Reprieve! End of Mazda RX-8 pushed back by extra 1,000 units

And now for some good news from Mazda: it is doubling the run of its limited edition RX-8 Spirit R, adding 1,000 more units to production due to demand. Announced late last year, this Japan-only model celebrates the end of the RX-8's nine-year existence. The final Wankel-engined four-door is scheduled to roll off the line in June.

The Spirit R doesn't skimp on the extra trim bits inside and out, with larger brakes clamped by red calipers, piano-black transmission tunnel trim, Recaro Sprint R bucket seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and an enhanced traction control system among the bonus features.

Both automatic and manual transmissions are offered, but takers have gone decisively for the row-your-own cogswapper, making up 66 percent of orders. Compared to the automatic, they receive larger 19-inch wheels on lower profile tires, a "hard suspension," alloy pedals and aero bits.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/27/r...a-1-000-units/

 

I hope the successor whatever it be named i.e. RX-7, RX-8 or I even heard a rumor mill RX-9, is gonna put the rest of the segment on stand by

 

The new CAFE MPG and emission rules coming up later this decade, though, are not going to be friendly to rotary engines here in the U.S. They have a well-deserved reputation for burning both gas and oil, and even advanced catalytic-converters can only clean them up so much. And, over and above that, their low sales in the American market also questions the wisdom of spending a lot of development money trying to adapt the rotary as much as possible to the new EPA rules.

 

Larger brakes? The front brakes look extra tidy to me. Hmm...

I think a lot of people would jump on the spirit R since it's the last edition.

 

there's rumor mill floating around that the EVO and STI will flirt with a Hybrid/Diesel powertrain in the future because of this