This rotary-powered sports car was introduced as Mazda’s all-new successor to the RX-7 era, bringing the company’s long-running RX nameplate into a new format with a four-door, four-seat layout and Mazda’s Renesis rotary engine. Mazda launched the model in Japan in 2003, with broader market rollout following for the 2004 model year. Its distinctive freestyle rear doors and packaging aimed to make a practical, everyday sports car without abandoning the brand’s rotary character. Over its life, it became a flagship for Mazda’s enthusiast image and a modern showcase for the company’s rotary-engine expertise. The nameplate continued through a single production run, with Mazda announcing the end of production in 2012. A final special edition, the SPIRIT R, marked the close of the line and served as a sendoff for the rotary sports car before Mazda ended RX-8 production that summer.
MODEL HISTORY