With the RX-8 the latest darling of the aftermarket, Mazda's in-house speed shop, Mazdaspeed, surely wasn't going to sit around and wait for everybody else to grab the market. So at last November's SEMA show in Las Vegas, Mazdaspeed unleashed a flurry of RX-8 components and, for lack of a more precise word, they're gorgeous.
The strut tower bar spanning the engine bay looks like it was ripped off a starship, the sport seats look comfortable enough to make even Quasimodo feel snug, the side view mirrors have the architectural daring of a Frank Gehry building, and the 18-inch wheels are finished in a lustrous gunmetal. The rear spoiler is adjustable and coordinates with a rear underbody panel shaped to create, says Mazdaspeed, actual downforce. There's also new anti-roll bars, coil-over shocks, a sweet three-gauge panel for atop the dash center and a bunch of other stuff on the menu.
Will all this stuff work together to turn the RX-8 into an aerodynamic wonder that could drive on the ceiling given the opportunity to build up enough speed? Will it attract women like lice to the head of a kindergartner? We'll know when Mazda lets us drive it. Look for the Mazdaspeed pieces to start showing up at Mazda dealers this year.