Nov 5: All hail Mazda!

 Get a load of this beauty, which was unveiled at last week's Tokyo Auto Show. The Mazda RX Vision concept. Supposedly the new home for a return of the much loved or hated Wankel rotary motor, depending on your point of view.

Just a concept, you say, obviously styled for the auto show circuit with the final one looking much more pedestrian . Well, maybe yes, maybe no, but before you make a final judgement, some history.

Remember the last RX and we're not talking about a Lexus sport ute?

Not awfully long gone from Mazda showrooms, this uniquely styled coupe had that (unusual for its time), second small door to ease entrance into the back seat. Still a common sight on our streets and their owners love them. Not terrifically fast, but a good handler.

Before that one came the overly fragile, but extremely sexy, RX-7..........

A fast and furious car even to the present day. So, that is why I've shown it slammed and with that huge spoiler, as most of these have been modified in some way. A key sign, is the extra large stove pipe sized exhaust. Drifting anyone?

Want to go back even further? Ok, so here are the next two in descending time frame order. I always, thought the more recent one in the top pic looked like a Porsche 944. I think this was not an uncommon comparison back in the day.

 

Clean, good looks and generally well thought of little sportscars. But going back to the original RX brings us to this one........

 

Get the idea, that this little coupe was considered by Mazda to be quite the road rocket?  Folks loved the Wankel motor, until they realized that, it drank gas like an old '60's muscle car. Not a good attribute in the gas shortage times of the mid '70's. Good-bye, sweet princess, your day will come.

So back to that stunning RX Vision concept. Can we expect anything remotely like that to hit the dealerships? Maybe, just maybe. Look at another concept Mazda that, was shown about three years ago........

........and here is the lovely Mazda6 sedan version of it that actually reached the showrooms.......

 Not way off the concept's design, is it? A great everyday execution of an absolutely gorgeous concept car. So cross your fingers, toes and legs that, this beauty shows up in the very near future, regardless of what motor is under the hood.........

My regret? My long legs and kind of a practical side have sub-planted my sportscar buying, but not my desire for one. Hey, I can drive anything in my dreams!

Until next time.......