a comment that i found in Sport Compact Car written by Dave Coleman one of their editors based on the mazda renesis technology and the Intergrated Motor Assist (IMA) that honda has developed.

"The RX-8's new side-exhaust RENESIS rotary engine is a vast imporvement over the old peripheral-exhaust 13bs, but it still has a few weak points, most of which, it turns out, would be cure by a little IMA in spite of its reduced overlap and better low-rpm breathing, the RENESIS is still a little weak at low rpm. An electric motor makes as much torque at zero rpm as it dose at its maximum speed so it can be a big help at low rpm without compromising high rpm performance, something rfew other power boosters can claim.
The RENESIS also continues to be a little thirsty, so turning off instead of idling and using a little batter power to reduce the use of gas here and there can't hurt. Rotaries are also a little difficult to start. While Much imporved with the side exhaust ports, it can still take a few tires to restart a hot RENESIS. Spinning the engine to full idle speed before ever firing a fuel injector ensures the engine will be going fast enough to make good compression and virtually guarantees that not a single camberful of gas will get through without igniting.
....(goings on about IMA)
"

now i understand that the "r" in rx8 stands for rotary but i mean...im sure you could find a way to beef up the motor so it has more hp and still keep it rotary. im not saying to drop the rotary out of the line up cuz thats what makes the car so different and special