Mazda’s rotary-powered RX-8 sports car has fallen victim to low sales and more importantly, stricter emissions standards.

According to a report from Automotive News, production of the RX-8 stopped in early July while the remaining inventory will be sold by the end of this year. The demise of the RX-8 was something we expected since Mazda stopped offering the car in Europe last year, after failing to meet the more strict EU emission standards. Last year, the Hiroshima-based company managed to deliver just 1 134 units, a 49% decline compared to 2009, while sales in the first half of 2011 decreased by a further 21%.

The front-engined rotary sports car was launched by Mazda in 2003 and its best sales year was 2004 with 23 690 units. It was the last in the line of rotary-powered sports cars that started in 1971 with the RX-2, continued through the years with the successful RX-7, which lasted for three generations and finally ended with the, much-admired for its driving characteristics, RX-8.

But is this really the end of the world’s last mass-produced rotary-powered sports car? Kiyoshi Fujiwara, the brand’s executive officer for product planning and powertrain development, revealed that the company was indeed considering the cancellation of some projects due to economic reasons, and the successor to the RX-8 was one of them.

However, Fujiwara claims no final decision has been taken yet. “I have always said that rotary engines are part of our soul,” said Fujiwara. “We have to continue the rotary evolution”. He also added that its future depends largely on the success of the newly introduced petrol and diesel SKYACTIV engines: if they sell in big numbers, then Mazda will have the funds to go ahead with the project.

via CarScoop

Most Japanese car manufacturers have all found a way to differentiate themselves, Toyota has the reputation for producing bullet-proof cars (although that reputation may currently be slightly bruised), Subaru and Mitsubishi make all-wheel-drive rally inspired sportscars and Nissan makes the grand-daddy of them all, the Nissan GT-R.

Mazda on the other hand has always stuck to its Rotary powered sports cars that have created a unique cult of car enthusiasts. The Mazda RX-8 has come a long way since its introduction in 2003 and its designer, Mr Ikuo Maeda, is hoping to revive the RX-7.

Maeda was in charge of the RX-8 design but more interestingly his father, who held a similar job at the company was in the charge of the original RX-7. “I was a real car lover long before I started designing cars, there are lots of car enthusiasts at Mazda, but I think I’m at the top”, says Maeda.

The Mazda designer is known internally as “Speedy” for his performance on the race track in his Mazda MX-5 and Lotus Elise. The man was also behind the current generation Mazda2, but his big ambition is to bring back the RX-7. “I do have a strong yearning to revive the RX-7 during my tenure but in order for that to happen, we need the U.S. economy to come back, first and foremost”, Maeda said.

Although potentially many years away, Mazda fans can rejoice knowing they have a man with enormous passion pushing the RX-7 project internally.

Adapted from CarAdvice

Mazda released an official release last week announcing that it has commenced production of the Mazda2 supermini, known as Demio in Japan, at its new plant in Thailand. But that’s not what caught our interest. Along with the press release, the Japanese manufacturer published three photos of the Mazda2, showcasing the Ford Fiesta-sized hatchback with a new nose treatment.

More specifically, the Mazda2 shown here features a redesigned front bumper that incorporates much larger, vertical side air-inlets and a five-point lower grille that seems to be smiling at you. The ‘smile’ has been employed on several facelifted or new Mazda models including the RX-8, the MX-5 / Miata Roadster, the Mazda 3 and the CX-7 Crossover.

Also, the upper front grille that houses the firm’s logo is new and now features a ‘beefy’ horizontal bar.

There is a possibility that this may be a special version offered in Thailand, but chances are that Japanese maker has subtly refreshed the ’2′, bringing it inline with the rest of the Mazda family.

Adapted from CarScoop

Featured a few weeks ago, the Nissan 370Z has finally landed on the shores of our southern hemisphere rivals – the Wallabies. They were fortunate enough to be given 300km’s to form their first impressions of the all new Nissan 370Z.

In these days when even a Mini is bigger than its predecessor it’s certainly unusual for a manufacturer to be boasting that its car is smaller, and better for it, but that’s certainly the case with Nissan’s new 370Z.

While the 370Z may be a little bit smaller than its predecessor, the 350Z, it is bigger and better in almost all other respects, boasting a bigger engine, more power, better safety and improved handling.

We spent a day driving the 370Z over some challenging sections of road used for Adelaide’s iconic Classic Adelaide Rally, and we’ve got to say right from the get-go this is one fine sports car.

Nissan was making no secret of the fact that it was benchmarked against the Porsche Cayman, and we’d have to say that in most respects its delivered an automotive body-blow to its benchmark, plus it costs nearly A$50,000 less.

It’s also instantly recognisable as something different from the 350Z, something that befits a car that will be 40-years-old later this year.

While the history of the Nissan Z-car may have been a bit of a case of the good, the bad and the downright ugly, there’s none of that in this latest iteration.

In it’s benchmarking against the Porsche the 370Z has eschewed bulking up by going lighter, slicing 100mm out of the wheelbase behind the driver, while the front and rear tracks are 15mm and 55mm wider.

At the same time the 370Z retains styling cues that link it directly to its heritage, the signature quarter window behind the doors echoing the original 240Z, the sharply raked roofline and hatch and the trio of gauges across the top of the dashboard.

It’s only a little over two months since Nissan launched the latest version of its iconic sports car the GT-R supercar, and now it has further stimulated the sports car market, which the company says is holding up surprisingly well in the current automotive market, with the more affordable 370Z.

“The 370Z’s pricing is more Mazda RX-8 but in terms of performance and other attributes it’s closer to the likes of the Porsche Cayman, Audi TT and BMW Z4,” said Nissan Australia’s brand manager for passenger cars, Darren Holland, in Adelaide.

He went on to add that Nissan considered that the 370Z sat in its own space in the sports car market.

Nissan is certainly going all out to lure buyers with the lavish equipment level on the 370Z. Standard features include xenon headlights, electrically adjustable heated sports seats, Bluetooth, climate control, Bose audio, DVD satellite navigation, cruise control and 18-inch alloy wheels. Six airbags and stability control, called VDC in Nissan parlance, are both part of the safety package.

The 370Z utilises Nissan’s FM platform, which underpins the US-market Infiniti G37 coupe, and also gains that car’s pop-up bonnet to give more protection to pedestrians in the event of an accident.

No exterior panels are shared with the 350Z and the 370Z features a slightly larger engine, 3.7-litres as opposed to 3.5-litres, developing more power and torque, 245kW at 7000rpm, compared with 230kW, and 363Nm at 5200rpm, compared with 358Nm.

Peak power and torque figures occur at slightly higher engine speeds, but fuel consumption has been reduced significantly in combined-cycle testing.

The new VQ37VHR engine, a DOHC power plant, has variable valve timing, which has been reworked to adjust valve lift as well. Nissan calls this new system Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) and says that it raises torque and drivability at both ends of the rev range.

The manual transmission 370Z uses 10.5L/100km and the automatic is even more economical, at 10.4L/100km. Both figures are a significant improvement on the 11.7L/100km and 11.8L/100km numbers for the manual and auto variants of the 350Z.

While the six-speed manual transmission is a revised version of the manual ‘box in the 350Z, the seven-speed automatic is entirely new and comes with paddle-shift and Downshift Rev Matching (DRM) to blip the throttle when selecting a lower gear.

Both gearboxes also use the SynchroRev Match system developed by Nissan to ensure gearshifts are smoother and faster than previously.

Nissan says the new system, which uses clutch and gearshift sensors to monitor the driver’s input, can change gear in half a second. On the manual version of the 370Z, this system can be switched off, so drivers can do their own throttle blipping!

The 370Z gets a new double wishbone front suspension and an improved version of the 350Z’s multi-link rear suspension, while both are stronger and lighter as a result of the use of forged aluminium components.

Power-assisted rack and pinion steering is a modified version of the 350Z’s and the level of assistance is varied according to the car’s speed, and the 18-inch alloy wheels carry Yokohama Advan Sport tyres, while the spare is a space saver.

Brakes comprise ventilated rotors on all wheels, with 355×32mm rotors at the front, utilising four-piston callipers, and 350×20mm rotors at the rear, with twin-piston callipers.

As we’ve already said the 370Z is shorter, but wider than the 350Z, and overall length is reduced by 65mm but the wheelbase is 100mm shorter, achieved by bring the rear axle closer to the driver.

Despite the shortening luggage space is increased and boosted by the removal of the strut brace that was located in the boot of the 350Z.

On the road the 370Z, despite being a smaller car overall, looks more muscular than the 350Z, helped in part by the wide-track stance and the purposeful twin-exhaust pipes protruding from the rear bodywork.

We also have to say that the arrowhead headlights and boomerang taillights that can look awkward in photographs manage to look purposeful and well resolved when you see the car in front of you.

Sliding behind the wheel into the very well designed and comfortable sports seats means you are presented with a large central tachometer flanked by two smaller dials, one the speedo, while perched above the centre console are three additional dials, including a temperature gauge and digital clock.

We do have to mention that the steering wheel isn’t reach-adjustable, and while there’s considerable adjustability in the seat to get a good driving position, tall drivers will find their legs are still a little too bent for a really comfortable position.

Fire up the engine with the obligatory start-stop button and there is a satisfying rumble from the V6 that makes you want to prod the throttle pedal immediately.

We started out in a seven-speed auto, which proved an excellent choice for the run out of Adelaide city environs in heavy traffic, and was equally up to the challenges of a very spirited drive along a particularly tricky and twisty piece of Classic Adelaide tarmac.

The road was wet to damp in patches and while the VDC was working hard on occasions, and the car did show a tendency to step out at the rear when power was brought on early coming out of tight corners, the overall effect was one of controllability.

Switching later to a six-speed manual car we found it to just as much fun, with a high level of control.

The ride in both cars was firm and taut, but never so hard as to be uncomfortable, except perhaps on the occasional extremely bumpy section of road.

It feels sharper and more precise than the 350Z, itself no slouch in the handling department, and the steering is precise and delivers plenty of feedback and feel.

We must mention the manual gearbox’s SynchroRev system, which works really well, effortlessly matching engine revs with road speed on gearshifts.

Just as impressive is the seven-speed auto, which is smooth, quick shifting and highly responsive when controlled by the up-down paddles behind the steering wheel.

The overall verdict, a great step forward in the long story of the Nissan Z-car, with the 370Z providing a true sports car, that’s also a doodle to drive around town.

Adapted from CarAdvice