FIRE up the ignition, dab the throttle and prepare for a surprise.
In place of the anticipated throaty roar from such an aggressively handsome car, the engine sounds more like a washing machine on spin-dry cycle.
That's the RX-8 for you, something Mazda is describing as a revolution in sports car technology.
Motor manufacturers are never slow to blow their own trumpets, but in this case it's fully warranted because the RX-8 is a sensational piece of kit.
October's launch will mark a significant point in Mazda's history, and not because 1,300 UK buyers splashed out £1,000 to book one without even seeing the final car in the metal.
It's because this vehicle is very much a novelty. For instance the more powerful 231bhp version offers fierce performance, yet only has a 1.3 litre powerpack under the bonnet.
That's down to a newly-developed engine called RENESIS, or more exactly "rotary engine genesis". It works in a fundamentally different way to conventional internal combustion units and is both lighter and more compact.
In fact it has already been named International Engine of the Year 2003.
And if that's not enough, then there's the freestyle door system. The RX-8 actually has four doors - it's just that the pillarless structure makes it look like there are only two.
You can't open the rear-hinged back doors without the front ones already being open. It's clever, allows easy access and is safer too.
So let's just get this straight. The RX-8 is a four-door, four-seater that looks like a two-door sports coupe and offers near supercar performance yet only has a 1.3 engine.
Precisely. And whether you opt for the £22,000 flagship version, or the 192bhp model at £20,000, you are getting one hell of a car for the money.
Not only is the exterior design elegantly stunning but the classy style is extended to the interior too. Body-hugging seats, drilled alloy pedals, accessible controls set in black lacquer and a short easy-shift gearstick are topped off by a six-disc BOSE CD system.
On a demanding route through Snowdonia that took in much of north and mid-Wales the RX-8 proved a delight to drive with a comfortable ride and fantastic grip.
All the same, the less powerful version isn't the one to go for; it's a car for people who want to be seen in an RX-8 but aren't fussed about the performance. Pay the extra two grand - it's worth it.
Mazda believes it has created a new class of four-seater in the sports car segment, the back seats providing comfort and room for two adults, even on longer trips.
Be that as it may, legroom needs to be compromised all-round to achieve that and even then the experience of travelling in the back is at best claustrophobic.
Nor did I care much for the digital speedo, the read-out of which is also tiny.
That said, if the RX-8 is indicative of Mazda's next generation of sports car technology, the future looks dazzling.