|  The Mazda RX-8 was created through the pursuit of a genuine sports car with a totally new, four-door, four-seat format that delivers sports car values, passenger comfort and driving pleasure. In concrete terms, the RX-8 offers unique and unmistakable styling; high-end, sharp and responsive performance that assures driving pleasure; and overall practicality that greatly exceeds other sports cars in terms of passenger accommodations, cost-performance and utility.
RX-8's responsive handling and performance deliver driving pleasure far beyond the norm. A key factor in achieving the RX-8's unrivaled performance and superb handling is its lightweight, perfectly balanced 50:50 weight distribution, and small yaw-inertia moment and low center of gravity. Translation: "Yaw inertia" can be described as the resistance of a vehicle to being turned from its natural straight-line path. The front-midship layout is further enhanced by RENESIS, the next-generation rotary engine. Naturally aspirated, the RENESIS is smaller and lighter than Mazda's previous turbo rotary engine (13B-REW), and it is only 338mm high, the same height as the transmission. This made it possible to mount the engine about 60mm further rearward and some 40mm lower than in the RX-7, which already had the engine's center of gravity behind the front axle. As a result, the RX-8 has perfect 50:50 front/rear weight distribution, a small yaw-inertia moment and the same low center of gravity as the RX-7. Thanks to its "low polar moment," the RX-8 is very responsive to changes in direction and provides more agile handling than cars with a "high polar moment". The RX-8 also utilizes the integral Power Plant Frame (PPF) technology of Miata legacy. During acceleration, the driveshaft torque tends to twist the whole drivetrain, wasting energy and performance. To combat this, the Power Plant Frame marries engine, transmission and differential into a single, rigid unit. The remarkable result of this design is a drivetrain that virtually eliminates the twisting. So when you step on the accelerator, maximum power is swiftly and directly provided to the rear wheels giving the RX-8 its tight, quick feel. The styling of the Mazda RX-8 is made up of taut muscular lines, suggesting the look of an athlete in motion. The muscular design maintains classic sports car proportions while adding a Zoom-Zoom edge that is unmistakably Mazda. Integrated throughout the exterior is the unique triangular rotor design, which clearly can be seen in the front fascia, head lamps, hood and rear bumper valence. RX-8’s exterior dimensions are virtually identical to the Porsche 911, yet it still manages to seat four adults and offers sufficient rear-seat room to install a rear-facing child seat.
The rotary design element is carried through the interior of the RX-8 in creative ways, appearing in the seats, center console, shift knob and emergency brake. The cabin also evokes a sense of style and high-end quality. Mazda’s design team examined every aspect and component of the interior and has created an elegant, performance-minded atmosphere. Through the use of advanced ergonomic research, Mazda engineers determined improper seating posture to be a cause of driver fatigue and built in optimum support in the front seats to help counteract discomfort. In addition, the soft blue lighting used in the RX-8’s instrument cluster was found to minimize eye fatigue and strain.
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