Page 8 of 07 Mazda RX-8 Brochure by Mazda USA

it s all about creating a sports car like no other it s all about harnessing innovative technology and a 9000-rpm redline v6 engine renesis rotary intake compression combustion exhaust how a rotary engine works instead of using 4 or 6 pistons inside cylinders the renesis rotary engine employs two triangular rotors spinning within their own oval housings and around a common output shaft to more smoothly generate all power rotary engine experts since 1961 mazda has designed and built more than 80 different rotary engines in 2 3 and 4-rotor configurations mazda has also sold nearly 2 million rotary-powered vehicles worldwide including three generations of the rx-8 s immediate predecessor the legendary mazda rx-7 much of the mazda rx-8 s mass including its powertrain and fuel tank are positioned near its center point this gives the rx-8 a low-polar-moment-of-yaw inertia and makes it highly responsive to changes in direction and easier to control cars with more widely distributed masses tend to be less responsive and harder to control since weight distribution directly impacts a sports car s handling the rx-8 is engineered to maintain an approximate 50:50 weight distribution front to rear regardless of passenger load the end result is handling that is more agile predictable and stable mazda offers the rx-8 with two distinctly different powertrains to better match your personal driving style for undiluted acceleration and control there s an rx-8 with a sky-high 9000-rpm redline 232 hp a short-throw 6-speed manual gearbox lightweight carbon-fiber driveshaft and tochigi-fuji torque-sensing limited-slip differential for an exhilarating combination of convenience and fun there s an rx-8 with a lofty 7500-rpm redline 212 hp plus a 6-speed sport at automatic transmission with a manual shift mode that can be enjoyed via its console-mounted shifter or its steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters both rx-8 powertrains utilize a power plant frame that marries engine transmission and differential into a single super rigid unit to minimize powertrain twisting and wasted power to help promote crisp agile handling every rx-8 employs a sophisticated double-wishbone front suspension featuring lightweight aluminum alloy upper and lower control arms as well as a sport-tuned multilink rear suspension that s preloaded to deliver lag-free responsive compliance to further enhance the rx-8 s handling and performance in adverse driving conditions a dynamic stability control system with an integral traction control system is also available fact is the experts at automobile magazine 2/04 were so impressed by its innovative overall design they raved the rx-8 is our kind of car a real sports car with heart and chutzpah 50 50 intake stroke as an apex of the rotor passes the intake port fuel-air mixture is drawn in compression stroke the intake port is blocked and the fuel-air mixture is compressed combustion stroke the compressed fuel mixture is ignited by two spark plugs the force created by this combustion spins both rotor and shaft exhaust stroke the rotor s continuing orbit forces exhaust gases out the exhaust port the cycle is then repeated high polar moment low polar moment

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