I must admit, I’d never paid much attention to the RX-8. When they first came out in 2004, I just wrote them off as an RX-7 Wannabe. I did not give them a second thought. The RX-7 had been the apple of my eye for eons. But …Several months ago, I was killing time at an auto tent sale. This was where the inventories of most of the local dealerships were all in one place. After seeing enough Chevy Cobalts and Ford Focuses to last 1,000 lifetimes, I saw, tucked away in a corner no less, a 2004 Titanium Gray Metallic Mazda RX8. I knew WHAT it was, I just had never LOOKED at one before.

I mean really SAW one.

The lines were aggressive, yet elegant; brutish, yet refined. I wasn’t too keen on the gray color, though. I went in for a closer look. I open the door, sat down, and was immediately enveloped in pure splendor. Leather, 6 speed, moon roof, AND four doors. The 2 back doors were “suicide doors” or what Mazda likes to call “Free Style” reverse-opening doors. This thing was extremely eager to eat up the road. Too bad the salesperson and my children were with me.;) Even though the jaunt was pretty short and sedate, I was very excited, yet very hesitant. After all, I was only “kinda-sorta” looking for a car. I was not ready to commit to the RX-8. One thing for sure, I was seeing it, not through the technicolor lens of the RX-7, but through unbiased clear eyes of a reluctant convert.

Tags: best kind of x, free style doors, mazda rx8, reverse-opening doors, suicide doors
Filed under: Cars