Is the Kabura dead? - Page 2

Apr 9, 2008 | 01:34 PM

#26

RWagz

Piston-free 07.11.2007

Joined: Apr 2005

Posts: 314

Likes: 0

From: Madison, WI

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

Apr 9, 2008 | 02:04 PM

#27

LionZoo

road warrior

Joined: Feb 2006

Posts: 1,861

Likes: 3

From: Oakland and Los Angeles, CA

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/NewsAr...epts/232133/#), I don't think the RX-8 will last past 2012 in my garage.

Apr 10, 2008 | 10:41 AM

#28

zoom44

Administrator

Joined: Jul 2002

Posts: 21,958

Likes: 115

From: portland oregon

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

Quote:

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

Apr 10, 2008 | 12:39 PM

#29

Gambit

Screw gas mileage

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 2,179

Likes: 1

From: Marlton, NJ

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

Apr 11, 2008 | 03:24 AM

#30

DOMINION

I don't buy Kool-Aid

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 8,823

Likes: 2

From: Vegas Baby!

I want this car

Apr 11, 2008 | 08:48 AM