With NAIAS and the Tokyo Auto salon just days away, Mazda released some teaser images of the revised RX-8 (known as the major-minor change) without an accompanying press release. MotorAuthority has more low resolution photos. Enjoy, and look for our coverage of NAIAS starting this weekend!

Motorsport.Com reports that a total of 39 GT cars took to the Daytona high banks for the three-day test, with the No. 30 Racers Edge Motorsports Mazda RX-8 posting the quickest time. Seventeen-year-old Robert Thorne set the quick lap of 1:50.617 in the rotary-powered entry. Thorne shares the car with Ken Dobson and Bob and Jim Michaelian.

Mazda Motor Corporation held its annual ceremony marking the first product shipment of the year at the company's cargo dock near its headquarters in Hiroshima. Hisakazu Imaki, Mazda's representative director, president and CEO, together with other Mazda senior executive officers and employees lead the parade in a White Convertible RX-8! However, don't get your hopes up yet, this RX-8 is a one off Series-I, created to be used as a parade car for events in the Hiroshima area for Mazda.



Update: This is a one-off creation used for Hiroshima-home town events that Mazda participates in. The car has no plans of being put into production.

This time, the rendering come to us from the FoMoCo Forums. Everyone is guessing at what the next Mazda Rotary product will be. One of FoMoCo Japanese members emailed it in "saying the real vehicle will be close." See our R^3 Rotary Rumors Roundup article for our perspective on all the crazy rumors going on. Or ask a question to a Mazda Executive! We will be interviewing the Mazda's president, VP and Head Designer at NAIAS on Monday the 14th. Ask your question here

There are a ton of rumors going around lately. We have a somewhat unique perspective on the rotary world, so lets go through the RX-9, Kabura, RX-7, RX-8, 16X and Furai rumors.

RX-9/Kabura The Winding Road rendered what they though the RX-9 would look like. This rendering is based on the Kabura, and is what they think the next RX-Coupe would look like, based on conversations with Mazda execs, designers and engineers. We agree to a certain point. However, the bean-counters have a huge grip on what Mazda produces. In the 1970's the engineers and designers basically had free reign, and produced what they wanted. These days, committees, design reviewers, and MBA Finance types have more say in future product than the engineers. If it can't make money, it won't be produced.

Here are the first pics for the 3 Rotor Furai Concept:


These real shots come from Automobile (and thanks to Edmunds for letting the cat out of the bag before press time). Due out at the Detroit Autoshow Jan 13-14, the car may go through one or two more changes from the photos you see here, paint scheme, etc.

Based off some of the spy shots, and combining themes from newly release models, a Japanese magazine predicts the new face of the RX-8. Five years after it was introduced, the RX-8 will go through a major-minor change (similar to the 1999 RX-7, or 1989 RX-7). Mazda is very tight lipped about the inclusion of the 16-X in the RX-8. Knowing how long they have been working on the long-stroke, (5+ years) it is a (Edit: very very slight) possibility that the larger rotary will make it into the new RX-8.

The staff of RotaryNews.com are once again gearing up to cover the North American International Autoshow, Jan 13-14 2008 from the great Motor City, Detriot, Mi! As we have done in the past, we'll be interviewing Mazda Execs. This year, we have time with Jim O'Sullivan (President & CEO, MNAO), Robert Davis (SVP, Motorsports, Product Development and Quality, MNAO) and Franz von Holzhausen (Design Director, MNAO).
From past experience, they won't comment on future product, just what is shown at the show, so please keep your comments focused on the new RX-8, 16X and Fuari.

Mazda Motor Corporation will showcase the world premieres of the Mazda Furai concept vehicle and the heavily revised new Mazda RX-8 sports car at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), to be held in Detroit from Sunday, January 13 through Sunday, January 27, 2008. On the heels of its show-stopping debut at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show in October, the Mazda Taiki concept vehicle also will make its North American debut, the first time it has been shown outside Japan. Additionally, Mazda will have a special display of racecars on its stand during the press days, and the full lineup of production cars for consumers to sample on the public days.

Mazda Japan has released a very interesting set of small videos that detail how it creates and builds its Rotary Engines.

In these English captioned videos, Mazda's RE craftsmen explain the four basic steps of the rotary engine manufacturing processes; casting, machining, sub-assembly (rotors) and main (engine) assembly and final QC inspection.

We found these interesting enough to share with all of our RN.Com readership.