Cars all do well in new ranking while six light trucks tip up on two wheels in road test.

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The Mazda RX-8 was the only car to get the top rating in a new government test for the risk of a rollover accident, but six of 16 light trucks tested tipped up on two wheels.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ranked 33 cars and light trucks from the 2004 model year on their chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle accident. Light trucks include sport/utility vehicles, pickups and minivans.

The following press release is from Mazda Japan about the RENESIS winning the International engine of the Year award, for the 2nd year in a row! This is just the latest in the string of awards the RX-8 and RENESIS has won.

Mazda's new-generation rotary engine, "RENESIS," which powers Mazda's all-new RX-8 sports car, has won the trophy for best engine in the 2.5-liter to 3-liter category at this year's International Engine of the Year Awards by two-year continuation.

Established in 1999, the International Engine of the Year Awards are hosted by Engine Technology International every year with the winner selected by a majority vote of 56 motoring journalists from 24 countries around the world. Engines are evaluated based on the criteria of refinement, drivability, environmental-friendliness, fuel economy, performance, etc. There are a total of eight awards for the eight capacity classes of all current production engines between sub 1-liter to above 4-liter capacities, and three special awards of "Best New Engine of the Year," "Best Fuel Economy," and "Best Performance Engine". The "International Engine of the Year" is selected from among the winners of the eight engine capacity classes.

We have a supply of RX-8 Posters... HAND Signed by Ikuo Maeda

Carmella DeCesare, 21, won a Mazda RX-8. She was named Playboy's 'Playmate of the Year 2004' at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, California May 6, 2004. DeCesare, of Cleveland, also won $100,000 cash and a Kawasaki motorcycle. This is the first time an RX-8 (or to our knowledge a Mazda) has been awarded to a Playboy Playmate.

Continuing Mazda's long-list of recent accolades the Mazda RX-8 sports coupé, powered by the unique rotary engine, has won 'Best Coupé' in The 2004 Top Gear Awards presented to Mazda UK last week.

"It's not often a car rewrites the rules, but the Mazda RX-8 has - at least in terms of practicality. Thanks to its radical rear doors, we finally have a coupé with proper back seats," wrote Top Gear magazine in its April issue, in newsagents now.

Top Gear magazine makes some interesting comparisons citing the Mazda RX-8 as every bit as revolutionary as the skateboard: "In sticking doggedly to its rotary engine formula, Mazda has created a car that manages to bring all the expected Japanese reliability, but also the charisma of being different from the rest," writes Top Gear.

Mazda Motor Corporation’s revolutionary rotary-powered, four-door, four-seat sports car has been named the 2003 Car of the Year by Australian-based Wheels magazine. Final results of the annual award were announced on January 19, 2004.

Now in its 41st year, the Wheels Car of the Year is the world’s oldest continuously-running new car award and Australia’s most coveted automobile prize.

The Mazda RX-8 was awarded the Wheels prize ahead of 28 eligible vehicles. Eight expert judges spent six days driving the cars over thousands of kilometers at a proving ground and on public roads. The winner was selected by secret ballot.

Japan -- American customers will have to wait at least another year to find out if Mazda does in fact have a program to resurrect its beloved, rotary-powered RX-7. "There are no plans for us to (re)introduce the RX-7 in North America within the next year or so," said Jim O'Sullivan, president of Mazda North American Operations. O'Sullivan said that high demand for the company's flagship RX-8 has Mazda's rotary-engine assembly lines in Hiroshima running at full capacity. He added that the company is not planning additional applications of its RENESIS rotary engine "unless we're going to do an expansion of the engine plant itself.