The latest version of Mazda’s popular sports coupé hasn’t strayed too far from the blueprint. The car is still powered by the unique 1.3-litre Rotaris engine (the only production car in the world to utilise such rotary engine technology), the looks are still aggressively stylish, and the drive is still an engaging experience thanks to the unusual engine’s 231 bhp, a 0-60 sprint of just 6.4 seconds and a top speed of a nippy 146 mph.

In fact the only real changes from its predecessor (the R2, seemingly, although Mazda didn’t mention this till the latest incarnation came out) are a slightly smoother, but still pleasingly firm, suspension, some interior flourishes and a reshaped bumper and light cluster at either end. That’s hardly a problem though – when a car’s this good to start with it seems churlish to tinker too much, and Mazda clearly had that in mind when the time came to update.

First things first – don’t let the mention of 1.3-litre engine mislead you. As mentioned, this is a rotary engine (a Wankel engine to give it its official title, but we’re far too civilised to go down the predictable punning route this presents), and a small engined run around this is not. A rough estimate would suggest that the performance from the powertrain is around twice that of an equivalent-sized traditional four stroke piston engine. You won’t find too many 1.3 litre run arounds edging the 150 mph mark if pushed to the limit, but the downside is that nor does your typical Fiat Punto return 24 miles to the gallon, which is the eyewatering reality with the Mazda. It’s thirsty for oil too. I didn’t have this model for long enough to find out, but the word is that you can expect it to devour roughly one litre of the black stuff for every couple of thousand miles travelled.

That, however, is basically the downside covered, and let’s face it, if you’re in the market for a sports coupé you’re probably not expecting Prius-like economy, and fluffy bunny friendliness is probably not top of you agenda either.

What you probably are after, first up, is an entertaining drive, and you get that in abundance with the RX8. The mid-front, longitudinal engine alignment gives the car 50/50 weight distribution which, in combination with the rear wheel drive, really allows you to throw it round the twists and turns safe in the knowledge that you’re not losing any power. The taut suspension means you can feel every contour of the road beneath you, and the noise from under the hood is a satisfying growl that wouldn’t sound out of place in some V8-engined muscle car.

This is a real driver’s car. It doesn’t achieve its peak power output till a G-force inducing 8,200 revs, and anywhere below about 5k it actually feels quite sluggish with very little torque to offer, so you need to really work the gears to keep the smile on your face. Getting it up to the redline, somewhere in the nine thousands, doesn’t happen too often on a typical drive, but when you manage it you find yourself grinning inanely like a deranged lunatic who’s been put in charge of a couple of tons of very nippy metal. It comes with cruise control if that’s your bag. I must admit I didn’t test it, and although it could prove useful on long motorway treks, when a car is this much fun to drive it seems a waste to let a computer do the work.

The boot isn’t huge, but it’s big enough for most day-to-day needs, and much the same goes for the two rear seats. Although they won’t win any awards for leg room, they’re far more spacious than in some of the Mazda’s competitors, while the rear-hinged, backwards opening ‘suicide doors’ mean getting in and out is a remarkably simple task. The fact that the front doors close over the back to secure them should also mean that, while historically accurate and amusing, the ‘suicide’ moniker isn’t actually appropriate in this case.

One area where the sportier models are often found wanting is in terms of the gadgets and extras, but Mazda haven’t skimped here. No options are available on the single model range, but standard items include a top-of –the-range, six speaker Bose stereo with MP3 and Bluetooth capability, climate control, Recaro sports seats and eyecatchingly chunky 19-inch alloys. Everything you’d expect is electric, although I must confess I failed to find the advertised electric driver’s seat adjustment in the review model, not that I have a problem with the traditional lever under the seat method, and the wipers and headlights have rain/lightsensing automatic modes. It even comes with Mazda’s variable red-zone technology to prevent you from over-working the engine before it warms up.

The cabin’s an inviting place too - all high tech LEDs, solidly put together and surprisingly roomy for a coupé. In fact, the roominess provided one minor gripe, though I only mention it because I’m struggling to find others. I found that the seats were so far apart that I couldn’t adopt my traditional arm over the passenger seat when reversing position, which, coupled with the limited visibility that’s a natural quality in this type of car, did make for tricky manoeuvring. As you can tell, I’m struggling to find criticisms here, and since I was reliably informed that ‘it’s only men that do that anyway’ when I brought it up on the road, this is evidently a bit of a half-hearted one.

So would I buy one? Most definitely. It’s a great drive, and it manages to be so without compromising on comfort or gadgets. Mazda’s residuals are fairly healthy too. Would I invest in a fleet of them to roll out to my workforce, were I in a position to make that decision? Well, no. The petrol consumption is far from economical, and the advertised 24.6 mpg will suffer further if you rev the thing, which let’s face it you will. An emission figure of a whopping 299g/km dumps it right up there in Band G, extracting a further £400 from your wallet every year, and the Group 17 insurance means anyone under 25 on the staff can expect to be doing a lot of walking.

Honestly though, this isn’t a car you’d buy for its fuel economy, or its lineage as a practical run around for the shop floor. It has the only rotary engine on the market under the bonnet, for goodness sake, not to mention those mad rear doors. It seems to want to scream ‘Look at me! I’m special!’ from the moment you set eyes on it, and actually, it is. It may not have the badge appeal of a CLK or a 911, but then neither does it have the price tag, or the useless rear seats. In fact, Mazda seem to have successfully taken on the mantle of producing affordable, quality, sporty cars that was once the preserve of the British industry. You can be sure that this machine will get you to the dinner parties hosted by your German metalloving chums in just as much style, but unlike them, when you get there you’re guaranteed hours of hilarity discussing your Wankel engine. Beat that Mr Benz.

Verdict

Carling don’t make cars, but if they did…

Engine size: 1308 cc rotary
Transmission: 6 speed manual
0-62 mph (sec): 6.4
Top speed (mph): 146
Max power (Ps/rpm): 231@8,200
Co2: 299
Combined mpg: 24.6
Euro ncAP: Untested
Max luggage space (litres): 290
Insurance Group: 17E
Price (£): £24,995