max5roadster

I thought the same thing when I read the article! [I] They very well could drop by on the forum. Some of them used to (and still do) drop by the miatanet forum. I'm not sure why they would call us whinners for wanting a rotary, but oh well.. I'll keep my subscription for now.

BaronVonBigmeat

It might be helpful if those scans were actually readable!

saturn

Don't blame zoom for his incredible 20/10 vision and cat-like reflexes.

kmg1186

thanks for scanning that article onto here. a great read really enjoyed it!

so i was under the impression that mazda WAS planning on putting it into production. but in the video they say mazda does not plan on producing the kabura. what's the deal?

BaronVonBigmeat

Okay, save to desktop and zoom in. That works.

If this comes out in 3 years, I still say it's going to replace the RX-8. It does what the 8 does, but better...and the 8 will be about due for a redesign in 2009 anyhow. With a sub-2800 lb. weight (hopefully, but not confirmed) and 4-cylinder base model (pure speculation), it would solve the only real problems with the 8 (mediocre power/weight ratio, less-than-ideal sales volume)

saturn

How can you say that it does what the 8 does, but better when it's a prototype? There's absolutely no real information about this car -- at all. If this thing does in fact sell for ~$20k as predicted, it's not going to do everything the 8 does. There will be compromises in the interior appointments if nothing else. Also, if the 8 is still around in its current form when the Kabura comes out, I'd be flabbergasted.

BaronVonBigmeat

Well, I'm working on the assumption that Mazda won't produce two RWD coupes that are only a few thousand dollars apart in price, it just doesn't make sense. I know they say they are going to build this to start out under $20k, but I'll believe it when I see it. Maaaybe they can ditch the convertible top and get the price down that low.

I think this car could do everything the RX-8 does better--if it has a rotary option of course. When I say that, I'm assuming that the seating arrangement is feasible, and that the weight can be kept well below the 8's 2,960+ weight.

bulletproof21

convertible top? No, the Kabura doesnt have a convertible top. Just the weird all glass thing that surely wouldnt make it to production.

BaronVonBigmeat

Whoops, what I meant was: The Miata costs over $20k, so how are they going to sell this car for $20k? But convertible tops add a pretty good bit of money to the price of any car, so by making it a hardtop they might be able to have a slightly-stretched, 3 +1 passenger, hardtop Miata for $20k.

BlueEyes

Well, if the Boxster->Cayman and MZ4->MZ4 Coupe are any indication, selling a coupe for more than convertible can work.

hemanrulez

Scion TC's have the all glass roofs and they are in production. the New MB's are going to have only all glass roof's. Dont see why Mazda couldn't make this work on a production Kabura.

rxtreme

iTrader: (1)

Just saw this car at the NY auto show. Have pics if anyone wants to see. I thought the car was very attractive in person. The lighting appointments (headlights, taillights, and other exterior lighting was ultra-cool, but the interior layout in bazaar. I do not agree that the 2+1 seating is ideal in any way. When I first heard this concept in the Kabura, I thought it might be a single center seat in the rear, but instead the seat is on the right behind the front passenger with what looks like totally wasted space behind the driver. Why not just design an honest 2+2? I know Mazda wants to be different, but the current lay jut does not make sense. In addition, the retractable real half-door, while looking and sounding cool in concept, looks completely useless for ingress and egress to the one rear seat. I love the coupe design, though, and wish to this day this is what Mazda designed for our RX-8's. I think this would be a cool replacement for the RX-8 if they could make it a good performer, use the rotary (of course - but maybe a bit more refined), and make the retractable door truly useful or get rid of it in favor of a RX-8 type hinged door or make it a 2+2 with no rear door at all. Still a really cool car, just needs some more R&D. ;-)

Renesis_8

The retractable rear half-door adds weight and complexity and is totally useless, it might not make it to production, as with the 2+1, but i heard its actually 3+1, theres a seat behind the driver, you have to fold it down i think (from what i saw in the pic).

The glass roof MIGHT make it to production tho, there are more and more cars like that now, i think i've seen a few on the road. But it'll be $$ to replace
________
**** Cams

Raptor2k

Agreed, I saw a video of the half-door, and it's purpose is quite wetawded.

tiggerlee

Just got an email from Kabura forums.

I didn't see these here anywhere so thought I'd post the new Kabura photos.

presequel

there's no way i would want someone to look over and see me in that.

looks like the crossfires bitch or something. ugly written all over it. unmanly. horrible.

tjbourgoyne

I'm praying this car is a decoy for the new RX8 that looks nothing like this with a 280 hp rotary.

Spazm

From some angles it looks almost like a Z...really like the interior, however there is no way that the speedo on the steering wheel should ever make it into production!

cjkim

Considering Mazda turned the Evolve into the rx-8 (quite a miracle I might add) the Kabura (if it goes into production) should be sexxxxxxyyyy as hell.
evolve (ugly) -> rx8 (attractive)
kabura (attractive) -> rx3/mx3 (godly!)