means you can confidently enjoy the drive, secure in the knowledge that if a collision occurs you and your passengers will be well protected. Active safety measures include high-speed stability tuned on European motorways for assured control, along with a four-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) to enhance stopping power. Passive safety is built around the evolved Mazda Advanced Impact Distribution and Absorption System that delivers outstanding protection in front, side and rear impacts by dispersing collision energy around the body and fiercely resisting cabin deformation. And dual front airbags add another layer of protection.

SPECIFICATION

		Mazda RX-8 Spirit R
Dimensions & Weight
Length x Width x Height	mm	4470 x 1770 x 1340
Wheelbase	mm	2700
Ground Clearance	mm	120
Kerb Weight	kg	1403
Min. Turning Radius	m	-
Engine
Type		RENESIS Rotary , Twin Rotor Water Cooled
Displacement	cc	654 x 2
Compression Ratio		10.0 : 1
Maximum Power	kW/(PS) / rpm	215 / 7500
Maximum Torque	Nm(kgm) / rpm	211 / 5500
Fuel System		Electro Magnetic
Fuel Tank Capacity	L	65
Fuel Recomendation		Unleaded Petrol RON 95
Steering
Type		Rack & Pinion
Power Assist Type		Direct Drive, EPS
Drivetrain
Transmission Type		6 Speed Automatic
Chassis & Support
Setting		Sport
Suspension	Front	Double Wishbone with Torsion Bar, Tubular Type Stabilizer
	Rear	Multilink with Torsion, Tubular Bar Stabilizer
Brakes
Type	Front	Ventilated Disc
	Rear	Ventilated Disc
Wheels & Tires		Alloy Wheel 225/45 R18