[Lewis Booth, Representative Director, President and CEO]

Mina-san, ohayo gozaimasu.

Thank you very much joining us here today...to help us celebrate the realization of two dreams.

The first dream is the all-new Renesis engine - the world’s only rotary engine. Mazda has pioneered rotary technology over four decades - to achieve what others had thought impossible.

The Renesis engine represents the efforts of two generations of Mazda engineers. It truly represents the soul of this company.

And what an achievement it is!

The Renesis is superbly compact, light and powerful. No piston engine on the market can match its smooth climb to an amazing 9000 rpm.

It is this remarkable engine that has enabled us to realize the second dream: the all-new Mazda RX-8. And from today, the RX-8 is no longer just a dream. It is a reality our customers can take out on the open road.

Realizing this dream is a giant step for Mazda - because this car is our 'brand icon.’

Now what do I mean by ‘brand icon? ’ Simply this: the RX-8 exemplifies what we want Mazda to be. This is Mazda at our very best.


The RX-8 is a shining example of Mazda’s automotive passion - our commitment to excellence in design; to innovation in engineering; to styling and performance. The heart of that passion is the Renesis engine - the engine for which this car has been specially developed.


Three years ago, as Mazda charted a new course for the 21st Century, we set out three essential qualities that represent the best in Mazda’s heritage... three qualities we want our brand and products to be known for. You have seen these qualities come to life in the Mazda Atenza and the Demio - the two new cars we’ve launched within the past year. The enthusiastic response to these cars - from our customers - shows that we are on the right track.

From its inception, though, the RX-8 has been designed as the ultimate expression of those three qualities.

Number one: “Stylish.” The sleek, athletic lines of the RX-8 are an original, leading-edge expression of style and beauty. With its lean shape, its balance and its poise... the RX-8 is unmistakably a true sports car.

Mazda’s vision of style is just as evident through interiors that are at once beautiful and functional: comfortable space for four people and an efficient cockpit that supports high-performance on the road.


‘Performance on the road:’ that is the key to our second essential element. When you drive a Mazda, we want you to feel performance and handling that are, in a word, “Spirited. ”

And RX-8 delivers - full bore - the spirit that drove Mazda to victory at Le Mans in 1991; the spirit that makes our Roadster the world's best-selling two-seater sports car; and the spirit that has made the RX-7 a legend amongst enthusiasts.


Style and Spirit... they come together in the RX-8. And here’s where the third essential element of Mazda comes in.

By the time a sports-car dream comes within reach, most people have responsibilities as well. And insight told us their dream car must help in fulfilling those responsibilities. That’s why we have made RX-8 both fun and easy-to-drive for commuting.

And that is why Mazda persisted in achieving something most people said could not be done.

Thanks to its innovative freestyle doors and front-midship layout, the RX-8 succeeds brilliantly as a full four-seater and an authentic sports car. Whether taking a family of four to the beach; a pair of friends to the golf course, or a lone driver on a cross-country business trip, etc. The RX-8 is a wonderfully practical dream.

That’s what we mean when we say “Insightful.” At Mazda we are driven by insight into the needs and desires of our customers. And here’s another insight...

If asked to produce a ‘dream car,’ another automaker might come up with something far beyond the reach of ordinary customers.

But that’s not for Mazda. Because our greatest dream is to serve our actual customers, the real people around the world whose faith in Mazda sustains us. So, from the beginning, the goal has been to put our dream within reach of our “actual customers.” And at a base price of 2.4 million yen, the RX-8 is a fully attainable sports-car dream.


So, with style, with insight, and with spirit, the RX-8 has built on our heritage and given shape to our future. This is what we mean by Zoom-Zoom. This is the soul of the Mazda brand.

And from today the dream is within reach.

(Program Manger of RX-8, Noboru Katabuchi delivers the product presentation.)

If you want to drive the RX-8 this year, you had better hurry. Already, in Japan, more than five thousand people have pre-ordered the RX-8 - which makes this the most eagerly anticipated product in Mazda’s history.

That’s why, over the life of this vehicle, in Japan we expect that each month 1,000 customers or more will reach out and buy an RX-8.


And I can promise you that people will notice the RX-8. Soon, movie viewers will see a special-version of the RX-8 in the upcoming feature film ‘X-men2.’

And from next month Japanese television viewers will begin to see an RX-8 commercial that premieres today. In fact, right now, you are going to be the first people to see it. Let’s watch...

(The television commercial runs.)

All around the world, anticipation is building. And it’s here in Japan - today - the excitement begins.

Again, thank you very much for taking the time to join us as we celebrate the launch of this great car.

Domo arigato gozaimashita!