Mazda sticks with rotary power

[mustafur]

My question would be why would the number matter? It's still an RX.

Because name legacy matters when selling a car.

 

[Grandea GTR]

The L

Because name legacy matters when selling a car.

So you're saying that there wouldn't be any significance if a 9 filled in the blank?

I'm sure the car would be significant enough by just having "RX" on it.

 

[mustafur]

So you're saying that there wouldn't be any significance if a 9 filled in the blank?

I'm sure the car would be significant enough by just having "RX" on it.

Probably but the RX8 did water the name down.

Although not the same situation name wise, Do you feel the R35 GT-R would be such a success if it was named something different entirely?

The name is important its a psychological thing.

 

[Grandea GTR]

Probably but the RX8 did water the name down.

Although not the same situation name wise, Do you feel the R35 GT-R would be such a success if it was named something different entirely?

The name is important its a psychological thing.

I don't think you're understanding what I'm saying.

 

[bremics]

The RX7 (2 seater, rotary in front, power in back) has always been the RX7, the RX8 was something different.

It should be called the RX7...

 

[05XR8]

I'd like the 7 as well. 911/Carrera. Corvette. MX-5. We know what these cars are. The RX-8 was more like an RX-7 GSL. It could have wore the RX-7 name. It wasn't as if it was an RX-2/3/4.

Even if the new one is solely "RX" it's more like saying "R" "10" than RX-9. I would actually prefer it be named RX-7 or RX7. Especially if it's turboed. RX-7e or RX-7h, RX7 MPS RX-R, RX-S , RX-L, RX-GT, RX-GTS. Any and all types of combinations can be made. Good things to come.

http://mzracing.jp/en/feature/2347

Some design insight

. The RX-VISION is a straight representation of what we wanted to express.” Compared to existing rotary sports cars, this vehicle comes closer to the super-sports genre. The RX-VISION exists on the same level as sports cars such as the Chevrolet Corvette, Lotus Evora, and Alfa Romeo 8C. In line with existing modern sports cars it appears that the vehicle height has been set quite low.

As the first rotary sports car concept to come out for some time, and one that is set to take up the position of Mazda’s flagship car at that, rather than stick with the traditional compact size, this new machine has been designed with a large body frame.

Sounds expensive.

And in case anyone wants a bit of trivia:

Incidentally, the red color of the body is not, in fact, soul-red premium metallic, but rather a glossier, deeper color that further signifies the car’s evolution.

Maeda added one last comment, “Being a sports car, we are aiming for further weight reduction, so don’t be surprised if we chip away at the body a little more.”

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I think as long as they make advertisements showing this is meant to be an evolution of what the RX7 started so long ago to now, then people will get it and it will sell with or without being called RX7. Because an advertisement like that is basically saying that it is essentially a RX.

 

[Downhill Dino]

It would really be throwing the RX-8 under the bus to call this the RX-7.

The RX7 (2 seater, rotary in front, power in back) has always been the RX7, the RX8 was something different.

It should be called the RX7...

They all had rear seats. The FD being a technicality depending on market.

 

[CodeRedR51]

It would really be throwing the RX-8 under the bus to call this the RX-7.

I don't see how, the RX-8 was never a replacement for the RX-7. It was it's own thing.

------------------------------

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/10/30/50-guys-kept-the-rotary-dream-alive-at-mazda-for-8-years/

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

50 engineers. That's incredible.

Ford currently has 147 open powertrain positions they are looking to fill.

More than just being interesting because of the rotary engine, these invisible engineers probably have truly fascinating stories. I wish somebody would make a documentary about them, almost samurai like in their devotion to the engine's development.

 

[homeforsummer]

Probably but the RX8 did water the name down.

If by "watered down" you mean "sold almost three times better than the FD RX-7 everyone raves about (despite being on the market for two years fewer)" then yes, the RX-8 absolutely watered the name down.

The R35 GT-R is a weird car to reference too, since it was the car that dropped the Skyline name and became its own thing. Up until the R35 debuted I'd have said the name Skyline was almost synonymous with GT-R, yet dropping that name hasn't exactly harmed the R35's success. Again, I'd be more inclined to say it's the car that's resulted in its success, rather than the GT-R badge - it did go from three generations of being a ~300hp car to a 500+hp one in one step, after all, and was more than fairly priced initially.

People get way too hung up on names. As the Miata... I mean MX-5... I mean Eunos Roadster... sorry, Mazda Roadster suggests, you can pretty much call a car whatever the hell you want provided the product itself is good.

If Mazda called this new coupe an RX-9 people wouldn't refuse to buy it because the number was two digits out from something they were potentially familiar with. They'd buy it regardless because it looked amazing and offered performance/handling/whatever else buyers were looking for. And if it didn't sell, it'd probably be because Mazda arsed it up, rather than because it wasn't called RX-7.

 

[Grandea GTR]

derp.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

*Sigh*

http://blogs.motortrend.com/mazda_rx_vision_and_now_the_bad_news.html

I already posted that on the last page. 👍

 

[Grandea GTR]

I already posted that on the last page. 👍

Whoops.

 

[mustafur]

If by "watered down" you mean "sold almost three times better than the FD RX-7 everyone raves about (despite being on the market for two years fewer)" then yes, the RX-8 absolutely watered the name down.

The R35 GT-R is a weird car to reference too, since it was the car that dropped the Skyline name and became its own thing. Up until the R35 debuted I'd have said the name Skyline was almost synonymous with GT-R, yet dropping that name hasn't exactly harmed the R35's success. Again, I'd be more inclined to say it's the car that's resulted in its success, rather than the GT-R badge - it did go from three generations of being a ~300hp car to a 500+hp one in one step, after all, and was more than fairly priced initially.

People get way too hung up on names. As the Miata... I mean MX-5... I mean Eunos Roadster... sorry, Mazda Roadster suggests, you can pretty much call a car whatever the hell you want provided the product itself is good.

If Mazda called this new coupe an RX-9 people wouldn't refuse to buy it because the number was two digits out from something they were potentially familiar with. They'd buy it regardless because it looked amazing and offered performance/handling/whatever else buyers were looking for. And if it didn't sell, it'd probably be because Mazda arsed it up, rather than because it wasn't called RX-7.

There is a reason why it sold more, for a huge part of the RX7s life it was only sold in Japan and the car was considerably more expensive when you put in for inflation.

Naturally when you put these together its going to sell less.

The MX5 Reference is a strange one considering it has been called what it has since day 1 in the given market its sold.

And I didn't say the car will not sell if its not called RX7 simply that it will help, nothing more nothing less.

 

[Grandea GTR]

And I didn't say the car will not sell if its not called RX7 simply that it will help, nothing more nothing less.

You kinda did.

Because name legacy matters when selling a car.

 

[mustafur]

You kinda did.

But I didn't, I said it matters that's all.

 

[Tornado]

People get way too hung up on names. As the Miata... I mean MX-5... I mean Eunos Roadster... sorry, Mazda Roadster suggests, you can pretty much call a car whatever the hell you want provided the product itself is good.

Amusingly, Mazda USA has given up that ill-advised rebranding attempt they tried when the NC launched and now seem to have committed to... calling it all three:

 

[CodeRedR51]

The NC had the same branding on their website throughout it's life I believe.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

RX-9 probably makes more sense, especially if the car is going to be headed for unprecedented performance levels.

That being said, I have an enormous amount of affection for the RX-7 name and genuinely feel it is the most special (non-super) car series to ever emerge from Asia. My heart wants it to be an RX-7.

 

[Imari]

RX-9 probably makes more sense, especially if the car is going to be headed for unprecedented performance levels.

That being said, I have an enormous amount of affection for the RX-7 name and genuinely feel it is the most special (non-super) car series to ever emerge from Asia. My heart wants it to be an RX-7.

They've been through so many different RX-? names though, it would almost be weird if they didn't change it for the next one.

 

[05XR8]

I like how Maeda mentions they'll try to make it lighter.it's going to have to evolve. The new Corvette or update, should be out in a few years. The RX will have to change to look fresh. I like it's simple dash layout. I say keep that in the evolution.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

It's so rare that it's probably beside the point, but Mazda did in fact already create and sell a model called the RX-9.

(that's the piston-engined version, but the body is the same)

 

[05XR8]

It's so rare that it's probably beside the point, but Mazda did in fact already create and sell a model called the RX-9.

(that's the piston-engined version, but the body is the same)

Look like a Volare and Fairmont from back in the day. Still, old school cool.👍

 

[homeforsummer]

There is a reason why it sold more, for a huge part of the RX7s life it was only sold in Japan and the car was considerably more expensive when you put in for inflation.

Naturally when you put these together its going to sell less.

...aaaaand that doesn't actually change anything about my point. You said the RX-8 watered the name down.

It's easier to make a case for the FD doing so, since Mazda priced it out of many customers' reach (it was the least successful RX-7) and didn't sell it worldwide as long as the other generations of RX-7, or indeed the RX-8.

Of course, saying the FD watered the RX badge down would be silly. But equally so to say the one that made the badge affordable again and managed to endure in a time of much tougher economy and emissions standards watered it down...

The MX5 Reference is a strange one considering it has been called what it has since day 1 in the given market its sold.

Apart from in Japan, where the entire brand it was sold under changed from the first to the second generation.

And the fact that the actual car is still the same wherever it's sold in the world under different names, which has neither helped nor hindered it.

And I didn't say the car will not sell if its not called RX7 simply that it will help, nothing more nothing less.

Because name legacy matters when selling a car.

Your wording implies the opposite. If it matters - which it doesn't really, unless you've got an incredibly strong heritage behind the name, like a Corvette or a 911, then the RX-8 would have been a flop. As someone said earlier, 'RX' is more a part of Mazda's rotary heritage than the number they suffix it with.

Of course, if I was being facetious then I'd suggest that only the tiniest, tiniest percentage of people who'd actually complain about a new car not being called RX-7 would actually have the means to buy one in the first place. People with the money to buy new cars just... buy them, rather than splitting hairs.

 

[Imari]

It's so rare that it's probably beside the point, but Mazda did in fact already create and sell a model called the RX-9.

(that's the piston-engined version, but the body is the same)

Hmm, that probably rules out calling it RX-9 then. While they'd probably bring the name back if they wanted, I doubt they want their slinky sports thing associated with a giant lump of a sedan.

RX-10, anyone?

Actually, they should do a Polyphony and call it the RX SPORT.

 

[CodeRedR51]

If it's a 2-door Rotary powered sports car, I don't think there's any reason to call it anything other than RX-7 since it's basically a successor to it. RX-2, RX-3, RX-4, RX-5 were sporty coupes or sedans, but not true sports cars. RX-8 was a sporty 4-door and a separate thing, not an RX-7 replacement. And now some of us know the RX-9 was used for a sedan in the past, I would rule that name out. 6 and 10 don't sound right, so that settles it.

 

[Downhill Dino]

RX-10, anyone?

This is something I wouldn't doubt being the name at all. If it's not RX-10, I would be surprised.

Actually, they should do a Polyphony and call it the RX SPORT.

Don't suggest it! You know they could very well do that!

Though, I wonder if we'll see an H or E somehwere since there's going to be hybrid work going on here?

 

[05XR8]

RX could be anything. The CXs and MX are covered. Mazda2/3/6 are non-issues. RX-1. Let's start there. Mazda must have those corresponding nomenclatures trademarked.

 

[Petros-XL]

A long time ago I read somewehere that Mazda patented the names rx-7 and rx-9.
In my opinion a sports car should be named rx7.
If there will be a rx9 it should be a high end sports car.