Toadman

Mazda Goes Hollywood at 2003 Greater Los Angeles Auto Show

- City of Angels Plays Host to Movie Stars and Zoom Zoom -

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda will add a dash of Hollywood star power to a special vehicle unveiling at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show as the automaker rings in the New Year in style. Flash bulbs will pop with the debut of the Mazda RX-8 X-Men Car featured in Twentieth Century Fox Studios' upcoming release of X2, the next X-Men movie. Mazda's press conference
begins at 1:45 p.m. on January 3 in the West Hall.

Based on the soon-to-be-introduced rotary-powered 2004 Mazda RX-8 sports car, the RX-8 X-Men Car makes its on-screen appearance this spring when X2 premieres on May 2. The film is due to hit theaters just weeks before the RX-8 is scheduled to arrive in Mazda showrooms across the country.

"With style and a powerful stance, the RX-8 is a sports car like no other, and we think it will create as much excitement as this new film," said Kristen Simmons, vice president of marketing for Mazda North American Operations. "It's an ideal fit for the next X-Men film, a movie filled with characters that have the same dominant presence as this sports car."

In addition to the debut of the RX-8 X-Men Car, Mazda also will be displaying its entire line of 2003 products, including the all-new MAZDA6 sedan as well as the limited-production MAZDASPEED Protege, until the close of the show on
January 12.

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is responsible for the sales and marketing, customer service and parts support of Mazda vehicles in the United States. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., MNAO has more than 700 dealerships nationwide.

SOURCE Mazda North American Operations

CO: Mazda North American Operations

ST: California

SU: TDS PDT MAV

http://www.prnewswire.com

01/02/2003 12:50 EST

KKMmaniac

Good info Toadman

I especially like this little quote:

"With style and a powerful stance, the RX-8 is a sports car like no other, and we think it will create as much excitement as this new film,"

-Jeezus, I hope the RX-8 creates more excitement (and for a longer period of time) than another Big Hollywood Sci-Fi Blockbuster! (good though it may be)

Zio

I hope people dont go out and buy the car because it was in the movie. Though I havent seen any new thunderbirds or aston martins around and those were in the new bond :l

Hercules

Then again the thunderbird is ugly and no movie can make it look good...

and the Vanqush runs about 227 grand... so that's a *bit* out of the pricerange of most people

RotorMotor

I don't want to be reading in to things too much, but I also don't want to take a day off work and drive to LA for nothing. Does this article make it sound like the RX-8 will be at the LA auto show the entire time or just that the X-Men car will make an appearance? I went to www.laautoshow.com and the RX-8 is listed there as a "2004 Production-Ready Model" but like I said, morning traffic to LA is gonna be a beeoch and I certainly don't want to drive up there to be disappointed.....

Toadman

The Production RX-8 will supposedly not be unveiled in LA until after it is introduced Tuesday morning at the NAIAS Detroit show. They will remain covered out of sight until then. The X-men car, being heavily modified, will supposedly be available to view the entire show however.

RotorMotor

Right on. Thanks Toad. I think I'll be heading up Wednesday regardless, so that should work out just fine....

JGard18

the Lancer Evolution was just unveiled in LA. Who says the RX-8 won't be?

Toadman

Ford does not have controlling interest in Mitsubishi. :D Maybe Mitsubishi Motors wasn't invited to roll out their products with the big dogs in Detroit. Maybe they just wanted to beat everyone to the punch. Who knows?

The RX-8 will be unveiled in LA, just not until after the Detroit debut Tuesday morning. Check out the Detroit show Floorplan.

Puppy1

What's up with the Toyota-Dodge conection. See the light blue area on the floorplan. I thought Toyota had a GM connection?