Paul,

Our favorite car, the RX8, isn't doing so well in the sales department
lately. According to today's Wall Street Journal, the RX8 sold just 1335
units so far in 2006 and is down 45% from last year's comparable period.

Barry Gardner
Wheaton, IL

That is not too surprising. There was a lot of pent up demands
for rotaries when the RX8 came out. Given the $35K price relative
to the other Mazda products it is amazing they sold so many last
year. It out sold the Miata about two to one despite %50 more money.
It also received some deserved criticism for a lack of low RPM torque.
It is time for an upgrade in the guise of the bigger displacement
higher torque 16B. It is amazing to me Mazda have not increased the
displacement of the 13B engine since it came out in about 1974.
In cars it is time for "No replacement for displacement." :)
Look around. How many 2.6 Liter cars do you see selling for $35K?
Right off the bat I can't think of one.

Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

The bottom end Mercedes C230 here has a base of $30K and goes to over
$40K when you add typical stuff. It is 2.5L

Good point though. Didn't they increase the street price when the
demand went up ?

-dave

Best Regards /Mit freundlichen
Gruessen,
   dave ( at ) arb.net http://arb.net


There is a used 2004 RX8 with auto tranny no less here in Ventura. They are
asking roughly what sold it for back in 2004 $26K. You can buy mid 90's
Corvettes for $13K or so. Rotaries have some of the lowest depreciation of
any car. A clean first gen RX7 is bringing what it cost to buy in the late
70's early 80's.... 89-91 Turbo II's are out of sight. Probably more than
they cost to buy new.  Early 90's third gens are going for $13K to $15K.
I would not sell my RX8 for what I payed for it unless the 16B comes out :)

Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

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