A Detailed Look At The 2011 Mazda RX-8

The Mazda RX-8 is a charming oddball in the automotive world, a lightweight four-seat coupe with suicide doors, stunning balance, and a unique engine design that squeezes maximum power from a small displacement. The RX-8 is a worthy, linear successor, if not the true spiritual heir of the beloved RX-7.

The Mazda RX-8 is a true four-seat sports car for the 2011 model year. It has great balance and precise turn-in thanks to nearly perfect weight distribution. Despite this, the suspension is soft enough for daily use. The RX-8 remains the only production vehicle powered by a rotary engine, which employs a pair of triangular-shaped "rotors" that spin smoothly in one direction rather than pistons that move up and down.

The small rotary engine enjoys revving and produces a lot of power. The lightweight rotary engine developed by Mazda is a key design element in the creation of this light, nimble, high-revving sports car. The RX-8's motor can easily spool up to 9,000 rpm. In town or in traffic, the rotary's lack of low-end torque can be frustrating, but its eagerness to scream – combined with buttery power delivery and a jet-engine live soundtrack – makes piloting the 2011 Mazda RX-8 a real thrill for enthusiasts.

The RX-8 is a surprisingly capable daily driver. It can transport the kids to soccer practice and has seating for four full-size adults. There's enough space for two full-size golf bags or a weekend's worth of luggage. Trips to the home improvement store are possible thanks to the small rear doors and relatively spacious trunk.

The 2011 Mazda RX-8 Offers An Endearing Driving Performance

With great balance and precise turn-in, the Mazda RX-8 drives like a true sports car. Despite this, the suspension is soft enough for daily use and not as stiff as that of other sports cars, which may corner slightly better but come with a stiff ride. With people on board, the RX-8's near-perfect balance, with close to 50% of its weight on the front wheels and 50% on the rear, greatly aids its handling. While some traditional reciprocating-piston sports cars have achieved this balance as well, it has typically come at the expense of interior space. The rotary engine, which is about the size of a small computer monitor, is small enough to fit in a four-seater.

The rotary has been developed over 40 years by Mazda engineers and is extremely smooth and simple. The 2011 RX-8 is equipped with Mazda's Renesis rotary engine, which is the latest and, by far, the best. This rotary engine is about 30% smaller than a comparable inline four-cylinder engine, and its small size allows it to be mounted low and to the rear for better weight distribution.

While accelerating, the rotary engine produces a sweet, distinct sound, and the Renesis is very refined, with little of the rasp that characterized early RX-7s. The two three-sided rotors deliver six power pulses per turn of the output shaft, the same as a V12 (and twice as many as a V6), resulting in an exhaust note that's almost hypnotic on a rhythmic road and sport-bike-like under full throttle. The rotary engine revs quickly, but lacks the mid-range grunt of a V6. The axle ratio in manual transmission cars has been reduced to 4.78:1 for improved acceleration, whereas the automatic transmission is designed for cruising.

Despite its modest power, the RX-8's short gears and light weight allow it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds, putting it on par with many four-seat coupes in the price range. The rotary engine redefines downshifting, especially when combined with the brilliant close-ratio 6-speed gearbox.

The brakes are effective. The RX-8's lightweight is made possible, thanks not only to the rotary engine but also to the thoughtful use of aluminum in the hood and rear doors, significantly reducing stopping distance, with performance comparable to that of the 350Z. Full electronic assistance is included as standard. The RX-8 feels even better on the open road. It hugs the pavement gradually, which means that the deeper it gets into a turn, the harder it grips, which is fantastically confidence-inspiring.

Steering wheel inputs are responded to quickly but calmly, and it's easy to fine-tune while working through a bumpy or diminishing-radius corner. The optional Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system works well while allowing the driver to work the tires without interfering. When pushed hard on an autocross track, the RX-8 wasn't completely forgiving.

The 2011 Mazda RX-8: Incredible Reliability, Enthralling Exterior And Comfortable Interior

The Mazda RX-8 exudes style, if not grace. It's about the most aggressive shape that stamped steel can achieve technically. It looks good from the back, with upswept lines, noticeable fender flares, large exhaust outlets, and LED taillights. The aft half of the hood's inflated-triangle shape perfectly mirrors the shape of the rotary engine beneath it. Mazda refers to the Free-style door system as the fact that the front and rear doors open in opposite directions. With no pillar between the doors, rear-seat passengers have very easy ingress and egress. This design also allows the RX-8 to be surprisingly versatile in terms of cargo capacity.

The 2011 RX-8's "freestyle" (Mazda's term) reverse-opening doors give it a distinct advantage over other performance coupes. It's much easier to get into and out of the second row, just like it is with an access-cab pickup. Rear legroom is also adequate, if not better than that of a Camaro. Passengers under 6 feet tall will find supportive seating and plenty of space all around. The rear compartment is large enough for luggage or grocery bags, but the trunk is a different story. It has a narrow opening and there is no option to fold down the rear seats to increase capacity.

The cockpit of the RX-8 is designed in a circular theme, with three round gauges and a circular central control stack housing the stereo and climate control functions. The gauges are attractive and easy to read, but the information overload of the audio/climate control central display makes us dizzy. However, the optional navigation system, which is controlled via a touchscreen and voice recognition interface, performs admirably.

Sources: Edmunds, AutoBlog