2014 Mazda3

[autobrz]

What I've always wished for is mazda to make a piston engined version of the rx-8. Call it the mazda 8 and give it the same motor as the speed 3, keep the suicide doors and the sports car styling, rwd, lower the weight where they can. I might even consider that as a replacement for the brz when I need a bigger people hauler. Are you listening, mazda? lol... they really killed the rx-8 with that rotary... piston mazda 8 will be awesome for those with bigger kids who wants a sports car and can't fit teenagers in the back of the brz...

[red bread]

Originally Posted by autobrz

What I've always wished for is mazda to make a piston engined version of the rx-8. Call it the mazda 8 and give it the same motor as the speed 3, keep the suicide doors and the sports car styling, rwd, lower the weight where they can. I might even consider that as a replacement for the brz when I need a bigger people hauler. Are you listening, mazda? lol... they really killed the rx-8 with that rotary... piston mazda 8 will be awesome for those with bigger kids who wants a sports car and can't fit teenagers in the back of the brz...

Just about the only reason the RX8 was cool was the rotary. It just needed some torque. FD RX7's were a great balance (when they worked). The packaging of the rotary is brilliant and allowed the RX8 to handle and be sized like it was. The MS3 is very heavy for what it is. I drove one for a month recently, and I agree that it's a great motor looking for a good car, but don't mess up (the extinct) RX8.

Mazda needs to put the rotary in more stuff, not less. They just need to make sure they're all turbos. I'm really hoping the next Miata sparks another RX7.

But this all ignores what you mentioned, a functional coupe or sedan. I still hold that whoever is first to market with a sub 3k pound, rwd sedan with an available manual will clean up. I'd love to see a sedan based off the 86, but would happily accept the next Miata chassis as small sedan, especially with something like the MS3 motor.

[n2oinferno]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

The CX-5, CX-9, Mazda 6 and 2014 Mazda 3 all share the some look, the KODO design. I'm hoping they implement that in the new Miata as well.

As for the grill being big, I believe that's a legal roadblock. I remember reading about there some legal design requirement (either in the US or maybe UK) where the front, top of the nose has to be a certain height for pedestrian safety. I don't why some cars can still utilize the wedge shape on the nose, maybe there's a sports car loophole or something.

Pretty sure the hood has to be a certain height, and that's how they get around it. The regulation doesn't say the leading edge of the vehicle, if I remember correctly.

Originally Posted by red bread

Mazda needs to put the rotary in more stuff, not less. They just need to make sure they're all turbos. I'm really hoping the next Miata sparks another RX7.

They're looking to improve fuel economy and reliability. Not the other way around.

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by red bread

Just about the only reason the RX8 was cool was the rotary.

HA!
What on earth you talkin' 'bout? The car was FANTASTIC, the rotary definitely held it back. The chassis was BRILLIANT. Suspension far superior to the twins'. Essentially, it was an S2000 2+2 coupe. Except for the fuel mileage. And oil consumption. And engine reliability.

The packaging of the rotary is brilliant and allowed the RX8 to handle and be sized like it was.

A good small piston engine would not have mucked that up much, if at all. For me, an RX-8 with an S2000-like powerplant would have been about perfect.

The MS3 is very heavy for what it is. I drove one for a month recently, and I agree that it's a great motor looking for a good car, but don't mess up (the extinct) RX8.

I would LOVE for them to revive it with a piston engine. Call it the MX8, maybe? Anyway, not going to happen...

Mazda needs to put the rotary in more stuff, not less. They just need to make sure they're all turbos.

Yeah, that went really well for them last time!

I'm really hoping the next Miata sparks another RX7.

I'm all for it. But as long as fuel mileage and reliability remain what they are relative to piston engines, rotaries will only ever be niche vehicles with extremely limited appeal.

I still hold that whoever is first to market with a sub 3k pound, rwd sedan with an available manual will clean up. I'd love to see a sedan based off the 86, but would happily accept the next Miata chassis as small sedan, especially with something like the MS3 motor.

Agree! Would LOVE to see a modern sport sedan in the E30 vein. Of course BMW would rather sell luxobarges Hopefully success of the 86s will spurn development of a new more minimalist sports sedan.

[red bread]

Rumor from the BMW camp is that there will be 2 series Grand Coupe. This should be close to E46 size, which is a welcome change, but still likely to be a 3,400+ pound ordeal. Clearly the current large, heavy, content rich cars sell well, but for for those of us that actually like to drive cars, they leave a lot out. We went to buy an F30, but were struck by how large and detached they drove, so somehow ended up with an awd, 3,900 pound X1. I'm not sure what happened there...

My dad still has an FD, so I never warmed to the RX8, just like my previous CRX ownership left me despising the Del Sol and the Z4 M Coupe never did anything for me either. I know the RX8 is much better than I give it credit for, but it was such a departure from the raw FD that I never "got" it.

[rice_classic]

The Rotary set Mazda, as a company, back 10-15 years IMHO.

And I agree with above, the RX8 would have been spectacular with a 2.5L Inline 6 with 220-240hp and 180ft/lbs or so of torque.

[jimmillion]

any1 else notice the heads up display glass panel just past the steering wheel?

shit man...why does this have so many toys?

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

The Rotary set Mazda, as a company, back 10-15 years IMHO.

And I agree with above, the RX8 would have been spectacular with a 2.5L Inline 6 with 220-240hp and 180ft/lbs or so of torque.

If their multipoint laser ignition thing and direct injection work out, it'll be worth it.

However, it would've been cool if they did a 9000rpm K engine Those things had tiny strokes, could definitely pull it off.

[M.I.A]

The sedan version.. The pic with hatch you can see the aggressive look n the design but overall the sedan is okay but I rather go with the hatch

[ZetaVI]

I prefer the hatch as well but the sedan still looks really good imo.

[5th 86]

Least they got rid of that huge stupid grin on the front

[Sasquachulator]

yeah now its replaced by a giant nose and the front plate looks like a hitler moustache lol.

I dunno something about the 2014 doesn't work for me....And I actually like the new look on the 6, the CX5 and CX9.

[autobrz]

before the twins existed, I was thinking about buying an rx-8 with a blown rotary and doing a v6 swap, true story... but budget and resource limitations kind of killed off the idea.

[Sport-Tech]

These things look huge, the size of an Accord. Haven't seen dimensions yet but it looks like they are 6-8 inches longer than the current model.