IT'S the sports car which has carved a new market since its launch three years ago.
The Mazda RX-8 is aimed at families and combines real motoring excitement with the practicality demanded by everyday life.
What it means is that you can add a bit of excitement to the mundane – the school run or even the supermarket trip.
It even copes with camping holidays.
I took my wife and two children away for a couple of days camping in Wales and we managed to squash all our luggage and food in and still be very comfortable.
That's because, although technically a sports car, the RX-8 is unexpectedly roomy with very good space for the driver and three adult passengers.
Mazda claims the RX-8 will "stir your soul and ignite your passion for driving" and to a certain extent this is true.
It's undoubtedly exceptionally good looking with the appearance, from every angle, of a vehicle with genuine sports car credentials.
It blends revolutionary four-door versatility with sleek, aerodynamic styling.
The doors work like this. There has been extensive reinforcement of the back doors creating an integrated pillar when the doors are fully closed, significantly enhancing body side strength.
To continue the couple styling, the rear door handles are hidden, while the front doors close only after securing the back doors.
The power, and there's plenty of it, comes from the revolutionary heart under the bonnet – the innovative RENESIS engine, which marks the latest chapter in the Mazda rotary engine story.
Unlike a conventional piston engine, the Mazda RX-8's rotary engine has no cylinders, piston or valves.
Instead, two triangular-shaped rotors spin within their oval housing around a common output shaft.
As combustion occurs, each rotor instantly turns and the revs increase rapidly with virtually no vibration.
With only three main moving parts, compared to a minimum of 40 in a piston engine, power delivery is very smooth and refined.
And there's impressive acceleration and exhilarating power when you need it.
There are two models and I drove the entry level 192 bhp vehicle which is priced at £21,400 and in my opinion is terrific value for money. The flagship model is £22,900 and generates 231bhp.
The low-slung front sports seats have deep, supportive side bolsters and offer and adjustable driving position.
In the back, sculpted front seatbacks free up a bid of extra space.
The cabin looks slick and clean and all the essential controls are placed well within reach of the driver.
There's good vision from the driver's seat, a tilt adjustable leather-wrapped steering wheel and the instrumentation is vivid, within three deeply cowled dials.
Throughout the cabin, cool technical aluminium detailing stamps the vehicle as a true sports car, while the rotary design cues continue with a distinctive rotor-shaped gear knob and front seat apertures.
You also get a fairly large, easily accessible boot offering 290 litres of luggage space, plus the convenience of a ski hatch between the rear seats.
But everything is geared for a sporty drive and the car has excellent on-road characteristics, with top marks for traction, road-holding, responsive handling and precise steering.
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