It's five years since Mazda launched the RX-8, the heir to the much-loved RX-7, which the marque produced from 1978 to 2002. On its debut, the new four-seater RX-8 coupe was widely praised for its blend of individual looks, high-revving performance and 2+2 practicality.
Mazda has taken the same approach in updating the RX-8 as it did with the recent improvement of its MX-5 roadster, with engineers working hard to retain the best features of the car while improving its handling and efficiency.
Mazda's restyling of the RX-8 has been sensitive: some of the fussier elements of the original design having been toned down without sacrificing the character and distinguishing features of the coupe.
The busy rear end has been sculpted and smoothed, but the arched rear window that was a feature of the RX-7 remains.
And from the 2003 model, the love-'em-or-loathe-'em wheel arches remain, as do the 'suicide' rear doors, although the flatter, sharper front end and narrowed headlamps give the new car a contemporary edge.
An integral rear spoiler, dual exhausts, 18-inch alloys shaped like the engine's rotary blades, LED tail lights, HID xenon headlamps and retractable door mirrors complete the exterior, giving the car a more fluid and coherent look than its predecessor.
