I know it's a concept, but I can't believe Mazda would display a piston engine under the glass hood. I just looks wrong.


http://images.rotarynews.com/images/...a/target3.html

 

Here's some high res pictures. More pics on autospies.com pages 41,42,43.

 

Speedometer on the steering wheel is a weird concept. And that shifter?

And finally I see that there actually is a 4th seat. It's just rolled down most of the time for more trunk space. Pretty awkward setup.

I don't know if I can really see a car like this going into production in the near future. Its concept and style seems so bizarre and out of place right now. I mean for me it looks like something that is 6 or 7 years away at the least.

I'm almost surprised it actually has 4 wheels and not 3.

 

That would be the VW GX3 concept.

 

i like the spot on the console for the nano...thats awesome

 

I actually like this one MUCH better than the actual car.. if it looked like this I would pay any price for it!!!

 

The redline goes to 10k rpm in adrian-1's third picture, interesting.

 

whao an I4 that outrev the renesis, interesting

 

Piston engine Rotary engine.. That's not the important factor here.. What's important is *where in Hades* did they find those Goth Chicks? They definately haven't been riding in the Kabura as they would have a better tan than that... Good grief.. The designer must have picked them.. Give me a couple of Asian beauties please!!!! ... Save the *Swedish* look for Saab...

 

Well, I think this car is very interesting. I don't see why a renesis can't be swapped into this car. The hood is practically identical and there are air dams for the oil coolers. I suspect that Mazda has pondered the idea of a renesis powered kabura. In any event this is the car I would dream to have if I was a teen again. Although, I might just grab one up if a renesis swap can be done and this car weighs less then 2500lbs.

 

they can add numbers to as high as they want but the redline is at 7500

 

gotcha, i thought its fishy for a mazda I4 to rev that hight, even honda engines dosnt go that high. if the redline is 7500rpm why do that have it at 10k on the meter?

 

yes

and maybe they had it going to 10K when having a Rotary was being considered and the design never changed

or maybe a Rotary Edition is in the future (like in my prior post)

 

I like the overal shape. Side profile is sexy. 3+1... uh... ok. 4 banger... come on Mazda. This thing has to out accelerate a MX-5 or else get little respect. No rotary...

Verdict. I'd rather have a RX-8 with the new MS concept bodykit.

 

If a version of this ever did make production, the steering wheel mounted speedometer would never appear as there would be no room for an airbag to safely deploy from.

In regards to the 1 rear seat, 1 storage bin configuration, when the nd gen RX-7 was first shown off in concept, it was shown with the same configuration. It was done this way to show that it could have either a small rear seat or storage bins. Most of those cars had the storage bins but a few did have the rear seats. This could be the same type of thing.

 

short video of the unveiling here http://autoshow.msn.com/as/article.a...w=autoshow2006

 

I see your point, but I truely hope that isn't the case if it actually goes into production. I think the 3+1 design is great. It looks like the storage/flat surface behind the drive seat can be pulled up and become a small seat (I see fabric in last interior pic). So, the car actually has 4 seats, three fully size and one dog seat, thus the 3+1 design. But anyhow, produce it, Mazda!

 

yea there is a little bench/jump seat that can be lifted up for temporary use behind the driver.

truthfully, this interior configuration may just work out, because right now, that's pretty much exactly how i use the RX-8's seats; most majority of the time only I am in the car, driving to work, and when i actually have more than 1 passenger, i always tell the front passenger to pull the seat up a bit so the rear passenger behind him/her will have more leg room. the rear seat behind me almost *never* gets seated... always ended up as storage cubby hole for my gym bag...

 

Just an observation. The paint on the show car looks similar to Velocity Red, which is the RX-8's trademark color.

 

Well, the AE86 is a front engine, RWD, 4-cylinder, compact, light weight, 4-seater, practical, and affortable coupe. I see all the elements in the Kabura exception for affortablility, because on one knows how much it would cost if it actually goes into production. I don't see a problem for Mazda to produce a car in the spirit of the AE86, but I would have big problem if Mazda ever produce a car that reminds me the Towncar.

From what have read so far, the Kabura, if ever goes into production, will be positioned below the 8 and not related to any existing Mazda product line (so it won't be a RX-7 replacemnt). The base price of the 8 is about 26k. So I think the Kabura (again, if ever being produced) would be priced around 20-24k. I see it in the same class as the RSX. All the compact couples in that segment have become FWD since the death of the AE86. Well, the Nissan 240SX came close, but it was too big, too expensive and never had the "right" engine in the US.

I also think not using the rotary engine is good for car in that segment becasue it will be a big seller for the general public (non-rotary fans, or people doesn't even know what a rotary engine is). Trust me, most people don't want to deal with the little things that comes with the rotary engine. Maybe an option of two 4 cylinder engines for the Kabura, a 170HP 2.0 and a 220HP 2.3. Just my 2 cents.

 

Same here with my 240sx. But since it is a 2+2, the front seat has to be moved up pretty far for the rear passanger to even to have minimal leg room. With the off-set seat in the Kabura, the leg room is made up for and the head of the rear seat occupant isn't left in the rear glass. I think it's a fantastic idea if they could pull off still having an airbag and the a/c condensor in the dash.

 

I think I got more of a rise out of the two models than I did the concept. This is a neat little car but it's not for me. I'm ready to see what's going on with the next RX-8.

 

It's a wagon thing. With the P5, Mazda discivered that they could sell twice as many cars if they offered both commuter and more utilitarian versions for each chasis. The success of the P5 has made Mazda wagon-happy:

1) They offer the Sportswagon version of the Mazda 6,
2) They offer both small wagon and minivan (Mazda 5) versions of the Mazda 3. The Mzdaspeed 3 will reportedly be based on the wagon rather than the sedan.
3) The CX 7 is the wagon version of the Mazdaspeed 6.
4) The 8 is the wagon version of the RX7 -- now if only they could make the two seater as well.
5) The Kabura is the Miata wagon.

 

Haha, good point. And now I know why I like the Kabura so much, because I drives a P5 and wants a Miata .

But there is one point about the protege sedan and wagon thing. I bought the P5 but not the protege sedan becasue the P5 is sportier, not because it is more utilitarian. The P5 comes with a more agressive front end, standard 16" inch alloy wheels, special interior treatment. The P5 is essentially the Sport20 (the sportiest protege/323 )in Japan, sans the high output engine.

Anyhow, I love seeing Mazda expanding their product line like you described.

 

I keep hearing reports of the Kabura being sub 20k. I don't think it should be above that or priced with the over priced RSX. Anyway, an entry level rwd coupe is kick ***!