Last Drive? 2010 Mazda RX-8 - MotorTrend Magazine
You see, in April, Mazda announced that it would end RX-8 sales in Europe after the 2010 model year, as the Renesis Rotary Engine would be unable to meet stricter Euro V emissions standards. Less than a month later we reported that Mazda is planning to drop the model in the U. S. following the 2011 model year for similar reasons, as CAFE standards continue to tighten. Reader response to both articles was divided sharply -- you were with the RX-8, or you were against it. Critics derided its lofty price tag, lack of torque, mid-pack numbers, and incredible thirst for liquefied petroleum products. Supporters defended the car as a misunderstood marvel, a high-revving, ultra-handling, purebred sports car that must be driven and driven hard to be understood. If spec sheets turn you on and raw performance, handling, and other such numbers are the primary metric by which you judge a car, we have several articles right here at the top of the MotorTrend. This is not a numbers car, nor is it a numbers story. "In the purest sense of a sports car, the rear-drive RX-8 is the most satisfying through corners," opined professional wheel man and two-time Daytona 24-Hour winner Randy Pobst during our 2008 Best Handling Car comparison. " My plan was to drive north from Los Angeles on Highway 1 until I hit Oxnard, then jump on Highway 101 long enough to get to Highway 33 just outside of Ventura. Source: www.motortrend.com
