Speed Read: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3
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Photography by Zerin Dube
Price: $33,030
Major equipment: : 1.3L RENESIS 6-port rotary engine, 6-speed manual transmission, Bilstein shock absorbers, HID headlamps 19-inch forged alloy wheels w/ 225/40R19 tires, R3 specific aero kit, Recaro seats, Sirius satellite radio ($430 option)
In the fleet: 12/11/2008 – 12/18/2008
Approximate mileage driven: 170
Z. DUBE: When the original Mazda RX-8 was launched in 2003, rotary fans across the world rejoiced. Mazda’s famous rotary engine design had found a new home, by way of a very unique four-door sports car. Since 2003, Mazda has changed very little on the RX-8 with the exception of a few special edition models to keep interest fresh. This lack of change comes with good reason, as Mazda has managed to form a very tight knit community of RX-8 loyalists that simply love their cars.
For the 2009 model year, Mazda has refreshed the design of RX-8 to bring it more in line with the current corporate design language. A new front fascia and subtle body treatment changes like new mirrors and LED taillamps add some much needed aggressiveness to the design. The RX-8’s passenger cabin received a subtle update as well, starting with an all-new steering wheel that resembles those found on MX-5 and CX-7. Front and rear seats have been updated across all trim levels, and the dashboard layout has been restyled to achieve a better flow between the gauge cluster and the center stack. Under the skin, Mazda has fitted the RX-8 with a trapezoidal strut-tower bar and a revised front suspension tower to help improved body stiffness. The rear suspension has been updated to provide better handling while enhancing the ride quality.
More on the new R3, plus a competitive prediction from an SCCA National Solo driver, after the jump…
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One of the most significant and important changes for the 2009 RX-8 lineup is the addition of the R3 model. The R3 is Mazda’s gift to RX-8 enthusiasts who have been looking for a car that is ready for track duty right out of the box. Visually, the most obvious difference between the rest of the RX-8 lineup and the R3 is the addition of an aero kit that adds a rear spoiler, side skirts, enhanced lighting, and a new front bumper. R3-specific 19-inch charcoal grey forged aluminum wheels also add to the already sharp looks of the RX-8. Mazda has eliminated the automatic climate control system found in the touring models, and replaced it with a manually controlled system instead.
On the business end of things the R3 gets a model specific sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers. R3 front suspension crossmembers have been filled with urethane foam to further improve ride quality and handling. Power is provided by the 1.3-liter, twin-rotor Wankle engine, producing 232 horsepower. Power is driven to the rear wheels by way of a very precise six-speed manual transmission.
Thanks again to Houston’s wonderful weather this time of year, my RX-8 driving impressions were mostly limited to 5 days full of wet roads and grey skies. In the few hours of dry road driving I was able to squeeze in, I fell in love with the responsive handling of the R3. There was never a lack of grip, and cornering was relatively flat. The electrically assisted steering provided great feedback and I always was in touch with what the car was doing. In the rain though, the R3 felt a bit disconnected, and I found the stability control kicking in quite a few times when making simple turns at normal speeds.
I also found the R3’s high-revving, 9,000 RPM redline, rotary engine a bit difficult to live with. Though there is certainly no lack of horsepower on paper, the peak torque of 159lb-ft isn’t achieved till 5,500 rpm, which translates to frequent downshifting just to keep the car moving with traffic. I also found myself getting annoyed by the buzzy and unrefined sounds of the RX-8 R3’s rotary engine when winding it out. Thankfully, the 300-watt Bose stereo does wonders to cover up the engine noise.
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From a comfort standpoint the RX-8 R3 really delivers a decent ride despite the aggressively tuned suspension. The Recaro sport seats are snug and supportive, but they feel two sizes too small. At 5’8” and 150lbs, seating isn’t usually an issue for me. In the R3 however, I felt like I was wearing a corset every single time I stepped into the driver’s seat, and that my nether regions were being pinched together by a pair of vise-grips. These seats might be great on a track, but they are simply too aggressive for everyday use.
Though I enjoyed my week with the RX-8 R3, I think my enjoyment came more from the RX-8 in general, and less from the R3 upgrades. While I absolutely love the R3’s styling, the suspension is a bit too twitchy in the rain which is something we get a lot of here in Houston. While I can adapt to the way the car behaves in the wet, there is simply no way I can adapt to the Recaro seats in the R3 as trying to get comfortable in them is an exercise in futility.
So, would I buy an RX-8 R3 with MY hard earned money? No, no I wouldn’t. I’m not a track junkie, and I spend most of my time behind the wheel driving on the fantastic public roads of Houston. The R3 is a bit too much for me as a daily drive. That’s not to say I wouldn’t buy ANY RX-8. Though I would lose the R3’s aero kit that I so love, the right RX-8 for me would be the Grand Touring model. It’s 90% of the fun of the RX-8 R3, with seats and a suspension that would keep me comfortable driving the car on a daily basis.
MARK BARUTH: For the last four years, the Mazda RX-8 has dominated its class in SCCA Solo competition like no other car — four straight national championships, with only the occasional MR2 Turbo, 350Z, or 968 even sneaking into the top ten. In the past three years, I have piloted my 2004-model-year RX-8 to some mid-pack and trophy position National finishes, showing that even an underprepared RX-8 with a green driver can be extremely competitive in B Stock.
Now, for the 2009 model year, Mazda is taking some inspiration from Honda’s S2000CR and introducing an enthusiast’s version of the RX-8 which sports the designation “R3.” In addition to just looking, well, cool, the R3 boasts Bilstein shock absorbers, Recaro race seats (with adjustable backs), and 19” wheels. Unlike the S2000 CR however, the R3 package will never be found at the Cheetah in Atlanta — which is to say it’s no stripper.
So how will this new package affect the B Stock pecking order? Well, it’s mostly conjecture at this point, but we do know several things that can help us make an educated guess:
First, the 19” x 8” wheel size poses some interesting questions. The SCCA mandates that drivers must use the same size wheel with a similar offset to stock. The stock wheels might just be the best option since their +47ET offset severely limits what wheels can be used. With an estimated weight of 20 lbs per wheel, R3 drivers will be giving up a substantial amount of rotational mass to 04-08 RX-8 drivers on SSR or even O.Z. Ultraleggera wheels.
Second, the Bilsteins that are included with the car will almost certainly be changed out for a different shock by the time any national level autocrosser prepares the car for competition, so any advantage that they may have over the OEM shocks is null and void. The local autocrosser will certainly gain an advantage here over his bone-stock 04-08 competitors, but that’s it.
Third, the gearing of the car has been adjusted to be peppier in lower RPM ranges, pulling much harder from 30-60 than the previous model. However, this seems to indicate that the car will require a 2-3 shift before 60 MPH (although independent testing has concluded otherwise-stay tuned). The older 8’s didn’t need to go to 3rd until roughly 63 MPH, which could be a huge advantage on faster, national level courses.
And fourth (and this is a big one), that the R3 is considerably heavier than the sport version of previous models, weighing in at a mind-boggling 3064 lbs. Can it be reduced to less than 2800 lbs in autocross trim like the 04-05? Seems unlikely. Will the same engine producing the same HP and TQ tug along an extra 200 lbs just as quickly? Or are we looking at another Shinka — a fabulous-looking special-edition RX-8 that can’t cut the autocrossing mustard?
All that being said, when I heard that Jason Saini (former B Stock and MX-5 cup champion) had bought one, it made me realize that the driver will still make all the difference. In what will likely be the last year before the RX-8 is forced to compete with the Z0K Solstice and the MS-R Miata, why not go down with both guns blazing? While I believe the 04-05 RX-8 is still the car to have for B Stock, you’ll still be competitive AND look much cooler Monday through Friday in the R3.
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Wow, a sports car with no power until 5500 RPM and an engine note you have to drown out with a Bose stereo!? Where do I sign up?
Factory-prepped “stage 1″ kits can be really hit-or-miss.
Just adding stuff that you could otherwise add from the aftermarket (as they’ve done here) rarely produces a hit. It’s the hard parts: gearing, differentials, turbos, etc, that would be really expensive to change that we need the factory to supply.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a factory rotary engine ever being buzzy or unrefined. Driving the ‘04-’08 cars in the past, they barely made any noise at all, and when they did it was a completely smooth hum. I’ve been deafened by an unmuffled, monster-ported FB RX-7, but even that wasn’t “unrefined,” just wake-the-dead loud.
It’s a shame they couldn’t do for this car what the R-packages did for the FD RX-7 and NA Miata. They were not only sharper, but lighter.
AKA,
Take it for what it’s worth…this particular car was more buzzy than any of the MX-5s I’ve driven as of late. The NVH was rather annoying, and I’m not one to usually get annoyed by a loud exhaust or loud engine. Also keep in mind that I have no idea what this particular RX-8 specimen has seen during its stint within the press fleet.
The gearing HAS been changed-and significantly. The map is apparently entirely different from the 04-08.
In reference to the first poster’s comments, the RX-8 never has been and never will be a Shelby GT or a 350Z-yet it’s faster around most gymkhana and road courses. It does take more than 170 miles to get used to driving the RX-8 in its peak range, but it’s well worth it.
Is this R3 the same one used in the Road & Track “America’s best handling car” test?
Maybe thats why its a litte shaken up?
It appears the R3 that R&T was using had California plates, so probably not. I think some of the journalists in this region though can do far worse to a car than any of the buff mags can.
Hopefully I can revisit this car during the summer months when the weather is substantially better. I really enjoyed driving it, but feel like I was’t able to get the full effect of the R3’s improvements.
It is also likely that under current gas prices, some of these journalists used 87 octane instead of 93 (93 is just ‘recommended’, but it really does feel and sound smoother under 93), and there were probably a minority that really wound it out at redline like it needs to in order to keep the carbon clear. “Redline a day” is the motto for a healthy rotory, and that means a redline under full load. Carbon can seriously change this engine for the worse in feel, sound, and response fairly quickly. I notice a difference if I somehow go a week without a redline. It is how it was designed, it makes the car happy, and puts a smile on my face. That isn’t a drawback in my book.
The R3 really isn’t much more than the 08 40th Anniversary, which is nothing much more than 04-06 Shinka. Examine the differences between these special edition models, and the interior colors, creature comforts shift, while the suspension improvements remain identical. The 19″ wheels is a change, though hard to say if it is for the better.
I also still would prefer the GT over the R3. My 8 is a daily driver, including long trips, and the creature comforts keep the 8 enjoyable the entire time, rather than spine numbing like most sports cars. I picked my 8 after 2 years of research and then 4 months of searching for the right one, and I have not a single regret. It is a joy to drive each and every day, something that any of it’s competitors can’t possibly give me, regardless of how superior they may be on paper.
In the summer, we’re hoping to pit the R3 head-to-head against a tuned SCCA Solo Stock RX-8 to see how it stacks up. Expect, as usual, that we will show no mercy.
91 octane is more than recommended-it will ping the hell out of your engine with anything less.
Like anything rotory related, depends on who you talk to, though I agree. I know a few guys that swear by ultra-low octane, especially once you add FI. One goes out of his way to put 85 or even 83 in. I went on 2 gallons of 87 on a nearly empty tank at the peak of prices to see the difference, and hated it, immediately filled back up the whole way with 93. It just ran a ton rougher.
When we got ours, it came with a full tank of 87. 93 Octane (it’s what we have around here as far as premium goes) was the best mod we’ve made. Wouldn’t run it on 87 again if you paid me.
After having mine for nearly 39,000 miles over the course of one year, I’ve noticed that rattles (particularly the rear glass) only seem to be a problem on cold days. As far as the coarseness of the engine, I find the engine to be infinitely smoother than a traditional piston engine at highway speeds. I often find myself in 3rd gear on the highway at speeds of 65-70mph, and it’s still not an annoying sound. Where the RX8 IS annoying, however, is how much tire roar/road noise there is transmitted into the cabin. This is a common Mazda trait.
Like Michael, it took me QUITE a bit of time to finally purchase an RX8. After owning an Audi UrS4 for 4 years, I came to the point where I wanted something sporty, well balanced, agile and NATURALLY aspirated. It was between the E36 M3 a RX8. I purchased the M3 first, but not more than a year later, I was looking to sell it for the car that really impressed me the most while I searched for the Audi’s replacement: the RX8. I love everything about this car, and accept its tradeoffs: the horrendously bad gas mileage and the too-expensive-to-replace-tires-for 18″ wheels.
I’ve taken it autocrossing (once, and I suck at concentrating and memorizing course layouts), and to the track. To me, it’s competence as a combination of comfortable daily driver, and as a weekend toy is the reason why I purchased it over other cars. That and I got $7,000 off MSRP. It’s insurance rate wasn’t bad either, compared to the stripped Evo VIII RS I was looking at too:)
I have no qualms about the power either. It’s just enough for me. If anyone thinks that the RX8 is missing some punch, trying driving up here at altitude. I was fortunate to have some time off this year, and roadtripped the RX8 from Denver, Co to Napa Valley, then Napa Valley to Cannon Beach, Or, and back to Colorado. The car’s performance was PHENOMENAL at sea level, in my opinion.
Speaking of roadtrips, the RX8 would’ve been the perfect road trip car IF it could get 400 miles to the tank on regular octane gas, and if the rear seats were pass through. As is, these are livable concessions. It’s quick steering didn’t really prove to be too fatiguing either and tramlining was minimal on the stock OEM Bridgestone RE040s. It has huge cup holders, and enough space for two and lots of luggage. It was low on passing power through Wyoming, but fine everywhere else.
Zerin,
I’m glad to hear that your skinny ass was too fat for the R3. I really felt overweight when i sat in an R3 as I waited for the dealership shop techs to complete my final warranty covered servicing. I’m fairly skinny myself (laugh), and underwent a rigorous regimen of excercise (Wii Bowling) after realizing I couldn’t fit comfortably in an R3.
Also, did you try out the R3’s iPod interface? What did you think? If you’ve driven other RX8s, you’d know that the factory solution were terrible, and the aftermarket solutions just as awful.
Also –
I can’t believe how light the original RX8s were. AND, I have to add, the RX8 is not a fun car to drive in the snow.
Depends on how you define fun. I love driving mine in the snow , especially when I take the anti slidinig control off !!!!!!!!!!
The stock tires are no where near the best for this car. They do transmit alot of road noise, and that vanished when I swapped over to a set of Yokohama ProDrives, in addition to getting even better grip.
Also, any summer tire does horrible in the snow, regardless of what vehicle you put them on, and stock tires for the 8 -are- summer tires. Put a set of true snow tires on the 8 and it loves the snow. It may be RWD, but that doesn’t mean it is comparable to the high torque RWD sports cars of the past and present. It’s torque in the low RPM range is comparable to a 4cyl ecno-box, it has 50/50 weight distribution, which means it has more weight over the rear axle than V8 sports cars, in addition to a LSD, and superb TCS, ASC, and ABS. Last winter i was on stock summers and it was awful, however I learned my lesson, and the snowstorm in New England over the past few days didn’t phase it one bit on my Nokia snow tires. I even climbed a ~7% grade of packed snow without a single bit of tire slippage. I am not saying it is traction equivalent to dry pavement, but it is hardly bad.
As with any other driving condition or event, wearing the appropriate tires makes a world of difference.
Great Speed Read!!! I’ve loved the RX8 since the day it came out, both the beautifully unconventional styling(still one of the best looking cars on the road), and the beautifully unconventional rotary powerplant! Although I’m a sucker for huge torque(turbo + American V8 = can die happily!), there is just something about the rotary that I love. Maybe it’s the high RPMs, maybe it’s that it’s far from “the” perfect engine and it doesn’t try to hide it. Either way, awesome engine, awesome car, from an awesome company!
Paul,
It wasn’t just you, the seats are simply too narrow. I’ve never felt like a fatass in my life until I drove the R3
. As for the iPod connector, while I didn’t get a chance to try it out, NOTHING can be worse than the one in my personal ‘08 TT with Nav+.
My brother uses Blizzak WS-60 tires on his ‘04 and is getting through winter pretty well.
I’m currently running Hankook W300s in the rear and Dunlop Wintersport 3Ds in the front. I’ve done a whole season on a complete set of W300s, and hated that season. I only had a whole set of Wintersport 3Ds on for maybe a week before monstrous bubbles developed on two of the tires. Admittedly these tires were purchased, although they had nearly 9/10s of tread left. I have come to the conclusion that I can’t trust used tires ever again. I probably have another month or two of driving left on the W300s. Can’t wait til they’re gone.
As for replacing the summer tires, it looks like I’ll be purchasing Sumitomo HTR-Z IIIs, or Bridgestone Potenza RE-760s. One thing I noticed about the RX8; no matter the tire, the car does a good job of retaining direct steering and good feedback.
We’re happy with the Goodyear Eagle GTs (High-performance all-seasons) that we just put on the 8. I have to say, they don’t give up much to the worn OEM summers that were on there before (Dunlop Sport SP 8090 or something like that). They grip tenaciously and feel worlds better in the cold.
From a certified lard-arse, I found the seats a bit tight, but not so bad I couldn’t be comfortable in the car. My service rep has one for a company car, and he’s a bit on the chunky side as well and likes the seats. Z – have you porked on the weight? – Soon to be married life adding some poundage? I haven’t seen you in a while, no calls for a Starbucks visit to assist with any testing. What’s up?
I bought my 04 rx8 sport in 05 with 18K miles on it. Originally a Nissan guy at heart I drove a 350z and wasn’t impressed, the only reason I drove an rx8 was I had some extra time on my lunch break after driving the Z and the Mazda dealership was right next door. As soon as I got behind the wheel I fell in love. I have done a few mods like exhaust, springs, swaybars, intake as well as fitting new wheels and tires. 255/40/18’s on 18×8.5in wheels in the front and 275/35/18’s on 18×9.5in wheels in the back, the added grip made the car much faster around the track. In my opinion the stock 225’s are not nearly enough tire for the car. On the track I have surprisingly passed Porsche GT3’s and one very pissed off Ferrari 550 driver!! It is a little underpowered in some situations but the linear power curve allows you to stay on the gas and carry more speed through a corner without any surprising jump in power (the only way I was able to pass the Porsche’s and Ferrari’s). Even though I am on my third engine (all replaced fully under warranty) partially due to my car being a Nov 03 built car…early production run…I can still say that I love my car. With the mileage getting pretty high and having my car for 4 years its about time for me to get something new. The only problem is I can’t think of another car that I could possibly enjoy more, without spending many more times the money. With that said, if all goes as planned I will hopefully be trading in my old tired 8 on a new R3 this summer. The R3 seats may be small, but are still way easier to live with than the Bride Brix seats that I can only stand long enough for track use and just about as supportive. With a new more refined Rx8 and a new warranty I’m sure I will have many more years of enjoying driving around town and passing cars I shouldn’t be able to pass on the track. I would recommend and Rx8 to anyone!!!!!
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