Mazda RX8 car - What makes it a great car? | Car Review | Top Gear

Summary

The Mazda RX-8 is a unique blend of a sports car and a family sedan, offering a sporty red and black interior with ample space for four passengers. Priced at £22,000, it's well-equipped with air-conditioning, satellite navigation, and electric seats. Powered by a 1.3L Wankel rotary engine producing 228 brake horsepower, it's both powerful and smooth, with a 9000 rpm shift indicator. Despite its fussy styling, it's one of the easiest cars to drive fast, forgiving and comfortable. However, it becomes skittish on wet roads due to its tires.

Takeaways

• 🚗 The Mazda RX-8 is a unique sports car with a distinctive design that includes triangles, curves, gills, and a back window reminiscent of a Ford Anglia.
• 🔍 It features a sporty red and black interior, giving it a coupe-like feel, but it also offers practicality with space for passengers.
• 💸 Priced at £22,000, the RX-8 is more affordable than its predecessor, the RX-7, which was priced to compete with Porsches at £35,000.
• 🛠 Despite its lower price, the RX-8 comes well-equipped with air-conditioning, satellite navigation, and electric seats.
• 🏎 It's powered by a 1.3L Wankel rotary engine that produces 228 brake horsepower, offering a smooth and unique driving experience.
• 🎶 The engine is known for its high revving capabilities, with a buzzer alerting the driver to change gears at 9000 rpm.
• 🌟 The RX-8 is praised for being one of the easiest cars to drive fast, with a forgiving nature and perfect layout for high-performance driving.
• 😌 It can transition from an exhilarating drive to a quiet, comfortable, and dignified ride, making it versatile for different driving scenarios.
• 🚫 However, the car's handling can be twitchy on wet roads, indicating that its tires may not provide the best grip in slippery conditions.
• 🏅 The presenter initially claims the RX-8 as the best car of the year, but later admits that statement might have been an overstatement after experiencing its wet road performance.

Q & A

What is the main issue with the boot space in the Mazda RX-8?

The boot space in the Mazda RX-8 is very small, which is a common problem with coupes as they typically offer limited space in the rear.

How does the styling of the Mazda RX-8 differ from other coupes?

The styling of the Mazda RX-8 is described as being quite unique and busy, with elements like triangles, curves, gills, and a back window reminiscent of a Ford Anglia, making it stand out from other coupes.

What is the seating configuration of the Mazda RX-8?

The Mazda RX-8 has a four-door configuration, which is unusual for a coupe, as it combines the sporty look of a two-door GT car with the practicality of a four-door saloon.

What is the price difference between the old RX-7 and the RX-8?

The old RX-7 was priced at £35,000 to compete with Porsches, while the RX-8 is priced at £22,000, making it more affordable.

What are some of the standard features included in the Mazda RX-8 despite its lower price?

Despite its lower price, the Mazda RX-8 comes well-equipped with features such as air-conditioning, satellite navigation, and electric seats.

What type of engine does the Mazda RX-8 have and how does it perform?

The Mazda RX-8 has a 1.3-liter Wankel rotary engine that produces 228 brake horsepower. It's not the largest engine but is known for its smooth performance and high revving capabilities, with a buzzer alerting the driver to change gear at 9000 rpm.

How does the Mazda RX-8 handle on the track?

The Mazda RX-8 is described as one of the easiest cars to drive fast, with a forgiving nature and excellent handling. It has a perfect layout with a front engine and rear-wheel drive, along with a limited slip differential.

What is the unique characteristic of the Mazda RX-8's driving experience?

The Mazda RX-8 offers a unique driving experience where it can be playful and sporty, but also settle down to be quiet, comfortable, and dignified, much like switching from a Terminator to Jane Austen.

What is the narrator's final verdict on the Mazda RX-8 after driving it on a wet road?

After driving the Mazda RX-8 on a wet road, the narrator found it to be quite twitchy and skittish, indicating that the tires may not provide the best grip in wet conditions.

What is the narrator's overall opinion of the Mazda RX-8 after driving it?

The narrator initially praises the Mazda RX-8 for being the best car they've driven that year, but later admits that statement might have been an exaggeration, acknowledging that while the car is great, it has some flaws, particularly in wet conditions.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 Review of the Mazda RX-8

The script begins with a critique of the Mazda RX-8's design, noting its unconventional and busy appearance with elements like triangles, curves, and gills. It humorously compares the back window to a Ford Anglia and the lights to a busy visit. Despite the quirky design, the RX-8 is praised for its practicality, offering a sporty red and black interior and enough space for a family, making it a blend of a coupe and a saloon. The car is also noted for its affordability at £22,000, well-equipped with features like air-conditioning, satellite navigation, and electric seats. However, the engine size is a surprise with a 1.3-liter Wankel rotary engine that delivers 228 brake horsepower, providing a smooth and powerful ride. The RX-8 is lauded for its ease of driving fast, with a forgiving nature and perfect layout for performance driving. The car's transformation from a performance machine to a quiet and comfortable ride is also highlighted, making it a sensational choice with the benefits of both a coupe and a saloon.

05:04

🌧️ Post-Review Reservations about the RX-8

In the second paragraph, the reviewer expresses some reservations about the Mazda RX-8 after driving it on a wet road. The car's behavior changes significantly in wet conditions, becoming 'awfully twitchy' and 'skittish,' likely due to the tires. This revelation tempers the initial enthusiasm, suggesting that while the RX-8 performs well in dry conditions, it may not be as reliable in adverse weather, which is an important consideration for potential buyers.

Keywords

💡Coupé

A coupé, often spelled as 'coupe' in American English, is a car body style with a fixed roof, two doors, and typically a sloping rear that provides limited rear seating. In the script, the term is used to discuss the car's design, which is described as not being a traditional coupé due to its unique blend of features. The script mentions a 'sporty red and black interior' which is typical of a coupé, suggesting a sporty and stylish nature.

💡RX-8

The RX-8 is a specific model of car produced by Mazda. It is highlighted in the script as a vehicle that combines the features of a coupé with those of a four-door saloon, which is unusual. The script praises the RX-8 for its unique design and performance, positioning it as a standout among the cars reviewed.

💡Styling

Styling in the context of cars refers to the design and aesthetics of the vehicle's exterior. The script criticizes the RX-8's styling as being overly complex, suggesting that it has too many design elements such as 'triangles, curves, gills,' and a back window reminiscent of a Ford Anglia. This indicates that the car's appearance is not to everyone's taste, but it is part of what makes the RX-8 distinctive.

💡Wankel Rotary Engine

A Wankel rotary engine is a type of internal combustion engine that uses a different design from the traditional reciprocating piston engine. It is characterized by a smooth, compact design with fewer moving parts. The script mentions the RX-8's 1.3-liter rotary engine, which provides '228 brake horsepower' and is praised for its smooth operation and high revving capabilities, up to '9000 rpm'.

💡Brake Horsepower (bhp)

Brake horsepower (bhp) is a unit of measurement of an engine's power output, as measured by a dynamometer. The script highlights the RX-8's engine output as '228 brake horsepower,' which is significant for a 1.3-liter engine, indicating that despite its small size, the engine is quite powerful.

💡Four-Door Saloon

A four-door saloon is a car body style with four doors, a separate trunk, and a three-box design. The script humorously describes the RX-8 as a compromise between a two-door GT car and a four-door saloon, suggesting that it has the practicality of a saloon with the sporty appeal of a coupé.

💡Air-Conditioning

Air-conditioning is a system in vehicles that provides cooling and heating, improving comfort for the occupants. The script mentions that the RX-8 comes equipped with air-conditioning, which is a standard feature in modern cars but is highlighted to emphasize the car's well-rounded offering of comfort and performance.

💡Satellite Navigation

Satellite navigation, or GPS, is a system that uses satellite signals to determine a vehicle's location and provide directions. The script notes that the RX-8 includes satellite navigation, which is a feature that enhances the driving experience by providing real-time route guidance.

💡Electric Seats

Electric seats are seats in a vehicle that can be adjusted electronically, often with controls on the door or seat. The script mentions that the RX-8 has electric seats, indicating a level of luxury and convenience that adds to the car's appeal.

💡Limited Slip Differential

A limited slip differential is a type of differential that allows a car to maintain better traction and power delivery to the wheels, especially when one wheel loses grip. The script praises the RX-8's 'front engine, rear wheel' layout with a limited slip differential, which contributes to the car's excellent handling and performance.

💡Twitchy

In the context of car handling, 'twitchy' refers to a vehicle that is overly responsive or sensitive to steering inputs, which can make it feel unstable or difficult to control. The script describes the RX-8 as feeling 'awfully twitchy' on wet roads, indicating that while it is generally a well-behaved car, it has some limitations in certain conditions.

Highlights

The Mazda RX-8 is a unique sports car with a distinctive design featuring triangles, curves, and gills.

Despite its sporty appearance, the RX-8 offers a spacious interior, making it practical for family use.

The RX-8 combines the features of a two-door GT car with a four-door saloon, providing the best of both worlds.

Pricing for the RX-8 is significantly lower than its predecessor, the RX-7, at £22,000 compared to £35,000.

The RX-8 is well-equipped with features like air-conditioning, satellite navigation, and electric seats.

Powered by a 1.3-liter Wankel rotary engine, the RX-8 delivers 228 brake horsepower.

The rotary engine provides a smooth and unique driving experience, with a high rev limit and a buzzer提示 to change gears at 9000 rpm.

The RX-8 is one of the easiest cars to drive fast, with a forgiving nature and excellent handling.

The car's layout, with a front engine and rear-wheel drive, contributes to its impressive performance.

The RX-8's design reflects the influence of a racing car enthusiast, showcasing a perfect blend of performance and comfort.

Despite its sporty capabilities, the RX-8 can also provide a quiet, comfortable, and dignified ride.

The RX-8 offers the benefits of a sports car without the usual drawbacks, along with the practicality of a saloon.

The RX-8 is praised as the best car driven this year, highlighting its exceptional performance and value.

However, the RX-8's performance on wet roads is criticized as being twitchy and less stable.

The tires on the RX-8 are noted to contribute to its skittish behavior in wet conditions.

Transcripts

now we start tonight with the knotty

problem of coop AIDS you see if you buy

one you get very little space in the

back very small boot so all your painful

really are the looks this one though is

a little bit different

it's the master rx-8 and the first thing

you need to know is that it's not

exactly the prettiest car in the world

it's almost like they had a styling

suggestion box at the factory they've

got millions of ideas and then said I

know all of them so it's got triangles

and curves and gills and the back window

from a Ford Anglia and look at these

lights and busier than a visit the

second thing you need to know is that

it's not a coup Perry again it looks

like the work of a committee half of

them said we want a two-door GT car and

the other half said no we want a

four-door saloon and any Thor

I know will have both so open the door

and in there you've got a sporty red and

black interior like a man's wash bag

very coupe Ayush but what's this not

exactly going to work as a minicab in

there but there's certainly space enough

for you to point to kids really it's the

best of both worlds

the old rx-7 used to be priced to

compete with Porsches it was 35,000

pounds but this one is just twenty two

thousand pounds

and don't think they've skimped on

equipment you got air-conditioning he

has satellite navigation he got electric

seats in fact the only place where you

get less than he might be expecting is

under the bonnet

[Music]

most cars of this type come with huge

engines but this has a 1.3 so you might

be wondering what is a 1,300 CC

four-door saloon doing on our track

normally only they're really fast and

exotic stuff comes out here let me show

you

it may only be a 1.3 but it's a Wankel

rotary engine so you get 228 brake

horsepower it's not the tallest engine

in the world all the most economical but

got it smooth

you even get a little buzzer ready to

tell you to change gear at 9000 rpm

because it doesn't feel like it's

running on anything there's coarse and

vulgar is petrol feels like it's running

on double cream so on the downside the

styling is a bit fussy on the upside

though it's got a great engine it makes

a great noise it goes like stink it's

very comfortable it's practical it's

well priced and it's well equipped and

then there's the really good stuff this

is one of the easiest cars to drive fast

that I've ever come across it's just so

forgiving kind of like a punch bag you

can give it

and it just never fights back

it's got the perfect layout front engine

rear wheel

with a limited slip differential

perfect

the guy who was running master when they

were designing the rx-8 used to race

cars and it colors shows

[Music]

[Applause]

however when you've finished clowning

around it settles down takes off its

Terminator suit and becomes Jane Austen

quiet comfortable and dignified this car

is sensational you get all the benefits

of a toupee with none of the drawbacks

and all the practicality of a saloon

with none of the tedium of all the cars

I've driven this year I'm pretty sure

this one is the best

the best car No well you did just say

the best car are you driven this year

yeah I was lying okay

no the thing about it is is that it was

great but after I recorded that I drove

it on a wet road and it's awfully

twitchy there's something about these

tires that make it really yeah a bit

skittish

you