Why do we not hear anything about this car anymore? Is it still a candidate for the 16x or another rwd sports coupe? There haven't even been any rumors on here in quite awhile and the concept is no longer on the mazda website.

The Kabura was an inline four and with like all other concept cars, it was just a temporary hype.

I watched a few video clips of that car driven around on Youtube. Man......I just instantly fell in love!

Concept cars are design projects. The are used to test upper management and public opinion of the car. Sometimes they are very close to what will be produced and sometimes you will see hints of whats to come. They rarely spend enough money on a concept car to make it streetable. The more complete a concept car is, the more you can expect it to go beyond the design stage.

From the general excitment around the design of the Kubara I would not be suprised to see alot of styling cues present in the first get 16x vehicle. Between that and the Taki you can put together a sweet ass ride!

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00312/gear-leno385_312624a.jpg


http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/new_car_reviews/article3681914.ece

yeah i just found that srticle myself and was about to post.

I think it says loads about whether the car is dead or not. Letting Jay drive it when they know he is going to write about it screams they are building something.

of course i could be wrong



Klingons:)

they let hyundai beat them to the punch, the genisis coupe concept came out way later than the kabura concept

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00312/gear-leno385_312624a.jpg


http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/new_car_reviews/article3681914.ece

Holy crap! hotpot is back?! :Eyecrazy:

They just gotta put the 16x in it as a 2-seater and we got ourselves the successor to the RX-7. Finally. They just gotta do it.

They just gotta put the 16x in it as a 2-seater and we got ourselves the successor to the RX-7. Finally. They just gotta do it.

i like the sound of that but with the back seats it had, even though they would be probably tiny

i like the sound of that but with the back seats it had, even though they would be probably tinyMy plan calls for the 3-seat version to have a small 4-cylinder that gets great mileage, maybe even a hybrid and call it an MX-3. The rotary version would be a 2-seater coupe hatchback and go like stink. Supposedly it was built to accomodate either a rotary or a boinger.

they let hyundai beat them to the punch, the genisis coupe concept came out way later than the kabura concept

Umm, the Genesis coupe concept was simply a pre-launch version of the car that they could show before everything was ironed out. Sort of like what Mazda did with the MX Sportif that became the Mazda 3. Meanwhile, the Kabura is more like the RX-Evolv; something to test public opinion and see whether that direction is feasible.

i love the looks of that car!!!! it will be back!!!!!!!!!!

Umm, the Genesis coupe concept was simply a pre-launch version of the car that they could show before everything was ironed out. Sort of like what Mazda did with the MX Sportif that became the Mazda 3. Meanwhile, the Kabura is more like the RX-Evolv; something to test public opinion and see whether that direction is feasible.

that dosnt change the fact that hyundai took initiative and acted to create a small rwd coupe and mazda didnt.

that dosnt change the fact that hyundai took initiative and acted to create a small rwd coupe and mazda didnt.

3,500 pounds = small? :lol:

i was readin a mazda magazine and it said that the kabura was gonna be actally a mazda 3 like in 2010

It was a sweet looking car at sevenstock 10. Frankly I give Mazda huge props for building a concept car that actually runs! Seems like the fad is making a concept that has no motor or only runs enough to drive 20 feet.

All I can say is I hope you have glass insurance!

i want them to build the kabura so bad.. by then the rx8 will be paid off and i would have 2 sexy dream cars..

It's like this, if the Kabura is not put in production than Mazda executives are dumber and crazier than anybody could have thought.

Most likely though, Kabura will see production.

I think Mazda may have meant the Kabura to be a next generation MX-3, AZ-3, Eunos. I drove the Eunos, like it, and it was a surprisingly nice little sporty car. It also had a surprising amount of room for such a small car and some decent looks.

I also have this conspiracy theory that factions and divisions in Mazda fight each other. This explains the convoluted things it does with the RX line and other decisions.

It would be smart if Mazda concentrated on 1 sports car line, the RX line, and got it right in terms of power. There is no damn good reason whatsoever to not have a FI version of the RX-8 or a 300HP RX-8.

With that said, I realize that Mazda is a bit crazy. So, I would not be surprised to see a 4 cylinder turbo in the Kabura. Thus causing it to be competition for its RX sports car line and thus Mazda shooting itself in the foot. However, putting the 16X rotary engine in the Kabura would make sense. By the way, that 16X engine with that other weird looking concept car would not sell jack. There is such a thing as too weird. The Kabura is a concept car that looks good and would be received well.

The Kabura also has RX-8 like styling feature when you look at it. The key point though is the 16X and the Kabura need to come out as soon as possible. The 16X also needs to MATCH the Nissan 350Z line in terms of HP.

Eunos what? Eunos is a brand.

3,500 pounds = small? :lol:

relatively speaking , yes. small doesnt automatically mean light weight. And most consumers arnt anal about weight. it would be delusional to think that if the Kabura does come out it wouldnt compete vs the genesis coupe for sales.

I'd buy it if it has the 16X, and even if it has 8-style rear doors/seats. Sweet!!

I also have this conspiracy theory that factions and divisions in Mazda fight each other.

thats actually true. we've seen the remarks. MNAO really wants the kabura built but japan told them they will only do it if Europe and maybe australia sign on for enough volume. At the same time MAzda Europe wants to build a tiny ute nee CX-5. Like a B segment tiny ute 2 people and their sail boards kinda thing. But they cant get that built unless the other markets will take it.

So they are basically forcing themselves to build TWO more models or stay completely out of the segment/s.

every company goes through that, i think thats healthy in a way because more ideas gets thrown around


thats actually true. we've seen the remarks. MNAO really wants the kabura built but japan told them they will only do it if Europe and maybe australia sign on for enough volume. At the same time MAzda Europe wants to build a tiny ute nee CX-5. Like a B segment tiny ute 2 people and their sail boards kinda thing. But they cant get that built unless the other markets will take it.

So they are basically forcing themselves to build TWO more models or stay completely out of the segment/s.

To a point. Too much division leads to eventual stagnation.

At this point, I'm not sure if Mazda's limited lineup would be able to support three different sports car lines. With sports cars having such a limited shelf life, I'm not sure Mazda could devote the resources required to produce three different sports models and still make a good income. Personally, I'd just evolve the RX-8 to something like the Kabura; a bit smaller, still practical, and with a 16X.

Between the 16X rotary, a possible Kabura, and the upcoming Toyobaru AE86 revival (http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Subaru-Concepts/232133/#), I don't think the RX-8 will last past 2012 in my garage.

Lionzoo beating me to the punch again. Just got an update about the Toyota/Subaru. We have posted about it in the past and here is what i got today from Auotmotive news

Toyota sports car to arrive in 2011 with Subaru engine


Hans Greimel

Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe will ramp up his company's affiliation with Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries. (REUTERS)
TOKYO -- Toyota's long-anticipated sports car will arrive in 2011. It will be jointly developed with Subaru and boast a boxer engine.
The compact, rear-wheel-drive " affordable" car will be built at a new Japanese plant to be set up by Fuji Heavy Industries, parent of the Subaru brand.
Each company will market the car separately and badge it as its own.
The model is part of a sweeping expansion of the tie-up between the Japanese companies.
At a news conference here today, CEO Katsuaki Watanabe also said that Toyota Motor Corp. would boost its stake in Fuji Heavy to 16.5 percent, from its current 8.7 percent.
Toyota will pay 31.1 billion yen ($311 million)for the increased holding, effectively snapping up the last of the shares sold back to Fuji Heavy by General Motors in ...

With this new car shared by Toyota and Subaru PLUS Nissan building a sort of 240 there is only one conclusion. I think its clear now that in order to stay the zoom zoom brand Mazda is going to have to build the kABURA. It needs to be a everything we know about it and it needs to be what we have talked about - both rotary and piston.

Push the RX-8 more upscale as many have suggested. Then slot in the Kabura in both a piston and rotary model below it. They absolutely need to do this to compete and to keep the rotary alive

^I think I remember reading that this Toyobaru will be the new Celica, and won't be on sale in the US

I want this car :(

Toyobaru info:

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/coupes/toyota-celica-replacement-coming-in-2009/

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/coupes/toyota%e2%80%99s-next-celica-could-be-made-by-subaru/

Looks like older news said no US and newer stuff doesn't...I hope it ends up looking more like the last gen. celica and less like current toyotas/subaru's