Aoshi Shinomori

I'm pretty sure it was a bodykit. I had to jump on the bandwagon. Even after 2 people already said it we have the all powerful Zoom44 come in for the confirmation :D Postwhores!!!!! :p I can't say I'm much better making this post, oh well.

SpinninAgain!

I'll bet he installed the LHD also, just to confound Mugatu! :D

Johnnyma45

Was it red? There was one at the Dream Cruise a few months back, at the Mazda display.

RotaryNoob

I'd be willing to bet that it was just the body kit.

ibfubar2000

What's a body kit?????? :D

truemagellen

echo echo echo

Racer X-8

What's a VIN check????? :p

RoninJai

You guys sure seem to be enjoying a laugh at my apparent expense.

In my defense...living where I do, and driving 100 miles a day, I see prototype and camoed vehicles on almost a daily basis...I just figured this was more of the same.

Carry on...

ibfubar2000

don't take it personally, just wait until somebody else posts something, then we will make fun of them instead.... :D but until then this is fun :D

GiN

I think it was a Supra.

Virgil

Gotta get the appearcance package, just makes the whole thing look that much more meaty.

Rob Tomlin

Suprised that nobody has mentioned that this was probably just the MS body kit.

Maolin34

Nice try guys. It probably was a Mazdaspeed RX8. Being in Michigan, and close proximity to Ford Headquarters, you might be surprised as to the cars that tend to float around. Not to mention the Car and Driver office located in Ann Arbor.

I would ask, what color was it, and did it have a manufacturer plate. I personally have seen a white MS RX8, and driven a white MS6. The percs of having a high ranking Ford employee in the family I guess. There is also, a supercharged version of the RX8 that is quite cool, and I believe it was recently showcased in an import magazine...check your newsstand.

G8rboy

I really doubt it... it's winter, in Michigan... those cars would be around Irvine, CA this time of year. There are hundreds of MS bodykits on RX8's running around, if not more... which is a much more likely explanation.

Maolin34

Being winter in Michigan, it is the cheapest place for winter testing, and close proximity to R&D resources. There are currently 7 RX8's at the Product Development Center in Dearborn, 2 of which are MS. There are also about a dozen 6's which there are 3 MS.

I don't mean to sound callous but I know what I am talking about in regards to this....here's a pic from a good day in my parents garage.

G8rboy

I didn't think Mazda did any R&D in Dearborn... ?

Maolin34

Under normal circumstances they dont. When the opportunity comes for winter testing in Michigan, they will. With the 8 being built in Japan, not many opportunities for it there. You would be very surpised at the cars I have seen at the PDC from all branches of Ford. The new miata will be something....it looks very much like the 8 in the front.

chinx

mazda's na hq and r&d is in irvine, but they do have an r&d center in michigan as well. makes good sense since it's our motor city, and it's advantageous to do r&d work in inclement climate not just in sunny socal

Nubo

Maybe they were testing the body kit. :D

GiN

PWN3D!

...but I still say it was a Supra.

Rob Tomlin

Even though an argument could be made that it is possible this was a real MS, it is still very much speculation to say that it was. Read the original post. Not a shred of evidence indicating it was an actual MS RX-8.

Maolin34

Nothing saying that the original poster saw one. However, I have seen them on the road in Michigan, and in person parked. As well as the MS 6.

Thats all.

Rob Tomlin

Well, earlier you said this:

Saying it "probably was" a MS based on the info given by the original poster, combined with the fact it hasn't been released in the states makes it more likely that it "probably was NOT" a MS, don't you think?

Maolin34

No. And I gave reasons for it. All of the post prior to my first were all claiming that it "probably was" a body kit, and the statements that "it doesn't exist in the US", and so on. My statement that it probably was a MS RX-8 are based on the fact that I know that there are such models here, that they are being tested in Michigan, and based on the location in which the original poster stated he saw it would more likely be one of the MS RX-8's that I have seen personally. I have yet to see (in Michigan) a single RX-8 with a body kit. If the original poster had mentioned any specific details about the car that he saw, then it would be far easier.

I guess I could also say that it "probably was" a GT in my garage....but I can't be sure. Your in CA, right? So, I can probably say that you don't see what I see everyday. And being that Ford HQ is 30 minutes away from my location doesn't make me an expert, but I can certainly corroberate what the orginal poster said he thought he saw. They do exist, they are here in Michigan, I have seen them first hand and that will be the last of it.