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The Mazda RX-8 bulges with style if not grace. It's about the most aggressive shape technically possible in stamped steel. From the rear it looks good, with upswept lines, notable fender flares, large exhaust outlets and LED taillights. The inflated-triangle shape on the aft half of the hood perfectly mirrors the shape of the rotary engine beneath it.R3 models use a more aggressive front bumper and a small stand-off wing rather than the attached small lip spoiler of other RX-8s. From the side you see big, sharp wheel arches; plus a small vent/signal repeater angled behind the front wheel. The headlights aren't overtly dramatic but are a bit sleeker on 2009s; Mazda says it believes design should be expressed in sheet metal, not lighting. The front and rear doors open in opposite directions, which Mazda calls the Free-style door system. With no pillar between the doors, this allows very easy ingress and egress for the rear-seat passengers. This design also makes the RX-8 surprisingly versatile in its ability to carry cargo. As with similar systems in pickups, the front door must be opened before the rear door can open. Unlike similar systems in pickups, the RX-8 structure does not creak and groan over uneven surfaces or steep driveway entrances. To compensate for the lack of a B-pillar, Mazda carefully designed the structure with supporting steel crossmembers and braces, as well as reinforcements around the door perimeter for rigidity and safety against a side impact. Structural rigidity was further stiffened for 2009, and the RX-8 compares well with conventional two-door coupes. (The RX-8 achieved four stars out of five in NHTSA side impact tests.) Standard 18-inch alloy wheels offer a variety of designs, which like the gray-painted 19-inch forged aluminum units on the R3, use rotary engine shapes as design themes.
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