FYI
Matt Murray
Mazda wants rotary coupe, convertible
By Mark Rechtin
Automotive News / January 20, 2003
MONTEREY, Calif. -- Mazda Motor Corp. executives are considering
variants of the high-performance RX-8 that goes on sale in June.
Executives at the vehicle's press introduction here said the
company wants to build two-seat coupe and convertible versions.
The four-door, four-seat RX-8 is an expensive vehicle for Mazda
to build. It is based on the only platform that the automaker
does not share with parent Ford Motor Co. And the rotary engine
is used only in the RX-8.
So the steeper development costs have prompted the company to
consider model proliferation, said Joseph Bakaj, Mazda's head of
global product development.
"If we get more volume, we amortize quicker. This is an all-new
sports car platform with a unique collection of parts. I want to
reuse that collection of parts with at least one more
derivative," Bakaj (pronouced bah-KYE) said.
One reason the new sports car is called the RX-8 is because it is
not a true successor to the RX-7, he said. Such a car would have
to be a two-door, two-seat vehicle.
But before Mazda rushes to build another RX-7, Bakaj wants to see
how the RX-8 does. Mazda hopes to sell about 18,000 units in the
United States in 2003, and 30,000 units annually thereafter.
That's a big jump; the previous generation RX-7 never broke 7,000
units.
Bakaj said the RX-8 has higher volume potential than a two-seater
because of its easier access and ability to carry more people.
But, he said, Mazda will not proliferate the rotary engine
outside any pure sports car applications. That means the Miata
won't get it.
"Miata is a brand icon." Bakaj said. "It's simple, light and
accessible. If you put the rotary into the Miata, you have to
uprate the suspension and brakes, and the price creeps up and out
of the sweet spot." He said the rotary engine alone costs about
$2,000 more than the Miata's four-cylinder piston engine.
/// unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or try
/// http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
/// Partial archives at http://www.team.net/archive
|