Now, five years after its launch, the Mazda RX-8 has been re-styled and tweaked in a bid to keep this eccentric sports car on top of its game.

Andy Goodwin headed to the South Downs to see if it's still a contender.

View more pictures of the Mazda RX-8 R3

Mazda claims it's Britain's number one sports car maker, with a 25 per cent market share thanks to sales of its MX-5 Roadster and its flagship model - the RX-8.

But competition has never been stronger, with cars like the Audi TT, Nissan 350Z and even hot hatchbacks like the Volkswagen Golf R32 luring away potential RX-8 buyers who want motoring flair but need a little practicality too.

The stakes are high – and Mazda has risen to the challenge admirably.

Not just a facelifted car

Called the R3, the 2008 Mazda RX-8 has changes which go beyond a run-of-the-mill facelift and make it a better car to drive and own.

The model range has been slashed to just one car, costing £24,995 and featuring the powerful 230bhp rotary engine and lots of extras which used to be cost options.

The Mazda RX-8 R3’s new front bumper has been re-designed and is now more aggressive, with a larger grille and big air intakes under its fog lights, which aren't just for show but also help cool the engine and its oil.

New headlights and LED rear lights are pleasingly jewel-like and re-designed side skirts, rear bumper and larger tailpipes give the car a racier look than before.

Stealing the show are new 19-inch alloy wheels finished in gunmetal grey. They really stood out on our pearlescent white test car, which was finished in one of four new colours.

Lots of new extras

Step inside and you notice how low the car sits to the ground, the figure-hugging new Recaro sports seats and the tactile and perfectly positioned new leather steering wheel which ensconce the driver in a great position.

The Mazda RX-8 R3 also has some discreet alterations, for example the instruments now shine differently to reduce eye-strain.

Wipers turn on automatically when it rains, as do the Xenon headlamps in low light and the stereo is a re-designed Bose unit with no less than nine speakers, a six-CD autochanger and an MP3 jack. Bluetooth communication is standard and a new feature for the RX-8.

Unchanged are the wacky yet excellent small rear-opening doors which give access to the rear seats and make it a true four-seat sports car.

They help to make the RX-8 one of a rare breed of true four-seater sports cars, with enough space in the back for two adults.
 
Jet power!

Turn the key and there is a further reminder this is no ordinary car.

The 228bhp 1.3-litre rotary engine fitted in the RX-8 is the only one of its kind on sale, and accelerates from 0-60mph in 6.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 146mph.

Unlike the pistons in a normal engine which move vertically, the rotary engine has rotors inside which spin around during combustion.

Driving it isn't unlike driving a car with a conventional petrol engine, but you do have 9,000rpm to play with and the power arrives incredibly smoothly as you accelerate.

And then there's the sound – not unlike a jet engine, it lacks the bass of other sports cars but provides an exciting and novel sound track to spirited driving.

Current Mazda RX-8 owners who found they needed to top up the rotary engine with more oil than conventionally engined cars will also be interested to know the oil system on this new car has been thoroughly revised and its thirst for oil should have been quenched.

The suspension has been heavily revised, with new settings and components, including dampers from industry leaders Bilstein, making the RX-8 slightly firmer riding than before.

Cornering grip is fantastic, the car feeling precise and razor sharp and instilling the driver with confidence in its abilities.

Its rear-wheel drive chassis and small compact engine give it great composure and traction and makes it a purer driver’s car.

Also new is a gearbox taken from the latest generation Mazda MX-5 and tweaked for the RX-8. Compared with the first RX-8 it has shorter ratios in lower gears, to offer enhanced acceleration, but a longer sixth gear for more relaxed and fuel efficient cruising.

But, the addition of a longer gear can't solve the RX-8s achilles heel, which is its poor combined fuel consumption of 24.6mpg and carbon dioxide emissions of 299g/km, meaning an annual tax bill of £400.

It's a penalty many will be prepared to pay for the truly arresting sports car looks, combined with true four-seat practicality and the ease of ownership the RX-8 R3 gives them – and at £24,995 it's also great value for money.

View more pictures of the Mazda RX-8 R3