new M3 Miata wat do u think?

Looks great... where can we get more information?

THEY JUST HAD THE PICTURE AND IT SAID 'NEW M3 MIATA?http://www.mscw.com/ LOOK ON THE RIGTH AND SCROLL DOWN.

that looks like a rotary bludge in the hood

Looks like a combination of:

1) current Miata
2) RX-8
3) that ugly-as-hell 4th gen RX-7 photochop that some Japanese car tabloid made up

Surprisingly, it looks pretty decent. That front grille opening definitely needs work though.

THIS PICTURE IS A SCAM!!!

Has been discussed many times at Miataforum.com and has been confirmed from Mazda and Bwob (the Miata father) that it has nothing to do with the 3rd generation Miata.

It is someone's photoshob job between Miata and Jaguar F-type prototype.

If you need more info - check www.miataforum.com

Alas, there are no leaked 3rd gen Miata pics yet ...

Looks a lot like the Jaguar F-type

http://www.phoenixr.com/wallpaper/wallpaper/Jaguar%20F-Type640x480.jpg

Why didn't Jaguar actually build that car for chrissakes. I love that shape...

I'm glad the picture is bogus - I think it's ugly...too close to the Z4.

why is it called the M3? where is this from, from one of those japanese spy photo magazines?

if they drop a rotary in the next miata (how likely is that?), would they have to call it the RX-5 Miata instead of the MX-5? ha :D

jag didn't build the f-type 'cuz of $$$ reasons, partly 'cuz ford is not letting thru the f-type development cost. it's sad, 'cuz the f-type would've boosted jag, it's jag's ticket to another jackpot. the dumb part is ford kept dumping gazillions of dollar into jaguar racing (formerly jackie stewart racing), and it's pretty akin to flushing that money down a very big toilet 'cuz jag racing is a joke. if they can cut that out and direct that money to the f-type... but it was similar w/ mazda couple years ago, when ford pulled the plug on rotary w/ mazda, but the rx-8 still came thru, and the 8 is GREAt, so maybe...

Originally posted by chinx
why is it called the M3? where is this from, from one of those japanese spy photo magazines?


'90-'97 Miata = M1 or NA
'99-'04 (or '05) Miata = M2 or NB
'05+ Miata = M3 or NC

oh i see. i knew the na/nb designation, didn't know the m1/m2. thanks. btw, what's the difference b/t NA6C and NA8C miatas? NB6C and NB8C? what's the designation of the rx-8?

Originally posted by chinx
oh i see. i knew the na/nb designation, didn't know the m1/m2. thanks. btw, what's the difference b/t NA6C and NA8C miatas? NB6C and NB8C? what's the designation of the rx-8?

NA6C = NA Miata, 1.6 Liter engine (this is in the '90 to '93 US Miata)
NA8C = NA Miata, 1.8 Liter engine (this is in the '94 to '97 US Miata)


Same goes for the NB Miata. The 1.6L isn't available here in the US, but it is available in other places around the world. In my opinion (which doesn't amount to very much) the Miata should come in a 1.6L and a 2.0L version. I think in racing in Japan, the two cut-offs are 1.6L and 2.0L which leaves the 1.8L out in no man's land.

I don't know the RX-8 designation...you'll have to ask some Rotorheads. I'm a big fan of the Miata (cheap RWD!) and of Mazda (I convinced my girlfriend to buy a Protege5), but am still learning about the rotary stuff.

actually the RX-8 will be the FE.

Heres proof.

http://home.att.net/~mazdarx8/202-0104_IMG.JPG

http://home.att.net/~mazdarx8/202-0104_IMG.JPG

like...FE3S?

that means the next rx7 will be called something else...like FF?

Some call them M1 and M2, but often get laughted at because of this. The proper names are NA and NB. Check this thread. (Bwob posting there is one of the miata creators - known as the Miata father :) )

http://www.miataforum.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=009859


Originally posted by chinx
oh i see. i knew the na/nb designation, didn't know the m1/m2. thanks. btw, what's the difference b/t NA6C and NA8C miatas? NB6C and NB8C? what's the designation of the rx-8?

Looks like FE17 for the RX-8. The last two digits don't fit in with other Mazda chassis numbers but then the RX-8 is hard to classify.

First two digits - chassis number
Third digit - some form of the engine displacement
Fourth digit - body style

examples:

RX-3 coupe:
S122 (Chassis S1, 1.2L, 2 door)

RX-3 sedan:
S124 (Chassis S1, 1.2L, 4 door)

79-80 RX-7:
SA22 (Chassis SA, 1.2L, 2 door)

These changed a bit in the early 80s...

RX-7 GSL-SE:
FB3S (Chassis FB, 1.3L, sedan, meaning not a convertible)

2nd gen RX-7:
FC3S (Chassis FB, 1.3L, sedan, meaning not a convertible)

2nd gen RX-7 convertible:
FC3C (Chassis FB, 1.3L, convertible)

As you can see this extends to the Miata, NA or NB for the chassis, 6 or 8 for the 1.6 or 1.8, and C for convertible. If there were a Miata coupe it'd probably be NB8S.

Other Mazdas share this nomenclature, sometimes with a fifth digit for bodystyle thrown in (W for wagon, C for coupe) that confuses things a bit but it's mostly consistent.

So for future cars you might get...

4th gen RX-7 with 1.5L Renesis (remember the RX-7 would use the RX-8 chassis) - FE5S
3rd gen Miata with 2.0L - NC0C

if it was not a production car why would it need to have a vin number in the first place? maybe this is just(big word for the day:p ) obfuscation on mazda's part since the number doesn't follow the norm?

They did run them on public highways, so I imagine they have to have a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). Just 'cause it was hand built doesn't mean it doesn't need to be identified.