Mazda Motor Corporation has announced the production of the 100,000th Mazda RX-8 at its Ujina No.1 final assembly line in Hiroshima, Japan. This milestone was achieved 18 months after production began in April 2003.


“Mazda always has been brave enough to follow the road less travelled, and we broke the mould by producing a four-door, four-seat sports car,” said Robert T. Davis, senior vice president, marketing and product development for Mazda North American Operations. “Reaching such a major production milestone so early in the vehicle’s production cycle proves that if you build, it they will come.”


Reaching 100,000 units in 18 months compares favourably with Mazda’s two-seat MX-5 Miata. Mazda says that the MX-5 Miata has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s best-selling convertible sports car of all time, taking 17 months to reach the 100,000 production milestone.