TWO CHOICES, ONE SPIRIT
RENESIS
RENESIS: THE UNIQUE RESULT OF UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY
RENESIS is the result of Mazda's long history of rotary engine development. As the world's only mass-manufacturer of rotary engines, Mazda has innovated a host of performance-enhancing technologies which reach full fruition with RENESIS. This advanced, naturally-aspirated power unit features 654cc x 2-rotor.
SIDE INTAKE/SIDE EXHAUST PORT LAYOUT
By moving the intake and exhaust ports to the engine's side housing, Mazda engineers were able to achieve significant improvements in power output, fuel efficiency and exhaust emissions. First, overlap in intake/exhaust port timing is eliminated, allowing a leaner air-fuel mixture for better fuel economy. Second, adoption of a dual exhaust port system not only optimizes exhaust gas flow, it also allows later opening of the exhaust ports giving an increased expansion stroke for improved fuel efficiency and higher output. Third, intake port area is increased by 30% to achieve a larger intake volume and higher output. Finally, unburned fuel is carried over to the next combustion cycle to lower emissions.
SEQUENTIAL DYNAMIC AIR INTAKE SYSTEM
This innovative system continuously varies intake port area and intake passage length according to engine speed, making high power available across the entire rev range.
MIDSHIP LAYOUT
ADVANCED FRONT MIDSHIP LAYOUT
A key factor in Mazda's tradition of sports car handling is the front midship powertrain layout. Now, as the advanced front midship layout, it's been further refined for Mazda RX-8. Central to this enhanced layout is the naturally-aspirated RENESIS engine's compact size. Thanks to supercomputer design analysis, Mazda engineers were able to make the RENESIS engine both smaller— at just 338mm it's approximately the same height as the gearbox—and lighter, with absolutely no sacrifice in rigidity. This compact size allowed the engine to be mounted lower and further rearward, effectively shifting weight away from the front of the car. The result is an extremely low yaw inertia moment which directly translates into sharper, more linear steering response. In other words, significantly better cornering capability.
NEAR-PERFECT WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION
Mazda RX-8 achieves almost perfect 50:50 weight distribution through measures such as locating the fuel tank between the axles. Distributing the weight evenly over all four wheels assures outstanding stability and improved handling. In addition, the low positioning of the RENESIS engine lowers the centre of gravity, further contributing to Mazda RX-8's astonishing handling and response. Together with the wide tread, long wheelbase and short overhangs, it all adds up to truly exhilarating handling and unmatched stability, whether it's winding roads or the open highway.
FAST-SHIFTING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS
The 6MT gearbox features closely spaced ratios to maximize the RENESIS engine's power potential offer a fast, short throw for crisp sporty gear shifting, made smoother and lighter by linked triple-cone synchronizers for first, second and third gears.
SUPER LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL (LSD)
Newly-developed torque-sensing Super LSD supports safe, enjoyable driving from everyday motoring to forceful driving-at-the-limit. Unlike conventional LSDs with high Torque Bias Ratio (TBR) that demands a high level of driving skill, Super LSD features a low TBR of 2.0, and assures smooth predictable behaviour during fast cornering or on slippery surfaces, as well as improved stability in hard, straight-line acceleration and straight running.
BODY & CHASSIS
BODY AND CLASSIS DESIGNED AND BUILTAS A SINGLE, INTEGRATED UNIT
To deliver the controllability and high-limit performance of a genuine sports car, Mazda engineers designed the body and chassis as a single integrated unit. All components were newly-developed to achieve the best possible performance in spite of the centre-pillarless construction. The resulting high-rigidity body not only delivers outstanding handling stability, it also suppresses transmission of vibration and road noise to the cabin to increase passenger comfort.
HIGH-RIGIDITY LIGHTWEIGHT BODY
A sports car needs a stable, rigid platform to provide superior handling, but that usually means increased weight. Not surprisingly, Mazda RX-8 takes an unconventional approach to achieve light weight combined with enhanced body rigidity. Thanks to the advanced front midship layout and lower engine mounting, the upper part of the central tunnel has space for a high-mount backbone frame. This innovative engineering solution runs horizontally, joining the front and rear main frames into a single unit that greatly increases the car's rigidity.
DOUBLE WISHHONE FRONT SUSPENSION
At the front, Mazda RX-8 features a newly-developed, in-wheel type double wishbone layout. Long, hot-forged aluminium upper arms and forged aluminium lower arms combine light weight with high rigidity, while the increased arm length gives linear alignment changes throughout the suspension stroke for exceptional control on any road conditions. New bushings for the suspension arm mountings feature zero stopper construction to eliminate unwanted movement of the suspension arms and optimize compliance. Critical front suspension components are attached to a highly rigid subframe to assure stiff suspension support and accurate alignment. Large-diameter gas-filled monotube shock absorbers smoothly soak up shock under all conditions, and the hollow stabilizers have a straight layout for superior effectiveness.
MULTI-LINK REAR SUSPENSION
At the rear, the new multi-link arrangement features five links per side, each with optimized length to achieve linear alignment changes. Large-diameter gas-filled monotube shock absorbers are directly attached to the hub carrier at the bottom for enhanced stroke efficiency. Suspension geometry is carefully controlled to achieve compliance toe control for a consistently high grip, as well as compliance camber control to minimize response lag to steering inputs and improve resistance to external disturbances.