RX-8 is a 3rd sports car brand, or a successor to RX-7 and Roadster, which has been developed to open up a new genre of sports car that features four doors and four seaters. In order to realize these four door/four seater systems while providing both sporty dynamic performance and styling, we had to develop an innovative platform and an intelligent upper package. For the platform, we have established an objective of technology development as "A superb combination of speed and controllability" as a cascaded theme from one of DNAs of Mazda sports cars, "the fun of driving that mirrors our thinking". Under this objective, a study was made on the impacts of "Speed" and "Controllability" on each packaging feature using a driving simulator and a prototype vehicle. The study showed that a substantial decrease in yaw inertia moment was an important factor in striking an excellent balance between "Speed" and "Controllability". For the realization of the low yaw inertia moment, we have made a thorough examination on a packaging difference between an rotary engine (hereinafter refered to as RE) and a reciprocating engine, and finally created "The advanced front midship layout", which can maximize advantages of the RE. "Freestyle Door" without center pillars, featured in an upperbody package and delivering a seating package for four adults and sports car styling, has realized both sports car performance and a sufficient interior / trunk space, which previous sports cars have never provided.
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