It means that you have more space to work with, but also that you’ll probably muddle the stock handling dynamics. That’s because Mazda seated the motor behind the wheels to preserve excellent weight balance. That said, the RENESIS is a very small motor despite the long bonnet. It has a well- designed chassis, normal variants aren’t too scarce yet, and there’s a big community behind it to guide and provide information. More importantly, it serves as a great base to work from. This means that the possibilities are extensive. The RX-8 has one big advantage: it has a very favourable and popular powertrain configuration for performance purposes. There is a ‘solution’ to this – it’s counter-productive but put simply: do an RX-8 motor swap. The RENESIS is too expensive to generate much power and has a comparatively small aftermarket.
If nothing else, they are simply not powerful enough. That’s enough to drive away potential customers. Because of their design, rotary motors struggle with fuel economy and emissions.
Now though, the big problem is inefficiency. It’s still a high maintenance motor by any stretch, but with dedicated owners, the RENESIS can be very reliable. After a few years, most problems were ironed out. Early ECU flashes failed to supply enough oil for seal lubrication. The early remanufactured motors had poor quality control and were put into RX-8s that didn’t need them. Horror stories of catastrophic motor failure and excessive oil consumption scared away interested buyers. However, there is a good reason for that low entry barrier, and that’s because the RX-8 is notorious for unreliability, specifically related to its RENESIS motor. And nowadays, with many cheap used RX-8s available, they’re becoming an increasingly tempting prospect. Next, ECU tuning and remapping eventually moving to turbochargers, superchargers, nitrous and motor porting. Of course, intakes and exhausts are the entry level. The RENESIS was a new breed of rotary motor, but the performance sector caught on quick. But the best thing? Like any other affordable Japanese sports cars, it quickly appealed to the fascinating world that pursues every drop of performance: the aftermarket. Even Mazdaspeed makes tuning parts for it. Mazda realised that customers want a sharper, more performance-centric RX-8. Think of the RX-8 as a sports car for everyday use.
#RX8 ECU TUNING SERIES#
The RX series was never meant to be directly related.
#RX8 ECU TUNING DRIVERS#
Drivers were too busy revving the RENESIS motor under the bonnet, which in certain trims went all the way to 10,000 rpm, and the chassis was very stylish. Yes, it’s not a direct successor to the revered RX-7 and does not have its sharp edge. Mobsters also used them to throw their enemies out! In the era before seatbelts, if the door was opened accidentally, the wind would open it further and the passenger could be sucked out. The rear suicide doors (doors hinged at the rear instead of the front) open only from inside the cabin, which Mazda insists is due to safety concerns. You can find this emblem littered all over the vehicle.įor a sports car, it’s also peculiarly proportioned with a four-door configuration. It’s also oddly obsessed with the shape of its own powerplant: a Reuleaux triangle.
#RX8 ECU TUNING PLUS#
It has an oddly jovial front fascia plus soft and circular lines that dull the sporty edge. Of course, the RX-8 is also a very quirky sportscar. It was even ‘honourably nominated’ for the (somewhat) prestigious 2003 Top Gear Awards for Car of the Year and Surprise of the Year categories.
Jeremy Clarkson, in particular, was infatuated, describing it as “a unique motor that will sing all the way to the redline.” He praised its well-designed chassis and the affordable price tag. It was built to celebrate Mazda’s venerated Wankel motors and it immediately garnered high praise from various motoring journalists and critics. Of course, with rumours of a successor in the mix, it’s time to take a look back at what made the RX-8 so good, and what eventually condemned it. Remember the Mazda RX-8? ( Read a road test here if not) It was really the last hurrah from Mazda, a bit of a swan song if you will.
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