Enthusiasts of the rotary engine waited a long time - 13 years to be exact - for the return of the remarkably light and powerful piston-less engine.
We watched the rotary engine fade away, along with the Mazda RX-7 back in 1991. It wasn't until the 2004 model year that the rotary engine made its way back under the hood of a Mazda sports car, thanks to the Mazda RX-8.
Forty years of rotary-engine racing success went into the design of the RX-8's advanced RENESIS (Rotary Engine Genesis) engine. Incorporating many elements that made the RX-7 the most successful model in International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) history and brought Mazda the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans overall win, the RENESIS engine is exceptionally well-built and capable.
With a rotary engine, there are no pistons, valves or reciprocating parts of any kind. The RX-8's rotary engine features two triangular rotors in separate cocoon-shaped combustion chambers. This engine is remarkably smooth and high revving - all the way to 9000 rpm.
The only down side is that the RENESIS, like previous rotary engines, lacks low-end torque. Aside from that, the RENESIS engine helps make the Mazda RX-8 very fun to drive.
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2006 Mazda RX-8's 1.3-liter twin-rotor engine is tuned to produce 232 horsepower when mated to the 6-speed manual transmission, but it spits out 212 horsepower when teamed to the 6-speed automatic transmission.
It should be noted that the RX-8's rotary engine is about 40-percent smaller than a four-cylinder engine and the RX-8 weighs in at a scant 3,000 pounds.
The rear-drive RX-8 benefits from placing the powerplant low and far back in the engine bay in what Mazda calls an advanced front-midship layout. This lowers the center of gravity and improves vehicle balance. In addition, the fuel tank is placed ahead of the rear axle, and all seating is within the wheelbase and track of the car.
Combined, these factors contribute to a perfect 50/50 vehicle weight distribution, offering superb handling characteristics. With such excellent balance, the rear-drive RX-8 feels like its on rails when negotiating high-speed corners or tight freeway onramps.
My 2006 Mazda RX-8 tester came equipped with the 6-speed manual gearbox. It features a short-throw close-ratio design, which is great fun while pushing the engine up near redline.
The RX-8 is a bit tenuous off the line, but it quickly gets up to speed.
The RX-8 features 2+2 seating but with easy access to the rear bucket seats thanks to rear-hinged swing-out rear access doors.
There's just enough room for four average-sized adults inside the RX-8. If you try stuffing taller folks in the rear, they'll likely complain about head- and legroom. Up front, there was plenty of room, but I needed to push the front seat to its rear-most position.
The styling of the Mazda RX-8 is made up of taut muscular lines, suggesting the look of an athlete in motion. The muscular design maintains classic sports car proportions while adding a Zoom-Zoom edge that is unmistakably Mazda.
Integrated throughout the exterior is the unique triangular rotor design, which clearly can be seen in the front fascia, head lamps, hood and rear bumper valence.
Some may like the thin credit card-sized remote keyless entry device that Mazda is using for its various products, but I prefer having the standard or typical sized key fob.
It's enlightening to know that a fun-to-drive sports car like the RX-8 won't break the bank. With a starting price of around $27,000, the RX-8 is worthy of the attention it's getting.
2006 Mazda RX-8
Engine: 1.3-liter (232 hp) twin-rotor rotary
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Drive Type: RWD
Fuel Economy: 18 city/24 highway
Base Price: $26,435
As Tested: $31,505 (including $560 for destination)
Website: http://www.mazdausa.com