RX-8 R3 a handling delight, but can we get some Turbos and direct injection for this thing

I find it fitting that on the same night I offer up an engagement ring to my girlfriend, we hop in Mazda's RX-8 R3 for a football weekend in Michigan. Like marriage, buying an RX-8 is only for those ready for a serious commitment. And not just any kind of commitment — we're talking about the marrying-a-stripper sort of dedication. (For the record, I am now engaged to a lawyer.) Driving an RX-8 is a rollercoaster of emotions, peaking with crisp turn-ins and screaming, 9000-rpm shifts, while plummeting down with torque-less launches and frequent stops for fuel. I deliver a disclaimer in the parking garage: "Sorry we're driving this car. . . it's kinda uncomfortable, kinda annoying, and drinks a lot of gas for how little it is." My fiancée counters, "Annoying and gassy? Sounds like a perfect match for you."

Having debuted in 2003, the RX-8 isn't ancient, but it's middle-aged in car years. Thankfully, it still looks like it's from the future with space-age curves and mini-doors that flip out backwards for rear passengers. A facelift also came for the 2009 model year, so this is a well-disguised old broad. The old grilles — a large center opening and two smaller flanks to the sides — have been photocopied at 120 percent and new headlights have a more intimidating glare. Around the corner, the car's tall, thin fender vents have been smashed into a small triangle that houses a relocated side turn indicator. The R3 model, a post-redesign addition, wears the new smile best. HID headlights and a front splitter distinguish its front end from lesser RX-8s, while side skirts and a deck wing carry the additions aft. Unique 19-inch wheels are some of the most attractive Mazda has ever made and draw their spoke designs from the car's rotary engine.

Along with the rotor-shaped space between the R3's wheel spokes, all RX-8s have that shape integrated here and there throughout the design. A hood bulge looks vaguely like Wankel's great invention, and inside the cabin, manual-equipped RX-8s have a rotor-shaped shift knob. Mazda's base front seats also have a rotor-shaped opening in the headrests, but the R3 ditches that little styling touch for a wonderful set of Recaros. By "wonderful" I mean they look great, provide incredible lateral support, and are comfortable for short hauls. On longer drives, though, the seats are spine numbing.

Only one color combination — black leather, gray inserts, and red stitching — is available inside the R3, but the paint colors are comparatively plentiful. Blue, black, and red metallic are the three R3 exterior choices. As you can see, this top-level RX-8 isn't about choices; all R3s comes with a manual transmission and options are limited to Sirius radio, a spare tire, and a variety of cargo organizers. No moonroof, sorry — it adds weight and detracts from helmet space. And no navigation, either, because racetracks go in circles.

If you're asking yourself, "Rotor? I thought engines had pistons?" then maybe you should pause here to read our rotary engine tech article. But if you're caught up on the Wankel engine, know that the R3's rotary goes unchanged from the same 1.3-liter dual-rotor unit in every other RX-8. Because this model is manual-only, I don't need to tell you that you shouldn't buy an automatic because it's detuned to 212 hp, down from 232. Both versions spin out 159 lb-ft of torque, and all manuals — regardless of trim level — get a new 4.78:1 final drive ratio.

There actually aren't many mechanical components setting the R3 apart from its less track-oriented brethren, mostly because all RX-8s are pretty good track cars. The 19-inch forged aluminum wheels are the most obvious change, but there are also R3-specific Bilstein dampers. And the front suspension crossmembers, though they're the same, are filled with urethane foam for increased ride comfort — probably to counteract the harshness of the big wheels and stiff dampers.

The RX-8 R3 will grab your heart instantly on your first encounter. Move inside the attractive bodywork and have a seat in the driver's side Recaro. It hugs your sides tightly as you twist the little plastic knob that replaces a conventional key. The raspyweeeeeerrrrrr of the rotary cranking is a reasonable facsimile of an F1 engine firing up, though a progressive rev limiter designed to protect the cold engine limits the spins to well below the 9000-rpm redline for the first five minutes of operation.

Swing the stubby shifter over to first and the near-perfect action of the linkage makes itself known — Mazda's rear-drive small cars have some of the best shifter biomechanics offered. The movements from first to second, second to third, third to fourth, are all clean and direct, accompanied by a linear clutch take-up. The 2009 model year's numerically higher final-drive ratio provides a bit more jump off the line, and we saw 0-60 mph numbers between 6.8 and 7.1 seconds. Also as a result, shifts come faster and cruising in sixth on the highway happens at higher engine speeds — around 3500 rpm.

The R3 would rather live in corners than on the highway. The rotary engine loves to wind out and welcomes downshift rev-matching, wailing like a New Year's noisemaker. Frequent downshifts are necessary because the low-torque engine really doesn't come alive until 5000 rpm. That said, the top half of the tachometer is as addictive as the bottom half is uneventful.

Turn-in, like the RX-8's shifts, is quick and crisp. This Mazda is easy to place in a corner. On tracks, it begs to scrape the edge of every apex. On public streets, it requires minimal concentration to avoid slipping over any strips of paint. The steering wheel is thin by modern standards, but it seems to fit the car's delicate, light personality. The entire chassis is as responsive as the steering, too. It loves to dance, loves to get just light enough in the rear to rotate controllably, and deals with quick transitions like few cars in the $30,000 price range. A snaking riverside road, with the engine working between 6000-9000 rpm and no traffic, is RX-8 heaven. Its tossable nature makes the car's 3064-pound curb weight seem like Mazda's scale is out of calibration.

The honeymoon doesn't last forever, though, which is why the RX-8 R3 is such a serious commitment as a daily driver. I find it hard to wrap my head around the concept of a 1.3-liter, rear-drive sports car delivering fuel economy that barely beats most full-size pickups. On a weekend of 90 percent highway/10 percent city driving, my fuel economy doesn't break into the twenties. A 600-mile trip from Chicago to Detroit and back takes two-and-a-half tanks of fuel. As a daily means of transportation, the practicality trade-offs are few: the trunk is small, though not as small as versions sold with a spare tire in place of this car's air pump and puncture sealant. The rear seat is surprisingly comfortable considering the car's dimensions, but it isn't exactly spacious. Slow-moving traffic makes driving the car laborious by making the driver choose between of the noise of high revs or the lack of torque down low. At least the rotary engine runs smoothly.

And at least the R3 doesn't ride as badly as we'd expected. Sure, it's harsh, but a 106.4-inch wheelbase wards off the seesaw effect of highway expansion joints familiar from some smaller sports cars. The wide Bridgestones, however, do get pulled into ruts formed by heavy trucks. The biggest issue with long drives is the seats, which are so wonderful for shorter, more interesting drives, but whose lack of padding, tight dimensions, and limited adjustability will do a number even on young backs over the long haul.

The R3 is the most entertaining RX-8 available, and if you're able to deal with its flaws, you're in for a real treat. As a track toy and weekend companion, this car would rank near the top of the list of best buys among the Motive staff because at just over $30,000, not many cars are this raw, this thrilling, or this passionate. It's the kind of car that's easy to love, but impossible to settle down and live with day-to-day. Some people could do it, but you'd have to be committed enough to the car's endearing qualities to put up with all the flaws: the fuel economy, the power delivery, the lack of space, and the lack of comfort. The RX-8 will certainly appeal to a certain kind of enthusiast, and we'd love to fool around with one occasionally — we just wouldn't take one home to mom.