Used Mazda RX-8 Air Filter

Yes, the RX-8 has an air filter — the rotary 13B-MSP Renesis engine still draws in and filters air in the same way a conventional piston engine does, so an air filter housing and replaceable filter element are standard fitment on all variants. Every RX-8 sold in the UK used this engine, so there are no variants without one. You can search with confidence knowing the part genuinely exists on your car.

The RX-8 ran as a single generation from 2003 to 2012, with a significant facelift in 2008 that brought changes to the bodywork and some ancillary components — the 2004 car sits in the pre-facelift phase and your 2009 is post-facelift. Both use the same 13B-MSP Renesis engine code, so the core filter element specification is the same, but whether the airbox housing and mounting points differ across the 2008 facelift boundary is something you should confirm with the breaker against your registration before buying. Supplying your registration or VIN when requesting a quote gives the breaker the best chance of matching the right part.

The RX-8 was available with either a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic gearbox, but the gearbox type does not affect air filter fitment because the filter is determined entirely by the engine, which is the same 13B-MSP Renesis unit across both transmission options. You can disregard the gearbox when searching for this part.

Trim levels on the RX-8 — which included grades such as standard, PZ, and later special editions — do not affect air filter fitment because all UK-market cars shared the same 13B-MSP Renesis engine regardless of trim. The air filter is a purely mechanical, engine-driven specification, so trim differences (interior, wheels, cosmetic packs) are irrelevant here. A filter pulled from any trim level should be the same specification, though you should still confirm with the breaker that the part they have matches your registration.

UK-market RX-8s were offered in two states of tune — 189 bhp (high-compression, manual only) and 161 bhp (lower-compression, available with either gearbox) — both using the same 13B-MSP Renesis engine code. The air filter specification follows the engine family rather than the power output, so both versions use the same filter element. If you are unsure which version your car is, your V5 engine code or a VIN check will confirm it, and sharing that with the breaker helps them verify the exact part.

The RX-8 ran until 2012 in the UK, so a 2011 car is a late post-facelift (post-2008) example, and breakers do have these vehicles in stock, though availability naturally thins out compared to earlier, more common years. Because the 13B-MSP Renesis engine ran unchanged through the whole production run, a used air filter or airbox from any post-facelift car should be the correct specification — confirm the ancillary fittings match with the breaker using your registration to be safe. Getting quotes from multiple dismantlers through Findapart gives you the best chance of locating the right part quickly.