Mazdaspeed

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.

Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!