The car in this episode of Owner’s Review should be familiar to those who had a PlayStation 2 and a copy of Need for Speed: Carbon. Fitted with a Rocket Bunny body kit and given a cool green paint job, this Mazda RX-8 seems something straight out of the AutoSculpt feature we all messed around with back in the day.
Here’s the full review of one-of-its-kind Mazda RX-8 in Pakistan; enjoy!
Price & Purchase
Abdullah Memon, the owner, had bought the 2003 RX-8 in 2020 for Rs. 15 lac. He paid a little over the average 10-12 lac price since this one comes with a sunroof.
Restoration
The car came with automatic transmission on purchase, but the owner has converted it to manual transmission because of his love for drifting and performing donuts.
He has also outfitted it with a Rocket Bunny body kit he imported through AliBaba for $3200 (PKR 6 lac). The spoiler alone cost $2000 (or PKR 3 lac). The kit is made entirely of fiber and weighs less than 50kg.
The car was originally all silver, exterior and interior. When the owner repainted it yellow, he gave the interior a red theme to complement the look. Later, he gave the body a cool green repaint but left the red interior unchanged.
The owner has also installed coil-overs for a smooth driving experience over speed breakers. It took a little over a year to install and restore the RX-8.
Engine
Initially equipped with a stock 1.3 rotary engine, the owner swapped it with a Toyota 2JZ-GE engine. He finds the rotary engine unreliable and wants this car as his daily driving machine.
Fuel Average
This RX-8 gives an average of 4-7 km/L, which is quite reasonable for a car like this.
Spare Parts
Used spare parts are easy to come by, instead of new ones that are totally non-existent. The owner cites Punjab as a great source for them compared to Karachi.
Final Words on Mazda RX-8
In the words of the owner – “I am extremely satisfied with the time and money invested in this RX-8. It has become a prominent fixture in the auto show scene, where I regularly take the car to perform donuts and drifts. I also love the attention it gets for being a unique showpiece on the road.”
