Mazda Motor Corporation has announced the launch of two upgraded versions of its RX-8 sports car in the Japanese market. The RX-8 Sport Prestige Limited II received various enhancements to bring it to a higher level of quality, and goes on sale in mid-November. In addition, an upgraded version of the standard RX-8 was launched this week. Both models will be available at Mazda and Mazda Anfini dealerships throughout Japan.

The RX-8 Sport Prestige Limited II has been enhanced so that occupants can experience a higher quality interior, exterior and a great driving feel. It is the next evolution of the popular Sport Prestige Limited 2004 model. The interior features newly designed sand beige-coloured seats with mixed alcantara and leather covers. The alcantara is suede-like artificial leather upholstery provided by Toray Industries Inc. Some sand beige-coloured material is also used to match with the door trim and front- and rear-console box lids. High-texture materials that evoke a sense of higher quality have been used in exterior upgrades such as a new glossy paint for the headlight bezels and the combination taillight bezels, and highly luminous paint on the aluminium rims and rear lip spoiler. Copper Red Mica is the new, exclusive body colour for this model. To raise the driving performance and ride comfort, the RX-8 Sport Prestige Limited II features higher quality specifications, with a specially tuned suspension, large-diameter brake discs, and a special front suspension cross member.

The standard RX-8 has also been partially upgraded, with a new interior design, addition of the popular Galaxy Gray Mica and Phantom Blue Mica exterior body colours, and the "advanced keyless entry and start system" factory-installed option.

RX-8 Sport Prestige Limited II Special Features

Base model RX-8 Type S (six-speed manual transmission) and RX-8 Type E (four-speed Activematic transmission)

Special equipment 1. Interior -  Exclusive leather & alcantara seats Newly added are the sand beige-coloured seats made of combined leather and alcantara in the seat's mid-section. The driver's seat is power-adjustable to eight settings and also has a power lumbar support system. Also featured: -  Exclusive sand beige-coloured door trim. -  Exclusive black leather-wrapped steering wheel The six-speed manual transmission model has a piano black steering wheel spoke panel, and the four-speed Activematic transmission model is equipped with the standard black panel. -  There is also a special black-coloured leather-wrapped parking brake lever. -  Front and rear console lids are sand beige coloured trim. -  Exclusive shift knob only for the six-speed manual transmission model, designed with an indicator showing black letters and lines with a silver background. -  Aluminium pedals are limited to model with the four-speed Activematic transmission model; the six-speed manual transmission model comes with the base model's standard equipment. -  Piano black console side bars with a hairline surface. -  In-dash six-disc CD changer kit.

2. Exterior

The RX-8 Sport Prestige Limited II model also has the following exterior features: -  Semi-glossy painted headlight bezels and combination taillight bezels -  A change to dark-silver glossy paint for the 18-inch aluminium wheels for the six-speed manual transmission model. The four-speed Activematic transmission model has 18-inch wheels and aluminium rims, rather than the 16-inch size version used before, also featuring a different paint. -  A rear lip spoiler -  Front foglights are special equipment on the four-speed Activematic transmission model, and the six-speed manual transmission model comes with the base model's standard equipment.

3. Body Colours

A total of four exterior trim colours are available: exclusive Copper Red Mica, as well as Snowflake White Pearl Mica, Galaxy Gray Mica and Brilliant Black.

4. Driving Performance

-  RX-8 Sport Prestige Limited II comes specially equipped with 225/45R18 tyres and aluminium wheels on the four-speed Activematic transmission model, and the six-speed manual transmission model comes with the base model's standard equipment. -  Large-size brake discs are installed on the specially equipped four-speed Activematic transmission model, and the six-speed manual transmission model comes with the base model's standard equipment. Large-diameter disc rotor brakes are 323mm wide in the front and 302mm in the rear wheel brakes. -  Specially-tuned suspension Special large-diameter dampers: the rod diameter has been increased from 12.5mm to 14.0mm and adopted on both front and rear dampers. -  Exclusive front suspension cross member A Mazda-original technology, this is where the cross member is filled with foamed urethane to provide better handling stability and damping force that mitigates road vibration.

5. Other new equipment

-  A water-repellant front windshield, front door window glasses and door mirrors. -  A newly adopted advanced card key-type keyless entry & start system (two cards provided) as standard equipment.

Mazda RX-8 'Sport Prestige Limited II'

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