While checking out the specifications on the 2008 and 2009 Mazda RX 8 my mind was pulled back to one of it predecessors the RX3. While on the outside it would seem they have nothing in common, under the hood they share one distinction, the rotary engine.

The rotary engine has a rather odd design for those of us used to the piston design. Something I found a little difficult to get used to when it came to repairs and trouble shooting (one of the first cars I drove was the RX3). Even stranger was its ability to handle high rev’s smoothly and with seeming little effort. Back then the RX3 used the same engine as the more family oriented RX2, a 12A engine.

The RX-3 started a winning tradition in the races when it débuted with a win in 1971 at the “Fuji 500”. Later continuing the tradition, claiming over 100 victories in 1976, and dominating the class C in 1975 holding 4 of the top 5 positions.

Mazda still hold the distinction of being the only manufacturer to mass-produce a car with a rotary powered engine. The design of this engine is radically different than the piston style so common today. Although it performs the same four processes common to other engines intake, compression, combustion and exhaust. It does so with a triangular rotor inside a cocoon-shaped combustion chamber.

This unique design makes for a much smaller, lighter engine then a comparably powered piston engine would be. This smaller engine allows for a smaller engine compartment and an overall lighter vehicle. Coupled with the ability to produce 232-hoursepower with a 6-speed manual transmission or 212 horsepower with an automatic transmission the RX 8 is a high-powered lightweight car that is a pleasure to drive.

Another advantage to the smaller engine is the ability to place it low and far back in the engine bay. This lower center of gravity improves wheel balance giving the RX-8 a perfect 50/50 vehicle weight distribution, low yaw-inertia movement and superb handling characteristics.

Mazda has also continued to improve the safety features of the RX line with the RX-8 including features like large ABS-equipped disc brakes on all four wheels and the availability of Dynamic Stability Control.

Special efforts were made to increase the rigidity of the body, which helped the RX-8 achieve an impressive 5-star rating in tests performed by the National Traffic Safety administration. Other standard passive systems on the RX-8 include front airbags, seat-mounted side-impact airbags and side-curtain airbags.

If you’re looking for a fun car to drive a Mazda RX is worth taking for a test drive
(photo from Mazda)