The styling of the Mazda RX-8 is made up of taut muscular lines, suggesting the look of an athlete in motion. The muscular design maintains classic sports car proportions while adding a Zoom-Zoom edge that is unmistakably Mazda. Integrated throughout the exterior is the unique triangular rotor design, which clearly can be seen in the front fascia, head lamps, hood and rear bumper valence. RX-8's exterior dimensions are virtually identical to the Porsche 911, yet it still manages to seat four adults and offers sufficient rear-seat room to install a rear-facing child seat.

The RX-8's exterior styling presents a genuine sports car form, while the interior boasts a comfortable and intelligently designed cabin. An extremely low cabin floor allows the seats to be mounted low in the chassis, which, along with a low instrument cluster and hood, enhance driver visibility. Mazda designers concentrated on the shape of the front seat backs and the rear seat cushions to ensure adequate rear-seat knee room. Front seat slide-rails are positioned to allow maximum leg room for rear-seat passengers.

The rotary design element is carried through the interior of Mazda RX-8 in creative ways, appearing in the seats, center console, shift knob and emergency brake. The cabin also evokes a sense of style and high-end quality. Mazda's design team examined every aspect and component of the interior and has created an elegant, performance-minded atmosphere. Through the use of advanced ergonomic research, Mazda engineers determined improper seating posture to be a cause of driver fatigue and built in optimum support in the front seats to help counteract discomfort. In addition, the soft blue lighting used in Mazda RX-8's instrument cluster was found to minimize eye fatigue and strain.



MAZDA RX-8 SAFETY

When designing Mazda RX-8, safety was given as much consideration as performance. For Mazda, the safety process incorporates both accident avoidance and accident protection. In practice, this approach to safety means Mazda RX-8 can avoid many dangers and protect occupants in the unfortunate event of a collision. In a recent rollover test performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Mazda RX-8 was the only car of the 68 tested vehicles to receive a five-star rating.

Mazda engineers incorporated numerous active and passive safety elements throughout the car. Active safety features, which require input from the driver, include the use of large ABS-equipped disc brakes on all wheels as well as precise steering and suspension systems. Dynamic Stability Control (standard on manual transmission cars with Sport Package, optional on Mazda RX-8s with automatic transmissions) provides a superior level of handling that can be disabled safely when driving and road conditions allow.

Passive systems, or those that take effect automatically without driver intervention, also are present throughout the RX-8. Despite the absence of a center B-pillar, the RX-8 has an exceptionally rigid body, a feat accomplished through the use of a series of locking pins, which hold the doors together and tie each door directly into the roof and floor. Integrating the frame components helps dissipate crash energy through the vehicle's structure.

More standard passive systems on the RX-8 include front airbags, seat-mounted side-impact airbags and side-curtain airbags. Additionally, the front end and engine bay have ample crumple zones, the front seats are designed to minimize whiplash injuries, the brake pedal is designed to break away in the event of a collision of sufficient force to protect feet and legs and all four seating positions are fitted with three-point seatbelts. Consideration even was given to pedestrian protection as the RX-8 is fitted with Mazda's "shock-cone" hood design that yields more to the impact of a pedestrian onto the hood than a standard design, yet is strong enough to not deform in normal use.

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