Originally Posted by Mazda website

RENESIS - The Future of the Rotary Engine
At the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1999 Mazda Motor Corporation unveiled the RX-Evolv, a concept vehicle which later evolved into the RX-8 four door, four seat sports car which was unveiled in January 2001 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit and then into the production model that appeared at the October 2001 Tokyo Motor Show.

Both the Evolv and the RX-8 had many things in common, not the least of which was the latest version of the rotary engine called "RENESIS."

The RX-8 with its RENESIS rotary engine made its debut on Australian roads in August 2003.

The naturally-aspirated engine revs eagerly to extremely high engine speeds while producing racecar-like power and performance. "RENESIS" stands for "The RE (Rotary Engine)'s GENESIS", or the rotary engine for the new millennium.

The RENESIS engine is improved from the 13B rotary engine used in the RX-7. Refinements include positioning the exhaust and intake ports on the side housing, separate from the rotor housing. This reduces overlap between the opening of the intake and exhaust ports, stabilizing combustion. At the same time, it enables the intake port to be enlarged, increasing engine rotational speeds and power output to levels never-before achieved with a naturally aspirated production rotary engine. Other refinements, including thinner, lightweight rotors, thicker eccentric shaft, and a three-port, three-stage variable intake system, contribute to the engine's maximum power output of 177kW at 8,200 rpm, maximum torque of 211Nm at 5,500 rpm and a 10,000 rpm redline for the 6 speed manual and a maximum power output of 141kW at 7,000 rpm, maximum torque of 220Nm at.5,000 rpm for the activematic.