At least, that’s how the guy from Edmunds describes the recent changes that the four-door coupe has undergone. The 2009 Mazda RX-8 gets a series of upgrades of its currently existing predecessor, the most notable of which is a front fascia restyling that makes it fit in a little better with the rest of its Mazda brethren.

To casual passers-by, the revitalized RX-8 won’t look all that different. The more enthusiastic among us, however, will quickly point out that they’ve upgraded the exhaust, facelifted the front end, and stiffened up the chassis.

They will also be offering an optional R3 package that includes a rear spoiler, 19-inch forged aluminum wheels, side sills, and fog lamps. Two of the more notable inclusions in the R3 package for the 2009 Mazda RX-8 are the aggressive Recaro seats and the stiffer Bilstein shocks. If you thought it could handle in corners before…