Mazda RX-8

2001-2012

Introduced in 2001, the RX-8 was a genuine two-plus-two and featured a pair of narrow ‘suicide’ style rear doors with cleverly built-in B pillars to allow access to the rear seats. At launch, power for the RX-8 came from a new generation RENESIS 13B-MSP (Multi Side Port) 191bhp twin rotor Wankel engine which was later upgraded to a 237bhp six-port unit.

In 2008 Mazda introduced the second generation RX-8 featuring reinforced front suspension towers and a revised rear suspension set-up and the following year an extra oil injection port was added to each rotor in the RENESIS powerplant.

Other revisions to the car included restyling the front end and a new dashboard layout. Although the RX-8’s rotary engine proved reliable, high emissions killed this stylish coue off and last rotary powered Mazda rolled off the production line in June 2012.