Research & Development/Mazda RX-8 Special Edition

The Mazda RX-8 Special Edition's Research & Development event was released as the 37th R&D event as part of the 2018 Summer Update on July 19, 2018, after the Sbarro GT1 Championship.

The event has 4 labs spanning a total of 44 tests with a time limit of 9 days once the event is started.

The labs will unlock in the following schedule:
 * Lab 002: 1 day later or pay
 * Lab 003: 3 days later or pay
 * Lab 004: 6 days later or pay

Total Costs/Rewards: Test Count (by race mode):
 * 77 cards from R&D Boxes
 * 6 R&D Basic Kit Box (Grants 5 cards)
 * 3 R&D Advanced Kit Box (Grants 10 cards)
 * 1 R&D Professional Kit Box (Grants 17 cards)
 * 3 Mazda RX-8 Special Edition Free Upgrades
 * Auto-Test:
 * Quality Checks (excluding Ultimate AI Challenges):
 * Minimum Number of Proto Keys Used:
 * Quality Checks (excluding Ultimate AI Challenges):
 * Minimum Number of Proto Keys Used:
 * Classic:
 * Time Attack:
 * Ultimate AI Challenge: 5
 * Gate Drift:
 * Elimination:
 * Infected:
 * Unplugged:
 * Flawless:
 * Knockdown:
 * Main goal as Beat time test:

Tips / Warnings

 * As the RX-8 Special Edition has superb drifting and handling at stock, handling upgrades aren't necessary for a minimum tune.
 * There are 3 free upgrades given in the R&D. (2, 8, 18)
 * Before attempting Test 8, install Top Speed Level 2 and use the free upgrade on Top Speed Level 3 (Token-only upgrade).
 * Before attempting Test 18, install Nitro Level 3 and use the free upgrade on Nitro Level 4 (Token-only upgrade).
 * The minimum tune needed to complete the event is [5505 2050]
 * This requires 10 Rotary engines. As the R&D boxes give a total of 8 engine cards, 2 have to be acquired by other means.
 * As this R&D event is based on the one for the Lotus Evora Sport 410, many of the same tips and warnings for that event apply here:
 * In Test .026., be careful of taking the cave shortcut route, as infected AIs tend to take the long route faster than the player can take the cave shortcut route.
 * The time limit for Test .042. can be difficult to keep track of as Infected races do not show the player's race time until the post-race results. The traffic and infected AI racers also increase the chances of a Wreck (especially with Infection Overload), making Test .042. very perilous.

Trivia

 * The event is similar to the Lotus Evora Sport 410's, so any player who has played through the Lotus Evora's event should be familiar with it.