D Car — July 2004
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About this issue
246 available scans from D Car — July 2004, in right-to-left reading order. Japanese OCR and English translation drafts are available throughout. Drafts have not received exhaustive image proofreading; unreadable source remains recorded in the archival data.
Page 211 — English draft translation
Fully equipped with purpose-built parts for Party Race competition. Manufacturer-direct works tuners brought their showcase machines to Hakone for a group test drive. This is a Mazda RX-8 prepared for the RX-8 one-make race series, the Party Race, beginning this year. The setup focuses mainly on increasing body rigidity and cooling performance. It is a JAF-approved NR-A category car, so it can also be driven on public roads…
It still has air conditioning, so it can be used every day. The first thing I noticed was how supple the suspension felt — remarkably comfortable for a race car. The body is tight, with no strange movements. It turns in smoothly and cleanly, making it a pleasure to drive. The rotary engine revs freely, as you would expect, and even when pushing hard on a mountain road the brakes held up. It is well sorted enough for drivers who do not plan to race to enjoy it on the street.
Captions and page details
Manufacturer-direct JDM
Test-drive impressions
87
50–17
The man who put this works-tuned car through its paces was the magazine’s resident test driver, Michael Odaka. His analytical skills, honed on the circuit, are highly regarded in many fields. He tests everything from production cars and tuned machines to race cars and aftermarket parts.
Test driver: Michael Odaka
BARDAXE
187
Yokohama 301
The base is the 6-speed Type S. It is fitted with a front nose, side skirts, and rear under-skirt made from a new impact-resistant material. It’s a nice touch that they come painted in factory colors.
…187
A race car with license plates?!
In the engine bay, a trapezoidal tower bar extends to the bulkhead. Together with the six-point roll bar, it greatly increases body rigidity.
A six-point roll bar and bucket seat (¥85,050) help protect occupants and stiffen the body. A four-point seat belt is required during the race.
These lightweight aero mirrors use a composite of ABS resin and aluminum. They fold, so they remain road-inspection compliant. Even this part makes a big difference to the look. Production versions are sold unpainted.
Verdict
It’s a fun car to drive! I’ve driven the RX-8 A-spec too, but this one is much better. It really feels like a race car. Just look at my face and you can tell how much fun I had!
MS-01S wheels are paired with Potenza RE-01 tires (225/45 R18). They suit this setup, though for semi-slick tires the suspension might need to be a little stiffer.
Lightweight rear wing made from ABS resin and aluminum; ¥116,550 for the wing alone. It significantly obstructs rear visibility but delivers strong aerodynamic performance. It comes painted in a factory color.