A coupe or coupé ( / k uː ˈ p eɪ / , also US : / k uː p / ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors.
88-464: The Aceca (pronounced "A-See-Ka") is a closed coupé from the British AC Cars company, produced from 1954 until 1963. The car originally had an AC engine but the similar Bristol -engined Aceca-Bristol was also available alongside the original from 1956 to 1963 when production of that engine ceased. A few cars were built from 1961 to 1963 with a 2553 cc tuned Ford Zephyr engine and sold as
176-613: A black leather-wrapped steering wheel, gear knob and hand-brake lever. The Nemesis has a top speed of 139 mph (224 km/h) and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 7.2 seconds. Each Nemesis buyer also qualified for a complimentary Prodrive experience day. Just 350 examples were built, 200 in Copper Red and 150 in Stormy Blue. In December 2006, a new Mazdaspeed RX-8 became available exclusively in Japan. The Mazdaspeed M'z Tune
264-539: A car with 2 doors and no B style are considered a true coupe. In the United States, some coupes are "simply line-extenders two-door variants of family sedans", while others have significant differences from their four-door counterparts. The AMC Matador coupe (1974–1978) has a shorter wheelbase with a distinct aerodynamic design and fastback styling, sharing almost nothing with the conventional three-box design and more "conservative" four-door versions. Similarly,
352-522: A cost that was at the time £330 less than the model on which it is based – when similarly specified. Based on the standard 189 hp (192 PS; 141 kW) version of the Mazda RX-8, it included a unique stone leather seat trim interior and came with a five-speed manual transmission. The Nemesis has several other unique exterior and interior features. Two exclusive colors were available, Copper Red Mica and Stormy Blue Mica, each Nemesis also comes with
440-547: A coupe-like roofline at the rear. The low-roof design reduces back-seat passenger access and headroom. The designation was used for the low-roof model of the 1962–1973 Rover P5 , followed by the 1992–1996 Nissan Leopard / Infiniti J30 . Recent examples include the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLS , 2010 Audi A7 , Volkswagen CC , Volkswagen Arteon , and 2012 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe . Similarly, several cars with one or two small rear doors for rear seat passenger egress and no B-pillar have been marketed as " quad coupes ". For example,
528-403: A coupé by applying this description to models featuring a hatchback or a rear cargo area access door that opens upwards. Most often also featuring a fold-down back seat, the hatchback or liftback layout of these cars improves their practicality and cargo room. The coupe carriage body style originated from the berline horse-drawn carriage . The coupe version of the berline was introduced in
616-554: A foam filled front crossmember to improve rigidity. It also came with 19-inch forged aluminum-alloy wheels and high performance tires. On the exterior, the R3 had a different, lower front bumper sporting a splitter, lower side sills, and a standard rear spoiler. There is a pair of special Recaro seats up front, along with the same 300-watt Bose audio system, along with Bluetooth and the Mazda advanced keyless entry and start system. No electric sunroof
704-537: A homage to the Mazda Cosmo Sport, which was initially only available in white. The North American (USA and Canada) version came in Metropolitan Grey Mica exterior color with the interior clad in special Cosmo Red leather. In North America, this special edition was available only in 2008. For Canada – production was limited to 100 cars. The interior had black leather with copper red accented door inserts. For
792-575: A new color, Copper Red, and also came in Brilliant Black. It also came with xenon headlights with chrome bezels, while being the first Mazda sold in Australia with keyless entry and start. The 'Nemesis' model is the third special edition model launched as a UK exclusive. It was launched in 2006, although some cars were registered in 2007 due to stock runoff. The 'Nemesis' features unique paint colors and interior trim, plus an exclusive accessory package, at
880-420: A new five-spoke wheel design featuring a symbolic and sporty design reminiscent of the rotary engine, with different arrangements for each wheel size. A rear spoiler was also added dependent on the trim level selected. There were three trims available to consumers from 2009 to 2012: Sport, Grand Touring, and R3. In 2008, Mazda unveiled a Mazdaspeed RX-8 equipped with racing seats, and a new aerodynamic package for
968-543: A new line of high-quality cars with desirable styling and driving dynamics superior to competitors, beginning with the Mazda6 and followed by the Mazda3 . This paved the way for the arrival of Mazda's next-generation rotary powered sports car. The RX-8 combined two previous products (the internationally sold RX-7, and the Cosmo which was exclusive to Japan), with the exterior dimensions of
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#17328761942471056-581: A number of two-door sedans built as well, a bodystyle the French call a coach . The 1977 version of International Standard ISO 3833— Road vehicles - Types - Terms and definitions —defines a coupe as having two doors (along with a fixed roof, usually with limited rear volume, at least two seats in at least one row and at least two side windows). On the other hand, the United States Society of Automotive Engineers publication J1100 does not specify
1144-634: A polished aluminum Rotary crest on the front air dam, polished aluminum side air-outlet trims behind the front wheel arches, special B-pillar trims with a Rotary crest and 'Nemesis' badging. Inside, these special edition models also featured Nemesis branded luxury carpet mats and Mazda RX-8 branded aluminum door scuff plates. Like other standard 245 hp (183 kW; 248 PS) RX-8s, the Nemesis has front fog lights, heated front seats, electrically operated driver's seat, climate control air conditioning, 9-speaker BOSE premium audio system with 6-CD auto-changer, plus
1232-454: A rear spoiler to provide more stability at higher speeds. After the Kuro version, Mazda announced that this is the absolute Mazda RX-8 version with a suggested retail price of US$ 60,000/JP¥6,653,550.00. 2008 saw the introduction of a limited edition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Mazda's rotary engine. It had 10-spoke, 18-inch diameter alloy wheels of a new design that were later incorporated in
1320-416: A rear spoiler to provide more stability at higher speeds. Both the wheels and rear wing are badged in carbon fiber with "Prodrive". Significant revisions were also made to the suspension to improve the handling: dampers from Bilstein and coil springs from Eibach are used in addition to reducing the ride height by 15 mm (0.6 in) and an increase in spring rate of 60%. Finally, the car was supplied with
1408-585: A relatively undistinguished and ordinary product line in the US except for the MX-5 Miata . As popular interest in import tuning and performance cars resurged in the late-1990s, due in part to various popular cultural influences, Japanese automakers waded back into the performance and sports car market in the US and in worldwide markets. Endeavoring to rejuvenate itself around this time, partially with financial and management assistance from its new owner Ford , Mazda developed
1496-485: A rollover were proposed, limiting the development of new models. The hardtop body style went out of style with consumers while the automakers focused on cost reduction and increasing efficiencies. Saab used the term "combi coupé" for a car body similar to the liftback . A two-door car with no rear seat or with a removable rear seat intended for traveling salespeople and other vendors carrying their wares with them. American manufacturers developed this style of coupe in
1584-427: A set of height and damping force adjustable coil-overs. Mazdaspeed also redesigned the aerodynamics of the car, giving it a new front bumper, with enlarged venting and oil cooler ducting, as well as side skirts, rear under spoiler, and a rear wing. The Mazdaspeed RX-8 was offered in either Strato Blue Mica, or Sunlight Silver Metallic as exclusive colors. A total of 480 factory Mazdaspeed Version RX-8's were built, and had
1672-412: A suggested retail price of JP¥3,650,000.00. Mazda also sold Mazdaspeed accessories worldwide through their dealerships. These accessories included both parts that weren't equipped on factory Mazdaspeed RX-8's as well as nearly all the parts equipped on the factory Mazdaspeed Version. This allowed standard RX-8's to be upgraded to Mazdaspeed standards through dealerships around the world. Mazda introduced
1760-511: A total of 6 lubrication injectors, plus an all-new engine oil pump with higher pressure rating that requires specific oil filter rated for the higher pressure. New catalytic converter was used to reduce clogging that resulted in overheating exhaust stream forward of the catalytic converter and eventual rotor side seal failure, which was responsible for majority of RX-8 engine failures. Ignition coil packs, which suffer reduced performance over time and leads to unburnt fuel and oil that eventually clogs
1848-538: A unique upgraded twin exhaust system, with exhaust tailpipes branded as "Prodrive". Only 800 cars were made at an MSRP of £ 25,995. It was available in two colors, Galaxy Grey (380) and Brilliant Black (420). The Revelation was an Australian special edition of the RX-8 with a limited production run of 100 cars. The model incorporated the top specification features of the standard RX-8 with the 9-speaker Bose sound system, sand beige colored leather seats, more piano black accents on
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#17328761942471936-484: Is a fixed-roof car with a sloping rear roofline and one or two rows of seats. However, there is some debate surrounding whether a coupe must have two doors for passenger egress or whether cars with four doors can also be considered coupés. This debate has arisen since the early 2000s, when four-door cars such as the Mazda RX-8 and Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class have been marketed as "four-door coupés" or "quad coupés", although
2024-412: Is a lightweight sporty two-door car, typically with two seats but also including 2+2 cars. A club coupe is a two-door car with a larger rear-seat passenger area, compared with the smaller rear-seat area in a 2+2 body style. Thus, club coupes resemble coupes as both have two doors, but feature a full-width rear seat that is accessible by tilting forward the backs of the front seats. A hardtop coupe
2112-400: Is a style of automobile characterized by two side windows and a backlight (rear window). The front windscreens are not counted. The three-window coupe has a distinct difference from the five-window coupe, which has an additional window on each side behind the front doors. These two-door cars typically have small-sized bodies with only a front seat and an occasional small rear seat. The style
2200-472: Is a two-door car that lacks a structural pillar ("B" pillar) between the front and rear side windows. When these windows are lowered, the effect is like that of a convertible coupé with the windows down. The hardtop body style was popular in the United States from the early 1950s until the 2000s. It was also available in European and Japanese markets. Safety regulations for roof structures to protect passengers in
2288-479: Is based on the past participle of the French verb couper ("to cut") and thus indicates a car which has been "cut" or made shorter than standard. It was first applied to horse -drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. These berlines coupées or carrosses coupés ("clipped carriages") were eventually clipped to coupés . There are two common pronunciations in English: A coupé
2376-552: Is independent at the front and rear using transverse leaf springs. The AC Aceca featured in the UK " Car SOS " programme (series 4 episode 2). The in-line six Bristol engine fitted to the Aceca-Bristol was based on a design from BMW with cast iron block and aluminium cylinder head. It has a single camshaft with pushrods running vertically to a rocker shaft on the inlet side of the engine and further horizontal pushrods running in 6 tubes over
2464-665: The Alfa Romeo GT or Infiniti Q60 – or have little engineering in common with other vehicles from the manufacturer – such as the Toyota GT86 . Mazda RX-8 The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Japanese automobile manufacturer Mazda between 2003 and 2012. It was first shown in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show . It is the direct successor to the RX-7 . Like its predecessors in
2552-611: The Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Stratus coupes and sedans (late-1990 through 2000s), have little in common except their names. The coupes were engineered by Mitsubishi and built in Illinois, while the sedans were developed by Chrysler and built in Michigan. Some coupes may share platforms with contemporary sedans. Coupes may also exist as model lines in their own right, either closely related to other models, but named differently – such as
2640-505: The RX range, it is powered by a rotary Wankel engine . The RX-8 was available for the 2003 model year in most parts of the world. The Mazda RX-8 utilizes a rotary Wankel engine , and the non-reciprocating piston engine uses a triangular rotor inside a near oval housing, producing from 141 kW (189 hp) and 164 lb⋅ft (222 N⋅m) of torque, to 177 kW (237 hp) and 159 lb⋅ft (216 N⋅m) of torque from launch. The RX-8
2728-523: The Rover P5 was a much earlier example, with a variant introduced in 1962 having a lower, sleeker roofline marketed as the Rover P5 Coupé. In the 1940s and 1950s, coupés were distinguished from sedans by their shorter roof area and sportier profile. Similarly, in more recent times, when a model is sold in both coupé and sedan body styles, generally the coupe is sportier and more compact. There have been
AC Aceca - Misplaced Pages Continue
2816-468: The Society of Automobile Engineers suggested nomenclature for car bodies that included the following: Coupe: An enclosed car operated from the inside with seats for two or three and sometimes a backward-facing fourth seat. Coupelet: A small car seating two or three with a folding top and full height doors with fully retractable windows. Convertible coupe: A roadster with a removable coupe roof. During
2904-525: The 13B-MSP advanced and eventually led to the RENESIS name debuting along with the RX-EVOLV concept car which began to bear semblance to the production version of the RX-8 with the "freestyle" rear suicide doors . The styling was further refined, in Mazda tradition, by competition between its design studios in Japan, the US, and Europe. The lead designer was Ikuo Maeda, the son of Matasaburo Maeda (the lead designer of
2992-403: The 18th century as a shortened ("cut") version with no rear-facing seat. Normally, a coupé had a fixed glass window in the front of the passenger compartment. The coupé was considered an ideal vehicle for women to use to go shopping or to make social visits. The early coupé automobile's passenger compartment followed in general conception the design of horse-drawn coupés, with the driver in
3080-555: The 2003 Saturn Ion , the 2003 Mazda RX-8 , and the 2011-2022 Hyundai Veloster . Particularly popular in Europe, many cars are designed with coupe styling, but a three-door hatchback/liftback layout to improve practicality, including cars such as the Jaguar E-Type , Mitsubishi 3000GT , Datsun 240Z , Toyota Supra , Mazda RX-7 , Alfa Romeo Brera , Ford/Mercury Cougar and Volkswagen Scirocco . A two-door car designed for driving to
3168-586: The 2004 North American International Auto Show , Mazda unveiled the RX-8 Hydrogen RE concept car, designed to run on either hydrogen or gasoline. In February 2006, Mazda announced that it would start leasing a dual fuel RX-8 to commercial customers in Japan, and in March, 2006 announced its first two customers, claiming the first fleet deliveries of a dual hydrogen/gasoline production car. In 2008, 30 RX-8 HRE were delivered to HyNor . In 2005 and 2006, Mazda introduced
3256-424: The 2008 and 2010 24 Hours of Daytona GT-class wins campaigned by SpeedSource Race Engineering. This victory also marks the 23rd endurance race win at Daytona by a Mazda rotary-powered race car. While the cars are powered by the 20B rotary engines, the car is in fact built on a tube frame chassis and not on the production car. Ryan Eversley won both races of the 2010 SCCA World Challenge Mid-Ohio Grand Prix in
3344-505: The 2009 facelift. Also added were blue-light front fog lamps, a 40th Anniversary badge on each front wing and an aerodynamic rear spoiler. Exclusive sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein dampers were added along with an enhanced urethane foam injected front cross member intended to improve steering feel. The 40th anniversary limited editions were slightly different in the various international markets. The Japanese version came in Marble White as
3432-585: The 20th century, the term coupé was applied to various close-coupled cars (where the rear seat is located further forward than usual and the front seat further back than usual). Since the 1960s the term coupé has generally referred to a two-door car with a fixed roof. Since 2005, several models with four doors have been marketed as "four-door coupés", however, reactions are mixed about whether these models are actually sedans instead of coupés. According to Edmunds , an American automotive guide, "the four-door coupe category doesn't really exist." A berlinetta
3520-833: The Ace and Aceca reportedly traces back to a design done by Pinin Farina for AC in the late 1940s. An alternative theory is that it was inspired by the Ferrari Barchetta of the day. The car is rather light owing to a tubular frame, aluminium engine block and aluminium body panels. Large 16" spoked road wheels and near 50/50 weight distribution allowed exceptional handling on substandard road surfaces. Later Acecas feature front-wheel disc brakes (added in 1957), while all share transverse leaf spring IRS, articulated rear half-axles, worm-gear steering, an optional overdrive on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears, curved windscreen, and leather-covered bucket seats. The suspension
3608-541: The Ace, AC used chassis numbers beginning with AE for AC-engined cars, BE for Bristol-engined ones, and RS for those equipped with the Ford unit. An " X " following the first two letters indicated an export model. The main difference between the Aceca and Aceca-Bristol was the engine. Both used a straight-6 unit, but the Aceca shared its 90 hp (67 kW), 1,991 cc (121.5 cu in) overhead camshaft AC engine with
AC Aceca - Misplaced Pages Continue
3696-551: The Aceca 2.6. Based on the open two-seat AC Ace , the Aceca was a hand-built grand tourer in the British tradition, with ash wood and steel tubing used in their construction. One notable feature was the hatchback at the rear, making the Aceca only the second car, after the 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 , to incorporate this element. 151 Acecas, 169 Aceca-Bristols and 8 Ford-engined models had been built when production halted in 1963. As with
3784-733: The Australian market, only 200 examples of the 40th Anniversary Edition were produced in 2008 exclusively. It was available in Metropolitan Grey, Dark Blue, or Brilliant Black exterior paint. The interior came with exclusive white Alcantara and black leather seats with contrasting white stitching. In the United Kingdom, this edition was limited to 400 cars which came in two exclusive exterior colors – Metropolitan Grey Mica or Crystal White Pearlescent. Seats were trimmed in black leather with stone Alcantara midsections. In November 2008, Mazda improved
3872-490: The C pillars, and lightweight forged 19-inch BBS aluminum alloy wheels in a Spirit R exclusive bronze. The automatic transmission model included 10-way adjustable power leather seats with lumbar support and 2-position memory in black with red stitching, and 18-inch lightweight gunmetal grey BBS wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza summer tires. Some models came with red leather seats with white stitching. A tire upgrade
3960-603: The Evolve features unique stone leather and alcantara sporty seat trim, plus black leather-wrapped steering wheel, gear knob and hand-brake lever. In May 2006, Mazda released the RX-8 PZ for the UK market. This car was jointly developed with motorsports company Prodrive . Only available with a six-speed manual, it featured custom 10-spoke alloy wheels supplied by Italian F1 team supplier OZ Racing in "Dark Silver" finish, mirrors developed to reduce drag, front and rear black mesh grilles, and
4048-411: The French past participle of couper , "cut". Some coupé cars only have two seats, while some also feature rear seats. However, these rear seats are usually lower quality and much smaller than those in the front. Furthermore, "A fixed-top two-door sports car would be best and most appropriately be termed a 'sports coupe' or 'sports coupé'". Coupé ( French pronunciation: [kupe] )
4136-770: The GT series. The car also won the IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge in 2005. In 2014 the North Island Mazda Rotary Racing Association in New Zealand launched a RX-8 category in its Pro7 racing series which is the oldest MotorSport NZ sanctioned series in NZ. The RX-8's now dominate this racing series and is competed in the North and South Islands as well as a NZ championship. The category
4224-621: The NR-A kit for the RX-8 Type S in January 2004, approved by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF). The NR-A kit, sold through Mazda Anfini and other dealers throughout Japan, brings the RX-8 up to specification in terms of eligibility for participation in the one-make Party Race sanctioned by JAF. The kit includes a roll bar, sports radiator, oil-cooler kit, tow hooks, and racing brake pads. At
4312-550: The North American market, Mazda revised the reported output rating of the standard and high power RENESIS soon after launch to 189 hp (141 kW) and 237 hp (177 kW), respectively. With exhaust ports now located in the side housing, the RENESIS boasted improved fuel efficiency and emissions rating over the 13B-REW employed by the preceding RX-7, thereby making it possible to be sold in North America. At launch,
4400-413: The RX-8 body rigidity through the addition of structural reinforcements, by adding a trapezoidal shock tower brace and enhancing the local rigidity of the front suspension tower areas. The rear suspension geometry was revised for better handling, and the final-drive-gear ratio on manual transmission cars was shortened from 4.444 to 4.777 for improved off-the-line performance. While minimal, these changes gave
4488-458: The RX-8 closely resembles this vehicle save for minor trim details, and "Job 1" began in February, 2003 at Mazda's Hiroshima plant in Japan. The RX-8 was designed as a front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive , four-door, four-seater quad coupé . The car has a near 50:50 front-rear weight distribution and a low polar moment of inertia , achieved by mounting the engine behind the front axle and by placing
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#17328761942474576-472: The RX-8 ended in 2010 in Europe after failing to meet the region's emission standards. The production of the RX-8 ended in 2012 in Japan; Mazda had produced 192,094 units since 2003. Production of the rotary engine ended on June 21, 2012, followed by the end of RX-8 assembly on June 22, 2012, at Mazda's Ujina, Hiroshima plant. Mazda North American Operations extended the engine warranty on all model year 2004–2008 RX-8s. The warranty extension covered only
4664-532: The RX-8 to be slightly smaller than those of the Cosmo. Mazda chose not to install the 2.0 L three-rotor 20B-REW , which was discontinued in 1996 when the Cosmo ceased production. The development of the RX-8 can be traced as far back as the 1995 RX-01 concept car, which featured an early iteration of the 13B-MSP engine. Naturally aspirated with side exhaust ports, this engine has a power output of 210 hp (157 kW). Because of Mazda's financial position at
4752-421: The RX-8 was available in various models in different markets around the world. The variations according to different markets are as follows: Automatic versions all had lower output/lower rpm engines due to the lack of availability of a transmission that would be able to reliably cope with the engine's high rpm limits. In 2003 Mazda announced a factory Mazdaspeed Version of the RX-8 exclusively in Japan. Based on
4840-461: The RX-8, Mazda's engineers were able to achieve a chassis stiffness rating of 30,000 Nm/deg. The earlier models of the RX-8, having chassis codes SE3P, and JM1FE, were produced from the 2003 model year, though the car's U.S. debut was for the 2004 model year. It is powered by the RENESIS 13B-MSP (2-rotor, multi-side-port) Wankel engine displacing 1.3 L (1,308 cc). The 4-port standard RENESIS
4928-590: The Type S and tuned by Mazda's in-house division Mazdaspeed , the car included both mechanical, suspension, and aerodynamic improvements over the standard RX-8's. Mazdaspeed RX-8's were considered the highest performance model of the pre-facelift RX-8. Mechanical and suspension improvements included a new performance exhaust system, upgraded spark plugs, grounding kit, lightweight flywheel, re-balanced eccentric shaft, performance brake pads, stiffer anti-roll bars, four point front strut tower brace, rear strut tower brace, as well as
5016-585: The US in 1971, beginning with the R100 and eventually introduced the RX-2 , RX-3 , RX-4 , RX-5 , and three generations of the RX-7 sports car in the US and worldwide markets. However, due to the lack of conveniences and user-friendliness, coupled with the high price tag and declining interest in sports cars and coupés at the time, Mazda decided to withdraw the RX-7 from most major markets except Japan. After 1995, Mazda suffered from
5104-595: The Year, the 2003 Japanese Car of the Year, Australia's Wheels magazine's Car of the Year for 2003, the 2004 Singapore Car of the Year, the 2004 U.S. Best Sports Car, and several UK Best Car Awards. It was named on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 2004, 2005, and 2006. It also took home first place on Car and Driver's "Four of a Kind" comparison test. 2010 RX-8 placed third out of seven on Car and Driver's The Best-Handling Car in America for Less Than $ 100,000. It
5192-494: The car to be used as a daily driver, as well as to and from the race track. The RX-8 has been used occasionally for professional drifting (Formula Drift), with drivers like Masao Suenaga from Japan, "Mad" Mike Whiddett from New Zealand, and Kyle Mohan from the USA choosing the develop the chassis each to suit their own goals. As of October 2006 the RX-8 has won 37 international motoring awards including 2003 International Engine of
5280-516: The catalytic converter, was not upgraded from series 1 RX-8. Due to higher usage cycle that is two to three times higher in Wankel compared to Otto cycle, ignition coil packs on RX-8 can degrade much sooner than Piston engines using similar hardware, and cause unburnt fuel to reach the catalytic converter, clogging it and cause engine overheating leading to side seal springs failure. The updated RX-8 also received design enhancements that were meant to freshen
5368-420: The engine core, consisting of the rotor housing and internal parts, as well as the seals and gaskets. It did not include clutch or drivetrain (transmission or differential). An extended engine warranty for emissions was not offered in any other RX-8 markets. The RX-8 has been campaigned and used in various racing series by privateers. It has seen a considerable amount of success, the most prominent of which being
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#17328761942475456-406: The engine. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a torque-sensing conical limited-slip differential for improved handling. While underpowered in comparison to the final variant of the RX-7, the RX-8 is considered its successor as Mazda's rotary engine sports car . A prominent feature of the RX-8 is its rear-hinged "freestyle" doors (similar to suicide doors ) that provide easier access to
5544-474: The first special edition of the RX-8 called "Sports Prestige Limited" in Japan and "Shinka" in North America. The Shinka takes its name from the Japanese word meaning "transformation" or "evolution". Marketed as a more luxurious grand touring model, it came with Black Cherry in 05 and Various Special exterior colors in 06. Sand color parchment leather and suede interior along with subtly chromed 18-inch wheels. Out of
5632-441: The fuel tank ahead of the rear axle. The front suspension uses double wishbones and the rear suspension is multi-link . Weight is trimmed through the use of materials such as aluminum and plastic for several body panels. The rest of the body is made of steel, except for the plastic front and rear bumpers. The manual gearbox model uses a carbon fiber composite driveshaft to reduce the rotational mass (momentum of inertia) connected to
5720-540: The interior, and came with the same 13B Renesis rotary engine. Like regular RX-8 variants, the Revelation features 18-inch alloy wheels and tires, traction control, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), six airbags, cruise control, power windows/mirrors, limited-slip differential, 6-CD in-dash audio system and climate control air conditioning. The revelation though, added stiffer anti-roll bars, foam-filled cross members and special edition grey-spoke alloys. The Revelation also offered
5808-411: The late 1930s. The 1921 and 1922 LaFayette models were available in a variety of open and closed body styles that included a close-coupled version featuring two center-opening doors on each side that was marketed as a Four-Door Coupe. The 1927 Nash Advanced Six was available in four-door coupe body style. More recently, the description has been applied by marketers to describe four-door cars with
5896-419: The lighter AC Ace , while the Aceca-Bristol used a 125 hp (93 kW) "D-Type" 2.0 L (1971 cc/120 in³) unit sourced from Bristol Cars . The Aceca-Bristol was also available with a milder "B-Type" Bristol engine of 105 hp (78 kW). The Bristol specification added $ 1000 to the Aceca's $ 5,400 price tag in the United States. In the UK, the basic car cost £1722. The front-end styling of
5984-404: The number of doors, instead defining a coupé as having a rear interior volume of less than 33 cu ft (934 L). The definition of coupé started to blur when manufacturers began to produce cars with a 2+2 body style (which have a sleek, sloping roofline, two doors, and two functional seats up front, plus two small seats in the back). Some manufacturers also blur the definition of
6072-445: The open at the front and an enclosure behind him for two passengers on one bench seat . The French variant for this word thus denoted a car with a small passenger compartment. By the 1910s, the term had evolved to denote a two-door car with the driver and up to two passengers in an enclosure with a single bench seat. The coupé de ville , or coupé chauffeur, was an exception, retaining the open driver's section at front. In 1916,
6160-442: The opera with easy access to the rear seats. Features sometimes included a folding front seat next to the driver or a compartment to store top hats . Often they would have solid rear-quarter panels, with small, circular windows, to enable the occupants to see out without being seen. These opera windows were revived on many U.S. automobiles during the 1970s and early 1980s. The three-window coupe (commonly just "three-window")
6248-449: The original RX-7). The project obtained official approval from management under one condition, that the resulting car should have four doors, and eventually the RX-8 concept car (design/engineering model) was produced and shown in 2001, closer resembling the production version. A near-production "reference exhibit" RX-8 was shown shortly thereafter at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show , pending final approval for production. The production version of
6336-407: The rear seats. The RX-8 has no B-pillars between the front and rear doors, but the leading edge of the rear door acts as a "virtual pillar" to maintain structural rigidity. Because of the overlapping design, the rear doors can be opened only when the front doors are open. The RX-8's cabin was designed to allow enough room to house four adults, making it a genuine 4-seater rather than a 2+2. In designing
6424-414: The refreshed RX-8. Mazda however didn't end up selling any new generation Mazdaspeed editions or accessories to the public. The R3 version was first introduced in 2008 in Japan. This version was very limited and had the 1.3 L RENESIS Wankel engine. The R3 model was again introduced in 2009. The 2009 R3 package added slightly improved suspension over the base model by adding Bilstein shock absorbers and
6512-401: The styling and give the RX-8 a new look, without impairing the basic design theme. Refinements for the 2009 model year included a more aggressive restyled front and rear bumper as well as a new front fascia. The updated RX-8 also came with sporty, high-quality finish front and rear headlamps as well as larger exhaust pipes (now measuring 90 mm (3.5 in) across). The 2009 RX-8 also offered
6600-527: The time and the growing market interest in SUVs , the RX-01 did not see further development or production. However, a " skunkworks project " engineering team within Mazda kept the development of the 13B-MSP alive using an elongated MX-5 chassis known internally as "gokiburi-ka", or "cockroach car" translated to English, eventually catching the attention of management, which was by then heavily influenced by Ford. Development of
6688-492: The top of the engine in order to reach the exhaust rockers. The two inclined rocker covers give the engine a similar appearance to an overhead - camshaft arrangement. Three inline Solex downdraft carburettors were bolted directly to the cylinder head casting using small adaptor plates. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z16796/AC-Aceca.aspx Coup%C3%A9 The term coupé was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from
6776-464: The total production of 2,150 vehicles, 1,357 were produced for the North American market. The most significant mechanical change were slightly revised Bilstein shocks and suspension cross member injected with urethane foam to improve ride quality. Launched in 2006, the 'Evolve' was the first special edition for the UK. The new model was named after the original Mazda concept car seen in Detroit in 2000 and
6864-589: The touring car class. Other racing series include the KONI Challenge Series in the Street Tuner class. In the UK, the RX-8 featured in the Mazda sponsored "Formula Women" series (2004), which involved all women drivers with slightly modified RX-8s, and the RX-8 was also campaigned successfully in the Britcar series endurance races (2005/2006). In Belgium, Mazda are currently sponsoring an RX-8 silhouette racer in
6952-463: The updated RX-8 increased acceleration and performance. Mazda engineers claimed that the second generation RX-8 was (slightly) faster than the previous generation due to the lower gearing and improved suspension. The Renesis II engine iteration that was launched in the 2009 model year included a third oil injection port in each rotor housing to feed oil to the middle of the rotor facing, making this their first all-new EMOP (Electric Metering Oil Pump) with
7040-652: Was also available, swapping the Bridgestone's for higher performance Falken extreme summer tires. The automatic models could be specified with the manual transmission model's Recaro bucket seats and 19-inch wheels. The body color choices for the Spirit R were limited to Aluminum Metallic, Sparkling Black Mica, and a special color, Crystal White Pearl Mica, exclusive to the Spirit R. A small number of Spirit R RX-8s can be found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and New Zealand. Sales of
7128-417: Was discontinued for the 2012 model year without a successor. It was removed earlier from the European market in 2010 after the car failed to meet emissions standards . Due to falling sales from Europe coupled with rising Yen prices, Mazda could not justify the continued sale of the RX-8 in other markets. 192,094 units were produced during its 9-year production run. Mazda introduced rotary-powered vehicles in
7216-433: Was focused on performance without the expense of comfort, and was equipped with a performance exhaust system, lightweight flywheel, improved radiator, Bilstein shock absorbers, and sport springs. The car came with a new exclusive aerodynamic kit, featuring a new front lip, side skirts, and rear lower bumper. In 2007 Mazda released a Japan-North America limited edition known as the Kuro (Japanese for black). The production run
7304-805: Was limited to 500 cars. All cars were finished in Sparkling Black paint, with 18-inch Monoblock wheels. The Kuro version used a more evolved RENESIS engine and 6-speed manual transmission with a claimed output of 227 hp (230 PS; 169 kW) and 156 lb⋅ft (212 N⋅m). Inside, it featured white leather interior, Bose premium audio system with 6-CD auto-changer, heated seats, electrically-operated driver's seat, and climate control air conditioning, cruise control, traction control, dynamic stability control and eight airbags. This edition has racing-type fully adjustable front & rear Tein suspension, bigger exhaust tips, fog lights, stiffer anti roll bars, better engine cooling system, limited-slip differential and
7392-522: Was limited to a production run of just 500 cars. Based on the 228 hp (231 PS; 170 kW) high-power version, it had several unique exterior features. These include a choice of two exclusive exterior colors (Copper Red Mica 400 and Phantom Blue Mica 100), unique dark silver 18 × 8J alloy wheels, a polished aluminum Rotary crest on the front air dam, dark silver bezel headlamps, sports door mirrors, polished aluminum side air outlet fins, Rotary branded B-pillar trims, chrome exhaust surrounds. Inside,
7480-737: Was offered in the R3 model. The Spirit R is a limited edition of the RX-8 built to celebrate the end of the RX-8's production. The name "Spirit R" was based on the final limited edition of the RX-7, the RX-7 Spirit R. The Spirit R was originally limited to only 1,000 cars and exclusively sold in Japan, but ultimately sold more than 1,000 due to unprecedented demand. The Spirit R is essentially an R3 with some cosmetic changes that are outlined below. The manual transmission model came with exclusive lightweight red leather SPIRIT R bucket seats from Recaro , exclusive piano-black transmission tunnel trim, exclusive front and rear red brake calipers, Spirit R badges on
7568-422: Was popular from the 1920s until the beginning of World War II . While many manufacturers produced three-window coupes, the 1932 Ford coupe is often considered the classic hot rod. Some SUVs or crossovers with sloping rear rooflines are marketed as "coupe crossover SUVs" or "coupe SUVs", even though they have four side doors for passenger egress to the seats and rear hatches for cargo area access however only
7656-424: Was rated at 191 hp (194 PS; 142 kW) and was coupled with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission . From 2003 – 2008, the 6-port Generation One was available with a six-speed manual transmission and was rated at 238 hp (241 PS; 177 kW). From 2006 – 2008, the 6-port, 6-speed automatic paddle-shift variant was available. The 6-port engine was not sold in Europe. For
7744-670: Was renamed in 2019 to the Mazda Racing Series and now some of the largest grids in the country. In 2019, the Classic Sports Car Club in the UK launched the RX-8 Trophy for road legal first generation Mazda RX-8's. Developed in two years, the class was designed to provide the cheapest way of going racing in a performance car. The class stipulates that the RX-8 entering the race must have a valid MOT and retain creature comforts such as air con, heater and stereo, therefore allowing
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