The is a rotary-powered sports car that was produced from 2003 to 2012. It is now past 2012, which makes me wonder why Mazda is testing an RX-8 on the Nürburgring like it’s 2008.

The RX-8 you see in YouTuber ’s video is the refreshed version of the car that Mazda introduced in 2008. Why it’s still wearing camouflage on its front bumper is a mystery to me. We all, like, know what it’s supposed to look like?

Of course, it might be Mazda testing out the last rotary car that it made in preparation for the it has planned. As we explained in a story from last year, the rotary is actually a smart pick for a range extender because it has fewer moving parts than a piston engine and doesn’t vibrate as much. We could see the hybrid rotary Mazda sometime next year.

Or! Another possibility is that Mazda just wanted to go back in time for a bit. Experience what it was like to be in 2008 again. Remind itself of where it came from. “Disturbia” by Rihanna is probably on full blast in that cabin. After the driver leaves the Ring, he’s probably got tickets to go see The Dark Knight.

Sure, we found ourselves in the midst of a global financial crisis in 2008, but at least things were somewhat sane compared to now. Who wouldn’t want that?

The car still looks great, though. That hasn’t changed.