Don't know if this has been shared before but I stumbled across some of the concept drawings and images of the early prototypes. Thought it was kinda interesting to see the evolution of the car. Anyhow here's the link:

Concept Images

 

cool! I remember reading about this thing years ago. One of the original and cool ideas was to have different levels of power available depending on the key used. You could give your 18 yr old the key which limits HP to 180 or something, it was such a cool thought, but i guess it was never implimented.

 

Or so you think...you know those Mazda execs have the special key worth an extra 150hp...
:D

 

dang, what a fun job that must be to have, lucky bastards

 

i really dig the pseudo-7 like tailights

 

This is a great find. I love the look of the concept cars. Clay cars are funny. Hmmm ... time to head to Mazda headquarters to get the special 150HP key.

 

thanks for the link.
love it :D

 

great link, very cool find!

 

I'm glad this one didn't make the cut:

 

yeah, really throws off the lines!

 

Now this woulda been a cool option:

 

sweet

 

Is it just me or doesn't that front look very similiar to the Camaro?!?!?

Great website.

 

Holy crap, Mazda should make a few of those and stick 20bs in them and race them.

and WTF is up with this steering wheel?

 

with a little work this could look amazing, better than the prod rx8 tails

 

the steering wheel is missing - those are paddle shifters.

 

Durrr

 

my young son says that the front end has the look of one of the characters from Thomas the Tank Engine (animation), series.

 

Same thing I thought when I first saw it.

 

i think its amazing how closely they stuck to the original idea!

you see lots of concept cars that never get built or in concept form they look like a ferrari and 10 years later it somehow evolved into the buick rendevous. lol

 

Thats hot.
The car looks bigger.

 

Very cool!!!