motors-merseyside.co.uk Liverpool Echo

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ECHO

motors-merseyside

.co.uk

Friday, August 15, 2008

SCORES ON THE DOORS: Mazda’s latest incarnation of the RX-8 is more muscular and features a novel door arrangement

L A E P P A X

MAZDA is about to jack up the zoom zoom factor with a new version of its cool coupé the RX-8. Five years on from its original launch the four-door, four-seater sports car is still the world’s only rotary-engined production model. And while that powerplant remains pretty much unchanged, the car itself now looks even more muscular and, significantly, is better value. Officially named the R3 – which represents Rotary Three – the new RX-8 goes on sale later this month with a price tag of £24,995, almost

Mazda’s latest RX–8 two grand more than the current model. That said, the R3 is so highly specced up that no factory fitted options are available. In other words everything, and that includes a new Sports Styling pack, is included in the price. Thanks to the sports pack the Mazda now has a stiffer bodyshell, uprated suspension, lower gearing and improved dynamics, all topped off by body-hugging

Recaro sports seats. There’s also a prominent rear spoiler, large five-point grille, stand-out side skirts and 19-inch alloy wheels. Powered by an improved version of the 1.3-litre 231PS twin-rotor engine, the RX-8 is a more enjoyable car to drive than its predecessor. Gone is the sports spin dryer sound of the original to be replaced by a nice growling engine note to match a styling

that Mazda’s UK marketing chief Mark Cameron describes as “giving the coupe the appearance of a Japanese racing car”. Also consigned to the past is the “low power” 192PS version of the car. The test drive conditions for the Mazda couldn’t have been much worse as a storm shifted menacingly across the Yorkshire moors, yet the RX-8 still proved a treat to drive with bags of power, easy-shift six-speed manual

20% price cut for supermini HYUNDAI GETZ 7

THE CAT’S WHISKERS edited by 2 Torpey Mike

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