Mazda’s facelifted RX-8 arrived at the Detroit Motor Show, and it’s more of a mild nip and tuck than a drastic overhaul. Mazda hasn’t suddenly dropped in a V6 or anything like that – so far over 165,000 rotary-engined RX-8s have been sold and Mazda doesn’t want to mess with a recipe that works. That means it’s still a four-door, four seater with 'Freestyle' (suicide to you and me) doors, and a unchanged 1.3-litre turbine engine available in 189bhp and 228bhp states of tune.

But while the engine hasn’t changed Mazda has been busy fettling the chassis. There’s a new trapezoid front strut bar, new rear suspension geometry and a more rigid driveshaft. The USA wll also get a new R3 sport package (pictured), though Mazda UK has yet to confirm whether it's coming to this side of the Pond. The R3 pack features tuned suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers, 19-inch wheels, a bodykit consisting of new front and rear spoilers and side sills, 300-watt stereo and some part-leather Recaros.

All cars, including the R3-equipped RX-8s, get restyled front and rear bumpers, a new finish for the lights, and larger diameter exhaust pipes. Inside the rev counter now has a red-zone that only fades when the engine is at operating temperature. There’s also a new steering wheel while the four seats have been redesigned to provide extra comfort, and the backrests of the front seats have also been changed to provide extra legroom for those in the rear.

The revised RX-8 lands in UK dealers mid-year, with prices scarcely changing over today's model. British dealers sell around 4000 a year - down from a high of 10,000 in the RX's first year on sale.

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It's not one of the better known motor salons, but Mazda chose the Guangzhou Motor Show to unveil its new 2 Sedan today. It's a three-box saloon pinpoint-targeted at the rapidly growing Chinese B-car segment, where saloons are de rigeur. Sadly, the saloon won't make it to European dealers.

It will be built by the Ford group's Chinese partner, Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Company in Nanjing, with sales kicking off in the first half of 2008. The aim? Mazda wants to sell 300,000 cars a year in China by 2010, and 1.6 million globally. And the way the market's growing there, there's little doubt it will achieve that target.

The 2 Sedan being unveiled today is exactly that. It's a 2 supermini replete with shrunken weight-saving nous, but with a notchback boot slung out the back. That means the boot is 250 litres bigger than the hatch's, now swallowing a handy 450 litres of stuff.

Interestingly, the 2 saloon is a more slippery shape than the hatch, managing a drag coefficient of 0.29 against the five-door's 0.32. What else is new for Chinese-spec cars? The 1.3 and 1.5 petrol engines will be tuned slightly differently, paired to four-speed auto or five-speed manual transmissions. The paint palette is simplified with seven exterior colours and a 'light beige' cabin.

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