New Car Net (Enlarge photo)

Some years ago, a major manufacturer proudly announced a startling new 'female appeal' design feature: a handbag hook on the dashboard. Yeah, right. Thankfully, things have moved on but cars targeted at women still tend to be family-oriented wagons, or the sort of small sportymobiles that men sniffily describe as hairdressers' cars. The new Mazda RX-8 R3 is neither of these. This is a car with genuine female appeal. It's a proper, powerful sportscar - with the rare feature of a rotary engine - desired by men and women alike. It offers a fabulous combination of luxurious interior, a firm but not harsh ride, and truly exotic performance. No handbag hooks here, I'm delighted to say.

The 231PS (228bhp) rotary engine has a distinctive, zingy note, and sounds very different from conventional... // New Car Net

OUR TAKE: The RX-8 is without question one of the most rewarding cars to drive hard and toss from corner to corner. But the car’s handling prowess has been raised a notch with this R3 package. Fans of the last-generation RX-7 will notice this is the continuation of the R1 and R2 trims that featured sportier suspension dynamics. However, those cars were one-trick ponies that handled a turn like nobody’s business but absolutely trounced you during normal driving. This R3 embodies both the sharp handling skills that you want on a track and a comfortable-enough ride for every time in between.

The car exhibits great turn-in, stellar steering feedback and is solidly planted. Credit the 50/50 weight distribution and the stiffened chassis for the well-balanced experience. Steering has good... // AutoWeek

Auto123 (Enlarge photo)

For 2009, Mazda's flagship sports coupe gets numerous improvements. While relatively subtle, these upgrades inject newfound dynamism into the car. After five years on the market, the RX-8 was beginning to show serious signs of age. The rebirth took place last January at the Detroit Auto Show .

London, England - Having grown up in the UK, many of my fondest auto show experiences took place in that country when I was a child. Way back then, the... // Auto123

CARkeys (Enlarge photo)

The RX-8 range in the UK has been simplified to the point where there is now only one model on sale. In Japan, Mazda has uprated the old 192PS model (that's 189bhp in British money) so that it now produces 210PS (207bhp), which is so close to the 231PS (228bhp) of the more powerful version that Mazda UK decided it wasn't worth importing both cars. From now on, then, if you want a new RX-8 it's going to have to be a 231PS.

Or, to put it another way, it's going to be an R3, which is Mazda's name for the mildly reworked version tested here. At £24,995, it's nearly £2000 more expensive than the old 231PS, but it's also better equipped. As standard, it comes with a Sports Styling Pack (front bumper, side skirts, rear wing), revised lights and intakes, very supportive Recaro seats, beautiful... // CARkeys