Mazda RX-8 (2008-) Review

09/07/2008 22:52. Mazda persevered with the rotary engine when other manufacturers had abandoned the concept and in the RX-8, Dr Felix Wankel's mechanical innovation really works to full effect. A rotary engine has triangular rotors which spin within epi-trochoidal housings, instead of conventional pistons, and it tends to get smoother and more powerful the faster it rotates. It also has the benefit of being compact and lightweight - and Mazda is able to squeeze 231bhp out of a twin-rotor unit of just 1308cc capacity.

The downside of the rotary has always been high fuel consumption, but Mazda has at least contained this to a degree commensurate with the RX-8's performance: the rotary engine's not going to work in, say, a Mazda 2 supermini, but you can forgive its thirst in a sports car like this.

Yet... // Channel 4 News