Years, Colors and Options
Source: RX8Club.com - New and Potential Owners START HERE! Author: RIWWP
Differences Between Years — Series 1 vs Series 2
- Spec Decks, Color Charts, and Pricing — Zoom44
- Year by Year Changes — LionZoo
There was a generation change from 2008 to 2009. This means that 2004-2008 RX-8s (Series 1) are NOT the same as 2009-2012 RX-8s (Series 2). There are many changes between the cars. A full list of changes is here: Mechanical Changes RX-8 Series I/II
The Series 2 RX-8s are generally "better" cars, with most of the changes being good changes. The Series 2 RX-8s have significantly reduced aftermarket support however, so modifications possible are either much more limited, more expensive, and/or will require some pioneering on your part. (RX8Club, Wikipedia)
Available Colors by Year
Noir (Black)
| Year | Color | Code | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–2008 | Brilliant Black Clearcoat | A3F (with Clearcoat) / PZ (without) | Calling all Brilliant Blacks |
| 2009+ | Sparkling Black Mica | Calling all Sparkling Black Micas |
Blanc (White)
| Year | Color | Code | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–2006 | Whitewater Pearl | 25D | Calling all Whitewater Pearls |
| 2007–2008 | Crystal White Pearl | 34K | Calling all Crystal White Pearls |
Gris (Grey)
| Year | Color | Code | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–2008 | Galaxy Gray | 32S | Calling all Galaxy Grays |
| 2004–2005 | Titanium Gray Metallic | 29Y | Calling all Titanium Grays |
| 2008 | Metropolitan Grey | 36C | Calling all Metropolitan Gray Mica |
Argent (Silver)
| Year | Color | Code | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–2008 | Sunlight Silver Metallic | 22V | Calling all Sunlight Silvers |
Rouge (Red)
| Year | Color | Code | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–2008 | Velocity Red Mica | 27A | Calling all Velocity Reds |
| 2006 | Copper Red | 32V | Calling all Copper Red Shinkas |
Bleu (Blue)
| Year | Color | Code | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–2006 | Winning Blue Metallic | 27B | Calling all Winning Blues |
| 2006–2007 | Phantom Blue | 32C | Calling all Phantom Blues |
| 2007–2008 | Stormy Blue Mica | 35J | Calling all Stormy Blue Mica |
| 2009+ | Aurora Blue | Calling all Aurora Blue Mica R3 |
Vert (Green)
| Year | Color | Code | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–2005 | Nordic Green Mica | 27C | Calling all Nordic Greens |
Jaune (Yellow)
| Year | Color | Code | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Lightning Yellow | A4J | Calling all Lightning Yellows |
Violet (Purple)
| Year | Color | Code | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Black Cherry Mica | 28W | Calling all Black Cherry Shinkas |
(RX8Club)
Trim Levels and Packages
The following applies to the US only.
2004
In 2004, there was only 1 "Trim" level, officially: Base
2005
In 2005, an additional trim was officially added: Shinka.
For 2004 and 2005, all commonly referred to trims were option packages. This means that all 2004 and 2005s will NOT list their trim level in 3rd party databases. You have to visually take a look to see what is in the car. For 2005, most cars will show as "Base/Shinka", meaning "Base or Shinka, we don't know".
Major Option Packages
| Package | Contents |
|---|---|
| Sport Suspension | 18" wheels (for larger brakes), carbon fiber driveshaft, stiffer sway bars, firmer shocks and springs |
| Touring | Sport Suspension + moonroof + fog lights |
| Grand Touring | Touring + heated leather seats |
Important note: If the car has the 6-speed manual transmission, it automatically has the 6-port engine and the Sport Suspension package. The base Automatic ("Base Automatic") is rare and lacked many features: no high revs, no improved suspension, no improved brakes, no carbon driveshaft, offset 16" wheels. It is recommended to avoid Base Automatics.
Special Editions
2005 — Shinka
Basically a GT with the unique Black Cherry Mica exterior paint, parchment color leather interior, upgraded shocks, and a few minor items like satellite radio and a urethane foam filled front crossmember. (Wikipedia)
2006 — Shinka (revised)
Shinka was retained, however Black Cherry Mica was not. Shinkas could now come in a number of different colors, however of those colors, only Copper Red Mica was available on the Shinka.
2008 — 40th Anniversary Edition
Basically the same as the Shinka of prior years, only a unique Metropolitan Grey Mica color exterior, with an orange/brown interior. All other Shinka special items transferred to the 40th. (Wikipedia)
2008 Trims (US)
| Trim | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Sport | Base model, 18" wheels, cloth seats, standard audio |
| Touring | Sport + moonroof + fog lights + Bose audio |
| Grand Touring | Touring + heated leather seats + Xenon headlights + auto lights/wipers |
| 40th Anniversary Edition | GT-based, unique Metropolitan Grey Mica, Cosmo Red leather interior, urethane foam filled front crossmember |
2009–2011 Trims (US, Series 2)
| Trim | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Sport | Base, 18" wheels, cloth |
| Grand Touring | Leather, Xenon, Bose, moonroof, auto lights/wipers, cruise control |
| R3 | Recaro front seats (leather/cloth), Bilstein shocks, 19" forged aluminum wheels, rear wing spoiler, sport front bumper and side sills, urethane foam injected front crossmember. No moonroof, no heated seats, no leather — focused on weight savings |
R3 Detailed Specifications
Source: 2010 RX-8 R3 Specification Deck (PDF) | French R3 Product Sheet (PDF)
| Specification | R3 Value |
|---|---|
| Engine | 13B-MSP Renesis, 654 cc x 2, 10.0:1 compression |
| Power (MT) | 232 hp @ 8,500 rpm |
| Torque | 159 lb-ft @ 5,500 rpm |
| Redline | 9,000 rpm |
| 0–100 km/h | 6.4 seconds |
| Top speed | 234 km/h (145 mph) |
| Cd | 0.30 |
| Curb weight | ~1,354 kg (2,986 lb) |
| Suspension | Bilstein dampers, stiffer springs |
| Wheels | 19" forged aluminum, 225/40R19 |
| Seats | Recaro front seats (leather/cloth) |
| Audio | Bose 9-speaker surround + 6-CD changer |
| Drivetrain | Carbon fiber driveshaft, torque-sensing LSD |
French Market (2009–2010):
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Power | 231 ch (170 kW) @ 8,200 rpm |
| Torque | 211 Nm @ 5,500 rpm |
| Fiscal power | 17 CV |
| Fuel consumption (mixed) | 11.5 L/100 km |
| CO2 | 299 g/km |
| Price (FR, 12/2009) | 38,150 EUR TTC |
| Colors (FR) | Sparkling Black Mica, Crystal White Pearl Mica, Aluminium Metallic Mica, Aurora Blue Mica, Velocity Red Mica |
R3 Colors by Region:
| Region | Available Colors |
|---|---|
| USA | Velocity Red Mica, Sparkling Black Mica, Aurora Blue Mica |
| Canada / Japan / Australia / UK | Crystal White Pearl + one other color (varies) |
| France | Sparkling Black, Crystal White Pearl, Aluminium Metallic, Aurora Blue, Velocity Red |
The 2009 trims remained largely unchanged through to the final production year: 2011.
Options
Navigation
Navigation was an option for all trim levels, and was not automatically included for any trim. It was expensive (+$2,000), and not all that good, so it is also fairly rare. Updates are almost non-existent, so about all it's good for now is the motorized hood is popular among people that install tablets or mini-PCs. See the OEM Navigation System page for full technical details and retrofit options.
Appearance Package (Series 1)
The appearance package for the Series1 includes the front lip and side aero flares. It was not included automatically on any trim, but was an option for all. At a guess roughly 40% of RX-8s had this installed. The appearance package doesn't make any appreciable difference in the drag or downforce of the car.
Rear Spoiler
It is NOT a wing, it is a spoiler. There is a difference. Wings add downforce and drag, spoilers reduce drag, and sometimes reduce lift. The rear spoiler was not included automatically on any trim, but was an option for all. The rear spoiler is actually functional, decreasing the coefficient of drag by 0.02.
Rotary Accents
The rotary accents are silver or chrome plastic inserts that fit on the front and rear rotary symbols that are molded into the bumper. They are rather expensive from a dealer, and they are often lost if the bumper flexes, like slowly bending against a parking curb from mis-judging the distance.
Model Year Changes (US Market)
Sources: 2003 Launch Brochure | 2008 Brochure | 2010 Spec Sheet
2004 (Launch Year)
- 6MT: 238 hp, 9,000 rpm redline
- 4AT: 197 hp, 7,500 rpm redline (4-speed automatic)
- Single trim level (Base) with option packages (Sport Suspension, Touring, Grand Touring)
- Colors: Brilliant Black, Lightning Yellow, Nordic Green Mica, Sunlight Silver Metallic, Titanium Gray Metallic, Velocity Red Mica, Winning Blue Metallic
2005
- Added Shinka special edition (Black Cherry Mica, parchment leather)
- No power changes
2006
- Power re-rated to 232 hp (6MT) under SAE J1349 standard (no actual power loss)
- 4-speed automatic replaced by 6-speed Sport AT with paddle shifters (212 hp)
- Added Touring trim as official designation
- New colors: Galaxy Gray, Copper Red, Phantom Blue
- Dropped: Lightning Yellow, Nordic Green
2007
- Added Stormy Blue Mica, Crystal White Pearl
- Dropped: Whitewater Pearl, Phantom Blue
2008
- 40th Anniversary Edition (Metropolitan Grey Mica, Cosmo Red leather)
- Added Metropolitan Grey
- Last year of Series 1
2009 (Series 2 Launch)
- Major redesign: improved oil system (6 oil injectors, higher pressure pump), revised interior, new front/rear fascias
- Touring trim dropped — only Sport, Grand Touring, and R3
- R3 introduced with Bilstein, Recaro, 19" forged wheels
- Colors: Sparkling Black Mica, Aurora Blue Mica, Velocity Red Mica, Crystal White Pearl
- Dropped: Brilliant Black, Diamond Gray, Sunlight Silver
2010
- Added Liquid Silver Metallic (new color)
- Last full production year for North America
2011
- Final model year (limited production)
- No significant changes from 2010
European / UK Market
Sources: 2006 UK Brochure | French R3 Product Sheet
The European RX-8 was offered with two engine outputs:
| Variant | Power | Transmission | Redline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 231 ps (High Power, 6-port) | 170 kW / 231 ch | 6-speed manual | 9,000 rpm |
| 192 ps (Standard Power, 4-port) | 141 kW / 192 ch | 5-speed manual | 7,500 rpm |
UK-Specific Features (2006)
- Freestyle door system (no B-pillar, rear-hinged rear doors)
- Bose 9-speaker surround sound system
- DVD navigation (optional)
- Drilled alloy pedals (standard on 231 ps)
- Boot: 290+ litres with ski-hatch
- Warranty: 3 years / 60,000 miles, 12-year anti-corrosion
- UK 24h endurance record: 40 FIA records at Papenburg, Germany (Oct 2004) — average speeds 132–134 mph over 5,000+ km
Notable Differences from US Market
- Two engine power levels instead of one (192 ps was not available in the US)
- 5-speed manual on the 192 ps (US only offered 6MT)
- Metric specifications (ps instead of hp, Nm instead of lb-ft)
- Different color palette and trim naming conventions
- French market R3 priced at 38,150 EUR (December 2009)