Mazda To Provide Hydrogen-Powered RX8s To Norway

Mazda has announced that it has come to an agreement with HyNor (Hydrogen Road of Norway), a joint industry initiative to demonstrate real life implementation of a hydrogen energy infrastructure along a route of 580 km – 350 miles from Oslo to Stavanger in Norway, for the purchase of 30 Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles commencing summer 2008. For Mazda, these will be the first hydrogen vehicles sold outside of Japan. -Details after the jump

PRESS RELEASE

Hiroshima, Japan, 7th November 2007. Mazda Motor Corporation and HyNor (Hydrogen Road of Norway) will collaborate in the development of hydrogen fuel and hydrogen vehicles. This was formally agreed at a signing ceremony held at the Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo today. His Excellency Mr. Åge B. Grutle, Norwegian ambassador to Japan, and Mr. Hisakazu Imaki, Mazda’s President and CEO, attended the event, at which Mr. Ulf Hafseld, chairman of HyNor, and Mr. Seita Kanai, a director and senior managing executive officer in charge of Research and Development of Mazda, signed a memorandum of understanding for collaboration and support in the development of a Hydrogen Economy. The memorandum states that HyNor intends to purchase 30 Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles commencing summer 2008. For Mazda, these will be the first hydrogen vehicles sold outside of Japan.

"I very much welcome the agreement between Mazda Motor Corporation and HyNor. The agreement illustrates that HyNor's efforts to contribute to the development of Hydrogen-based technologies are recognized by Mazda as a major global actor in this field”, said H.E. Mr. Åge Grutle, Norwegian ambassador to Japan. “The partnership between HyNor and Mazda is also very encouraging for Norway's broader efforts to strengthen its cooperation with Japan in promoting research and technologies within the context of climate change mitigation, including a Hydrogen Society. For the Norwegian embassy it is a top priority to support these efforts, working in close collaboration with Innovation Norway and the Research Council of Norway."

“HyNor is very pleased to sign this agreement with Mazda and we think this cooperation will speed up the process of introducing hydrogen as a zero-emission fuel”, said Ulf Hafseld, Chairman of HyNor. “By using the Internal Combustion Engine as a feasible technology to accelerate realization of the real hydrogen world, we can develop a hydrogen infrastructure much faster. HyNor is focusing on a carbon neutral infrastructure, and using hydrogen in the Mazda cars will ensure a complete carbon free line of fuel.”

“This will be the first time a Hydrogen RE vehicle will be sold outside Japan and will be a big step in Mazda’s Hydrogen vehicle development history”, said Mr. Seita Kanai, Mazda’s director and senior managing executive officer. “Perhaps Norway is one of the countries closest to the realization of a Hydrogen energy society. By cooperating with HyNor and jointly supporting the development of a hydrogen economy, we hope that Mazda will be able to contribute to the establishment of a Hydrogen society. "

HyNor is a unique Norwegian joint industry initiative to demonstrate real life implementation of a hydrogen energy infrastructure along a route of 580 kilometers from Oslo to Stavanger in Norway. The project comprises all steps required to develop a Hydrogen society with adaptation to local conditions. The joint project is planning for various means of transport: buses, taxis and private cars and varying types of transport systems: urban, inter-city, regional and even long-distance national transport. In August 2006, Mazda attended a ceremony which commemorated the opening of Norway’s first hydrogen filling station created by HyNor. This is also where the first on-road demonstration of a RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicle outside of Japan was held.

Mazda RX-8 "Sport Pack"

Mazda is offering a new optional Sport Pack for all RX-8 models sold in the UK. The sport pack is priced at £350 ($714 or €502) and it consists of an Eibach lowered sports suspension kit, bright silver 10-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured aerodynamic side skirts, a satin-silver fuel filler cap and body-side RX-8 graphics. We really dig the 18-inch alloys but we can’t quite decide if we like the graphics or not. But what the hell; if we lived in the UK we’d just buy it as is and take off them of later on if we found it them a tad too "70’s". -Press release and pics after the jump

MAZDA RX-8 WITH ‘SPORT PACK’ AND 0% FINANCE

• Four-seater, four-door sports coupé with sensational looks and practicality
• New special ‘Sport Pack’ (worth over £1,700) available for £350 on all models
• 0% finance on all standard, limited and special edition models until 31 December

The revolutionary Mazda RX-8 four-seater, four-door sports coupé is now available with 0% finance and a new optional Sport Pack priced at £350 – offering a customer saving of £1,400. Available for all models, the Sport Pack comprises Eibach lowered sports suspension, unique Bright Silver 10-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured aerodynamic side skirts, a satin-silver fuel filler cap and dramatic body-side RX-8 graphics.

The Mazda RX-8 with Sport Pack can be ordered in any of the six regular exterior colours, while the graphics are available in a choice of silver, charcoal grey or white, allowing customers to contrast with, or complement, their choice of body colour to suit their personal taste.

Two regular Mazda RX-8 models are available and both are powered by an ultra smooth-revving RENESIS rotary engine. The standard £21,500 Mazda RX-8 model features the 192ps engine with a five-speed manual gearbox, while the £23,000 high-power RX-8 model is fitted with the 231ps unit and a six-speed transmission. The 192ps model accelerates to 62mph in 7.2 seconds, while the 231ps model takes just 6.4 seconds.

Thanks to its unique blend of high-performance rotary engine power, perfect 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, rear-wheel drive, sports car dynamics and generous interior space, the Mazda RX-8 has helped boost Mazda sports car sales to record levels. Together with the Mazda MX-5, the RX-8 accounts for one in every five sports cars sold in the UK – earning Mazda the title of ‘Britain’s Favourite Sports Car Brand’.

Great Finance Promotions until 31 December 2007
As well as the ‘Sport Pack’ offer, all Mazda RX-8 models – standard, limited-edition and special-edition cars – are even more attractive this autumn, thanks to the introduction of three 0% finance promotions available on retail sales until 31 December.

1. 0 per cent APR Mazda Hire Purchase (minimum 30% deposit) over 36 months.
2. 0 per cent APR Mazda MultiOption Cashplan over 12 months.
3. 0 per cent APR Mazda MultiOption (variable 20-to-30% deposit) over 36 months.

Mazda RX-8 - Price List

Model	Power Ps	‘On the road’ Retail Price	CO2 Emissions (g/km)	Road Fund Band	Insurance Group
RX-8	192	£21,500	267	G	15E
RX-8	231	£23,000	284	G	16E
RX-8 Kuro	231	£23,995	284	G	16E

NB ‘on the road’ prices are inclusive of number plates, 12 months’ road fund licence, first registration tax.

Options & Accessories

Factory-fitted Options	RRP
Electric sunroof	£500
Metallic paint	£350
Leather upholstery (includes power driver’s seat and heated front seats)	£1,600
Pack: DVD satellite navigation system and leather upholstery	£3,100
Sport Pack: Eibach lowered suspension, Bright Silver alloy wheels, satin-finish fuel filler cap, side skirts and RX-8 graphics*	£350

*Available on all models registered from 1 October 2007, while component stocks last

Frankfurt Show: Mazda RX-8 Special Edition

Mazda presented yet another commemorative version of the RX8 in order to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Mazda Rotary Engine. To be honest, most people –Carscoop included, were occupied with the new Mazda6 and no one gave any attention to the Special Edition RX8, which features minor visual and chassis refinements. Available exclusively in two exterior colours (Metropolitan Grey & Crystal White Pearl), the Special Edition RX8 gets new 10-spoke 18-inch alloys, blue- light fog lamps and 40th anniversary emblems. -Continued after the jump

On the inside, the Special Edition RX-8 features bi-color seats (light grey Alcantara in the centre and black leather at the sides), parking brake lever and shift lever cover with special stitching and a new silver shift knob center. Additionally, the Special Edition also has body shell cross members filled with polyurethane foam for more quiet operation than the original and a sports suspension with special springs and Bilstein dampers.

Mazda RX-8 Special Version

Celebrating Mazda’s Rotary Tradition

• Two special body colours, wheel design and 40th anniversary emblem

• Special seat/trim materials, leather stitching and silver shift knob

• Foam-filled cross member and sports suspension with Bilstein dampers

As it did with the MX-5 roadster in 1989, Mazda changed customer expectations of what an affordable sports car should be when it launched the Mazda RX-8 in 2003. It redefined the Mazda sports car with a strong and sporty Zoom-Zoom design that visually shows its performance potential. It created a new class of four-seater sports cars by resurrecting the centre-opening door system – a feature that is just as fresh and innovative today as it was four years ago. And under the bonnet was the naturally- aspirated RENESIS rotary engine. This engine won the International Engine of the Year award in 2003 along with three other category awards in both 2003 and 2004.

Since Mazda RX-8 came to market, Mazda has dominated sales in the European non-premium sports car segment with a share consistently around 18 percent (combined RX-8 and Mazda MX-5 sales).

The Special Edition RX-8

Based on a special version concept presented at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and following the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the rotary engine, Mazda Motor Corporation is issuing a Special Edition RX-8 (depending on market) that adds components to the chassis and body shell, and exterior and interior features , all of which raise the bar on affordable sports cars once again.

Exterior – Special Body Features for Sporty Sophistication

The normal Mazda RX-8 combines classical sports car aesthetics described by its original designers as “athletic tension” that visually communicates performance potential. It is dynamic and sporty with short overhangs, striking fenders and bumpers, and a unique bonnet line. For the Special Edition RX-8, these exterior features are enhanced to celebrate Mazda’s rotary engine history with two specially designed exterior colours – a newly-developed Metropolitan Grey that gives the RX-8’s sporty form a strong touch of sophistication; and Crystal White Pearl that will set it apart on European roads. Enhancing the Special Edition’s look of sporty sophistication is also a new ten-spoke, bright- grey wheel design, new blue-light fog lamps and a 40th anniversary emblem at the back of both front fenders .

Interior – Special Seat/Trim Materials and Cockpit Enhancements

The Mazda RX-8 is known for having a stylish and premium interior ambience that is both sporty and modern. It has four sport seats with superior long-trip comfort and good side support for sporty driving, and headrests in the form of a triangular rotary. In front of the driver is a leather-covered steering wheel and parking brake lever, a triangular rotary- shape shift knob and a tachometer scaled to 10,000 rpm to reflect the high-revving characteristics of it RENESIS rotary engine. For the Special Edition RX-8, the interior has several enhancements that celebrate the car’s premium look and feel. These include seat materials developed for the Special Edition RX-8 with light grey Alcantara ® * in the centre and black leather at the sides , combined with special trim materials in matching colours. For an extra touch of quality, the steering wheel is black leather – to match the sides of the seats – with light stitching to match the colours of the seat middle. And the shift lever is covered in the same black leather with light stitching and features a silver shift knob centre .

Special Foam-Filled Front Suspension Cross Members and Bilstein Sports Suspension

The Mazda RX-8 is one of the best handling cars in its class. It features a front-midship engine layout and rear-wheel drive, which results in a perfect 50/50 weight distribution over the front and rear axles. It also delivers outstanding torsional rigidity with a unique transmission tunnel structure where the upper side of the tunnel is a rigid, closed-section high-mount backbone frame that is joined to the mainframe front and back. For the Special Edition RX-8 – which comes standard with the High Powered RENESIS engine producing 170 kW/231 PS at 8,200 rpm , maximum torque of 211 Nm at 5,500 rpm, 18-inch aluminium wheels, and the short shifting six-speed manual transmission – front suspension cross members are now filled with polyurethane foam for even more quiet operation and sharper handling than the original. And further enhancing the RX-8’s acclaimed handling characteristics is a sports front suspension with special springs and Bilstein dampers all around – only available for the Special Edition – that provides even more sporty driving fun.

Mazda RX-8 "Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary edition" Introduced In Japan

Continuing the celebrations for the forty years of Mazda’s Rotary Engine Vehicles (see here), the Japanese automaker announced the introduction of an ultra limited special edition of the RX-8 labeled as “Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary”. Based on the RX-8 Type S (six-speed manual transmission) and the Type E (six-speed automatic transmission) model grades, the “Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary” will be available exclusively in Marble White body color while the interior is covered in black leather and light silver Alcantara.

Apart from the special limited edition badgetry mounted on the side panels, the “Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary” also features an array of special equipment which include Bilstein dampers and a urethane foam-filled front suspension cross member and a special engine cover. The special edition RX-8 will be available in the Japanese market in only 200 units with prices for both the 6-speed manual and automatic versions set at 3,150,000 yen (including consumption tax) which is about $26,590 or 19,340 EUR. -Press release and image gallery after the jump

Mazda Releases 'Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary' Commemorative Limited Edition RX-8 in Japan

HIROSHIMA, Japan—To commemorate forty years of Mazda’s rotary engine vehicles sold globally, Mazda Motor Corporation has commenced sales of a limited edition model Mazda RX-8 throughout Japan. The RX-8 Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary edition is available from today at all Mazda and Mazda Anfini dealerships.

Since the 1967 introduction of Mazda’s first vehicle powered by a rotary engine, the Cosmo Sport (known as the 110S overseas), Mazda has continued to produce and sell various rotary engine-powered cars, most notably the Familia Rotary Coupe (known as the R100 overseas), the Savanna (RX-3), RX-7, and Eunos Cosmo. Currently, Mazda is working on technical improvements in fuel economy and environmental performance for its rotary engines. Mazda also intends to advance the potential of the hydrogen rotary engine as part of its long-term vision for technology development, Sustainable Zoom-Zoom, which was announced in March 2007.

The RX-8 ‘Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary’ model is based on the RX-8 Type S (six-speed manual transmission) and the Type E (six-speed automatic transmission) model grades. The interior is designed to evoke the Cosmo Sport heritage and includes exclusive black genuine leather and light silver ALCANTARA^®* combination seat covers. The exclusive Marble White body color and special limited edition badges mounted on the side panels are perfectly suited to commemorate the fortieth year of Mazda’s rotary engine vehicle sales. Special equipment -- including exclusive Bilstein dampers and a urethane foam-filled front suspension cross member -- has been fitted for a higher quality ride and better performance.

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for both the six-speed manual and automatic versions is 3,150,000 yen (including consumption tax). Production will be limited to 200 units.

Features of the Mazda RX-8 Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary model Base model

• Mazda RX-8 Type S (6-speed MT model) or Mazda RX-8 type E (6-speed AT model)

Special equipment Exterior

• Semi-gloss chrome light bezels (fitted to headlights and rear combination lights)
• 40TH ANNIVERSARY ROTARY ENGINE badge
• 18-inch highly reflective Dark Silver chrome aluminum alloy wheels
• Front fog lights (with blue reflectors)

Interior

• Exclusive black genuine leather and light silver ALCANTARA^®* combination seat covers and light silver synthetic leather door trim are a modern interpretation of the Cosmo Sport’s unique interior design.
• Eight-way power-adjustable front seats with power lumbar support.
• Exclusive black leather-wrapped steering wheel and hand brake (with grey stitching)
• Exclusive black leather-wrapped gear shift (with grey stitching) on the MT model
• Aluminum pedals and footrest (These are special equipment for the 6-speed AT, but are standard equipment on the MT base model.)
• Water repellent glass coating (windshield glass, front door windows, and door mirrors)
• Advanced keyless entry & engine starter system

* ALCANTARA^® is a registered trademark of Alcantara S.p.A.

Engine/Chassis

• Rotary engine: By using rotors that have been finely balanced for their weight and rotation characteristics, the smooth performance of the rotary engine has been further enhanced.
• Special engine cover
• Bilstein dampers:The Bilstein dampers were exclusively designed for this limited edition RX-8 in order to achieve higher levels of performance and comfort.
• The front suspension cross member is filled with urethane foam. The urethane foam filling provides the ideal amount of vibration suppression to deliver a desirable degree of direct feedback, ensuring a high quality steering feel.
• Large diameter disc brakes (These are special equipment for the 6-speed AT, but are standard equipment on the MT base model.)
• 225/45R18 91W tires and 18-inch alloy wheels (These are special equipment for the 6-speed AT, but are standard equipment on the MT base model.)

Body color

• The classic shade, Marble White, is offered exclusively.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices for Mazda RX-8 Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary Limited Edition: 6-speed MT / 6-speed AT - 3,150,000 YEN (Inc. Tax)

A separate recycling fee of 12,330 yen is necessary in addition to the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices listed above.

Mazda’s Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary: Wallpapers & Rotary Widget Included

On May 30th 1967, Mazda sold its first rotar-engine powered car and simultaneously, the world’s first dual-rotar, rotary engine vehicle, the Cosmo Sport. 40 years latter and while most manufactures have long abandoned the idea of developing the innovative but also problematic, rotar-engine, Mazda continues to believe in Felix Wankel's dream. Tomorrow, May 30, 2007, Mazda will celebrate the rotary engine 40th birthday by opening a dedicated website -we’ll have more details on that later on. For the time being, Mazda has released an exclusive blog widget that allows comments. Simply copy the code below (replace XXX with <), and paste it to your blog –be sure though that your service provider permits JavaScript. Here’s the piece of the code:

XXXscript src="http://www.mazda.com/mazdaspirit/rotary/blogparts/rotary.js" type="text/javascript"> XXX/script>

Don’t really care about widgets? Well, we thought about that, so in compensation we added 50 (yes it took as a while) high-res images of all the rotar-engine powered cars that Mazda has produced the past 40 years; from the luscious Cosmo Sport to the weird, Holden Kingswood based, Roadpacer and from the Parkway bus to the dual-fueled (gasoline & hydrogen) RX-8 Hydrogen RE. -Follow the jump for the high-res image-gallery

Technorati: Mazda, Rotary, widget, cars, Carscoop, cars, autos, vehicles

Cosmo Sport/Mazda 110S

Famillia Rotary/Mazda R100

Luce Rotary Coupe/Mazda R130 Coupe

Capella Rotary/Mazda RX-2

Savanna/Mazda RX-3

Luce Rotary/Mazda RX-4

Parkway Rotary 26

Roadpacer AP

Cosmo AP/Mazda RX-5

Savanna RX-7/Mazda RX-7(1st)

Savanna RX-7/Mazda RX-7(2nd)

Luce(4th)

Eunos Cosmo

Mazda RX-7(3rd)

RX-8

RX-8 Hydrogen RE