There is a Japanese word, "takumi," roughly meaning mechanical warmth, and that's what the RX-8 designers tried to deliver, although the result might seem to twist the word more toward "funky." The RX-8 is a car you could walk around and around again, and still find new things to recognize and appreciate, especially if you lifted up the hood and poked around, and crawled underneath it. The first thing you notice are the bulges, which if not graceful certainly have a style of their own. It's the most aggressive shape possible and still be stamped steel, according to a Mazda spokesman.It's definitely aggressive, in a smallish kind of way. From the double-bubble roof, down the hood and over the bulge that's shaped like one of the engine rotors (same as the logo), to those big wide ears of front fenders, to the headlamps and grille and air intakes that give the RX-8 a face: wide-eyed, startled, big dimples. Head-on, the RX-8 looks like it's getting gently goosed and is saying, "Oh!"
From the rear it looks good, with upswept lines and wide fender flares again. From the side you see big sharp wheel arches, plus a long black mesh angled vertical vent behind the front wheel to let hot air out of the engine compartment. The headlights aren't as dramatic as they might be. "We think we should design cars with sheetmetal, not with lighting," responds Mazda. We were surprised the RX-8 didn't get more notice on the street while driving around Orange County in Southern California.