SCULPTED EXTERIOR

The sleek, athletic exterior of the RX-8 sets forth a basic truth - life is meant to be driven.

New aggressive front styling establishes an imposing presence with curved, muscular front fenders, integrated side turn indicators, sporty black front grill, available fog lights* and Xenon self-leveling headlights*.
Restyled bold rear end includes twin circular LED taillights and larger diameter (90 mm) exhaust pipes.
Grand Touring includes standard conveniences such as heated dual power remote mirrors, rain-sensing windshield wipers and the Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry and Start System.
Power sliding glass moonroof with one-touch open and sunshade is optional on the Touring and Grand Touring.

*Standard on the Touring, Grand Touring and R3 trims.

FREESTYLE DOOR SYSTEM

Beauty and brains. The uniquely inventive "Freestyle" door system of the RX-8 has both – the look of a sleek sports car and the convenience of a 4-door, 4-passenger sedan.

Two rear-hinged doors open toward the front of the car creating a wide, convenient opening for loading and unloading the back seat.
Mazda engineers replaced the center pillar with a built-in, high-tensile strength steel structural member inside the front of the rear door, resulting in greater structural strength and easier access to the rear seats.

NEXT: R3 Features

R3 FEATURES

Designed for the ultimate driving enthusiast, the new R3 trim level offers exclusive performance-enhancing details and an extra dose of pure Zoom-Zoom.

Uniquely-sculpted exterior includes a sporty front bumper, fog lights, Xenon self-leveling headlights, side sills, a rear wing spoiler and 19-inch forged aluminum alloy wheels.
Remote start with the Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry and Start System will get the motor revving before the race has even begun.

NEXT: Alloy Wheels

ALLOY WHEELS

At high speeds it’s hard to notice, but the 2009 RX-8 rides on a set of distinctively stylish alloy wheels.

Lightweight, 18” aluminum alloy wheels are standard on the Sport, Touring and Grand Touring trims.
R3 features exclusive 19” forged aluminum alloy wheels with high-performance tires

NEXT: Sculpted Exterior

BLUETOOTH®

Make and take calls without taking your hands off the wheel with the integrated Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, standard on the Grand Touring and R3 models.

Bluetooth® system wirelessly connects to compatible cell phones*.
Make and receive calls via voice command or with the push of a button with the steering wheel-mounted controls.

* The Bluetooth® system functions only with select manufactured phones.

NEXT: Cockpit

COCKPIT

The newly-designed, aggressively styled, cockpit of the RX-8 exhibits the mark of the consummate sports car from the enviable vantage of the driver's seat.

High-contrast white-on-black gauge color scheme converts to glowing red-on-black at night.
Rear-view auto-dimming mirror with HomeLink® is standard on the Touring, Grand Touring and R3.
Premium leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel with steering-wheel-mounted controls for cruise control is standard on all models.
Aluminum foot pedals and foot rest continue the sports car feel down to where the power starts, with the push of a pedal.
Automatic climate control leaves both driver and passengers in ideal comfort, standard on the Grand Touring.

NEXT: Navigation System

NAVIGATION SYSTEM

The DVD navigation system, available on the Grand Touring, gets you from point A to Z with all the alluring points in between.

GPS system locates the RX-8 anywhere in the continental U.S. and provides turn-by-turn directions to your destination.
DVD database of U.S. maps (with the exception of Hawaii and Alaska) includes landmarks, points of interest, ATMs and gas stations.
Interactive in-dash, 7-inch touch screen includes a Turn List Mode that displays turn-by-turn directions on half of the screen and the map on the other.
The Voice Recognition function allows you to give voice commands, while the hands-free voice direction provides audible directions, so you can keep total focus on the road.

NEXT: Audio System

AUDIO SYSTEM

Though you may never tire of the distinctive rotary hum, the impressive sound system of the RX-8 stands at the ready.

300-watt, 9-speaker Bose® audio system with Centerpoint® Surround Sound and AudioPilot® is designed specifically for the acoustics of the RX-8; available on the Touring, and standard on the Grand Touring and R3.
Patented AudioPilot® noise compensation technology senses exterior noise such as an open window or road noise, then automatically adjusts the music to minimize the effects of unwanted noise, producing a purer, superior sound quality.
In-dash, 6-disc CD/MP3 changer makes for a very well-equipped audio system; available on the Sport, and standard on the Touring, Grand Touring and R3.
Auxiliary audio jack for mobile media devices such as an iPod* is standard on all models.
Available SIRIUS Satellite Radio† comes with a free 6-month subscription.

NEXT: Seating

SEATING

With newly designed seating throughout, the 2009 RX-8 still reserves the best seat for the driver.

Bucket seats are clad in cool cloth on the Sport and Touring models and premium leather on the Grand Touring.
The R3 model is equipped with front Recaro sport seats with leather trim.
Heated front seats and an 8-way power driver's seat with a 3-position memory switch are standard on the Grand Touring.
Rear full-size bucket seats are unexpectedly roomy for a sports car and comfortably fit two adults.
Center console between the rear seats includes extra storage and two cup holders in addition to the two up front.

NEXT: Bluetooth®

MILES PER GALLON

Trans	City	Highway
MT*	16	22
AT*	16	23

* EPA-estimated mileage. Actual results may vary.

Mazda engineers have made subtle design changes that have given the high-performance RX-8 more power, lower emissions and better fuel economy. Who says you can't serve two masters?

NEXT: Weight Distribution

WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

Its coveted, near perfect weight distribution makes the RX-8 one of the best handling cars in its class.

Due to its unique size, Mazda engineers were able to mount the RENESIS rotary engine low and behind the front axle for near 50/50 distribution.
Center-balanced weight gives the RX-8 superior maneuverability, making it ideally responsive to both the driver and the road.

NEXT: Renesis Rotary Engine

RENESIS ROTARY ENGINE

Boasting a stunning 9000 rpm redline, the powerful RENESIS rotary engine knows almost no limit – leaving you with the intriguing challenge of determining your own.

Revolving in a circular motion with no pistons or valves, the RENESIS rotary engine is lighter, smaller, more powerful and remarkably smoother than a traditional piston engine.
The RX-8 features a powerful 232-hp engine with a 6-speed manual transmission and a 9000 rpm redline or a 212-hp engine with a 6-speed Sport automatic transmission and a 7500 rpm redline, two tempting ways to own the road.
Near-perfect weight distribution delivers superior handling thanks to the RENESIS rotary engine's unique size and placement.

NEXT: Agile Suspension

AGILE SUSPENSION

Excellent ride quality and superior handling has long been the signature of the RX-8 and now with the new R3 trim, its signature Zoom-Zoom is purer than ever.

The ideal choice for sports car enthusiasts, the front double-wishbone suspension of the RX-8 offers near perfect camber control ensuring that the front wheels maintain ideal contact with the road.
Multilink rear suspension with dual lateral links and trailing arms is newly designed for 2009 and ready to handle just about any road you’d care to conquer.
Bilstein® shock absorbers and urethane-foam-injected front suspension cross members allow the driver to enjoy optimal handling and performance, standard on the R3.

NEXT: Performance Transmission

PERFORMANCE TRANSMISSION

The precise, smooth transmission of the RX-8 reinforces the allure of complete control – especially when that control is completely yours.

Standard 6-speed manual transmission delivers rapid, responsive shifting thanks to the short-throw shifter positioned directly above the transmission.
Available 6-speed Sport automatic transmission features both fully automatic shifting and manual gear selection with steering wheel-mounted, shifting paddles for a Formula One-style driving experience that's safely within reach.
Much stronger and lighter than comparable metal driveshafts, the RX-8's carbon fiber driveshaft deftly transfers raw power from the powerplant to the rear wheels.

NEXT: Limited Slip Differential

LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL

The limited-slip differential displaces the power and torque of the RX-8 to the rear wheels, improving traction and enabling the high-performance, passionate driving that Zoom-Zoom drivers live for.

Limited-slip differential technology automatically delivers more torque to wheels with the most traction.
Owns the turns and curves of the road, with a tight grip and split-second response.

NEXT: Miles Per Gallon

BRAKES

The advanced braking system brings balance to the uniquely powerful RENESIS rotary engine.

Large diameter, 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes help dissipate friction and heat for increased stopping power.
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) combined with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) helps maintain control in diverse weather and road conditions.

NEXT: Active Safety Restraint

ACTIVE SAFETY RESTRAINT

The active safety restraint system instantly guards against injury with split-second response.

Three-point seat belts are equipped with pretensioners in the front seats that instantly tighten when an impact is detected.
Force limiters automatically adjust front seat belt pressure to minimize seat belt-related injuries.

NEXT: Air Bag System

AIR BAG
SYSTEMS

The advanced air bag system is a feature you'll find standard on every RX-8.

Front air bags automatically adjust deployment force based on the driver's position and front passenger's weight*.
Side-impact air bags and side air curtains offer protection from side-impact injuries.

NEXT: Side-Impact Protection

SIDE-IMPACT PROTECTION

The new 2009 RX-8 features greater structural reinforcements making it stronger, and safer than ever before.

Every door is equipped with rigid braces and beams to deflect the force of the impact away from all passengers.
Mazda engineers have employed multiple body features to protect the integrity of the passenger cabin, including reinforced side sills, a high-mount backbone and two cross-member reinforcements.

NEXT: DCS/TCS

DCS/TCS

Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)*† and the Traction Control System (TCS)* are advanced technologies that work to preserve Zoom-Zoom without sacrificing safety.

DSC monitors traction, steering angle, yaw rate and wheel speeds, then when needed, automatically adjusts engine power and pulsates the brakes on individual wheels to enhance traction performance, helping you stay on your intended course.
TSC detects excessive wheel spin and loss of traction when accelerating from a standstill, then adjusts engine and braking power to give all four wheels ideal traction with the road, even under less than ideal weather conditions.

NEXT: Brakes

Introducing the all-new 2009 RX–8 R3

The New 2009 RX-8: Stares Will Follow

You may want to slow down just enough to give them a good, solid glance. The newly-redesigned 2009 RX-8 features new aggressive front and rear styling, all new seating, a revved-up R3 trim level and the same incomparable RENESIS rotary engine.

Powerful 1.3L RENESIS rotary engine: 232-hp 6-speed MT with an impressive 9000 rpm redline and a 212-hp 6-speed AT with a 7500 rpm redline.
A surprisingly spacious trunk, 4 full-size seats and unique "Freestyle" doors with all the convenience of a 4-passenger sedan.
New technology including available Bluetooth® hands-free phone access, 7-inch touch screen, voice-activated DVD navigation system and standard auxiliary audio jack for mobile media devices.