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It wouldn't be hard to restore some more realistic proportions and retain most all of the stylistic goodness. Just a quick photoshop that enlarges the greenhouse and shortens the nose a bit.
Pic with people in frame to show the proportions.
The roof looks a little over navel heigt. Look how low that front is.
My lowered/wheel fitted RX-8 makes people swoon from its long low swoopy-ness, I can only imagine the impact something like this would have if the production version is modified back to this low/fitment looks.
Pic with people in frame to show the proportions.
The roof looks a little over navel heigt. Look how low that front is.
The RX Vision is 5mm lower than my car right now. In the video, it looked huge, but in comparison to the measurements on my FD, I can see that it's actually not that bad. It's just really wide!
Don't get me wrong, I think it looks fantastic as-is. I'd just wonder how well you can actually see out of it with such a shallow glass area and high sills—then again, with my Sparco EVO on the floor, I'm probably already mostly there.
No trunk openings. OK, not much room for a trunk with the muffler right behind the seats. Perhaps Mazda increased rear rigidity by not including a trunk.
Long hood line with very short proposed engine. Perhaps Mazda incorporated a frunk instead of a trunk. Lets hope the 16X is pretty like 13BREW and not a plastic cover like 13B-MSP, because if its a frunk you will see it every time you put something in there.
Note there is actually a cut line from the front wheel arch to the door opening at the level of the "Skyactive-R" badge/vent. The only other cut lines I see on the front are around the headlights.
This is a one piece front pivoting front end like old Jag or Corvette.
The adult looking RX-Vision shares similar proportions with Viper and FT-1 while making them look like bloated pep boy's-d out/riced out toys. Much like the FD and the Viper and Supra of the time.
With Mazda back in charge [and not Ford], I think we can expect this thing to come with some bite. I'm thinking a 300 hp N/A with traction control will do nicely. Any sense yet if the 16X will have better low-end torque?
I thought this car would turn out bland, but I was wrong. I'm a fan. Primarily because of the proportions and cleanliness in its design.
If this makes it to production, I hope Mazda is able to keep the long hood intact... If people want to compress its front end to more "normal" proportions, that would take away its entire appeal in my opinion
I can decide if this car will be well served with a subtle double bubble roof, maybe similar to the new M6 roofs? Clean without one, too...
See the body colored panel under the headlight between the front "bumper". 1 piece forward pivoting hood with fixed headlights is my guess still. Note the intake incorporated into the headlight opening.
Detail of the fender vent/badge. Do we lift hood from here?
-edit- god those tail lights are retro sexy!
-edit again- see those production touches like the tail light outside "lens" for side/ 3/4 blinker visibility?
I think I heard they're looking at over $40k, which isn't terribly surprising as (I believe) the FD was $36k back in it's day...
$36k in 1993 adjusted for inflation is equivalent to $59k today...so if they're looking at a base MSRP of $40k it would technically be much cheaper then a new FD...
Not sure why most are complaining about the longish hood. The overall proportions of the car suggest that this isn't a next gen Rx7. Far from it! To me given the pics and the name Rx-Vision (future potential), this concept has a collaze of Rx7 and Cosmo design features. The front end has Mazda's current design language. The long hood is all early 90's Cosmo. The green house is Fd with the Cosmo small window. The stubby slanted rear deck is reminiscent of the 1st gen Rx7. It finishes with the fd tail lights. I think it comes together rather nicley. Now given the overall proportions, I feel Mazda may be going ultra high performance with this chassis. The wheel base, width, height, and ceramic brakes give that away. As Blue TII stated, it shares the dimensions of the Toyota Ft, Viper (and I'll add Corvette). I expect this car to weigh as much as an 3,100lb Rx8 given it has the same wheel base but is shorter and wider. That may seem heavier than most of us would like but, this is a larger car and would still be much lighter than the above competition.
Call me crazy but I wouldn't be surprised if Mazda goes the Chrysler route like the Challenger and Charger and builds 2 Rotary powered vehicles from the same chassis. Next logical Rx would be Rx9 because it's a larger rotary 2 seater. The Rx9 could be Mazda's ultra high performance sports car with a turbo Skyactive-R making 450hp and also have a Mazdaspeed turbo 3 rotor version making 550+ hp. Mazda then could build a 2+2 luxury Cosmo from the same platform and go after the CTS-V, BMW M6, and Mercedes coupes for far cheaper. If the Skyactive-R proves reliable and sales are strong, Mazda then could resurrect the cheaper Rx7 from the ND Miata chassis.
Prices:
NA Rx7 300hp 2,600lbs Base $35,000.
Mazdaspeed turbo Rx7 400hp 2,700lbs Base $45,000.
Rx9 450hp 3,100lbs Base $50,000.
Mazdaspeed 3 rotor turbo Rx9 550hp 3,200lbs Base $60,000.
Cosmo 450hp 3,200lbs Base $53,000. (3k more than Rx9 because luxury tech)
Cosmo 3 rotor turbo 550hp 3,300lbs Base $63,000. (same as above)
I may be dreaming but I think it's possible if the engine pans out.
...I think you add production appropriate mirrors, door handles and this thing is good to go.
Agreed. Preferrably a recessed handle similar to those used on the Tesla Model S. Maybe even a handle on the top side of the door towards the rear, similar to a door pull, but with a flush mount mechanism for opening. I also think the front end is incredible, but I can already envision larger openings for oil coolers, similar to those implemented on the RX-8 Mazdaspeed nose.
i think its going to be much lighter than 3100lbs.
An earlier article that interviewed one of the main designers said 2800-2900 range. And looking at the car.. so much carbon fiber... even the wheels have a weave. I'm not a CF fan.. but I'm drooling.
I am so glad Mazda didn't just do what everyone else is doing, i.e. trying to make something Futuristic and adding complex body lines (Just look at the GTR concept, and pretty much anything Nissan :P).
I will definitely buy this car if it comes in under or around $50k. FD can be the all out track car while this can be the daily driver.
Agreed. Preferrably a recessed handle similar to those used on the Tesla Model S. Maybe even a handle on the top side of the door towards the rear, similar to a door pull, but with a flush mount mechanism for opening. I also think the front end is incredible, but I can already envision larger openings for oil coolers, similar to those implemented on the RX-8 Mazdaspeed nose.
You can see in the image with the door open from the passenger side that the lock mechanism is right about at the same height it is on the Miata, so I would suspect the exterior handle will be right around the same spot.
Some quick chops with Miata parts(mirror is squished a little for proportions
Not sure why most are complaining about the longish hood.
Mostly me, I think. Visually, it just doesn't seem like the hood needs to be that long. It's the idea that the engine team worked to make a compact, well-packaged engine that fits in the middle of the chassis. Then a designer adds 3 feet of car in front of it because it makes it look better.
However, this rendition aligns better with the intended product which is more Cosmo than RX7.
I'll probably stop complaining and wait for the RX7 'version' to come to fruition....probably...
*edit* Well maybe not 3 feet but some amount that isn't vital.
Some quick chops with Miata parts(mirror is squished a little for proportions
The mirrors, sure... the door handle? HELL NO!!! Keep that **** recessed above the window line like in the FD. Putting it in the middle of the door like that would destroy the look imo.
Not sure why most are complaining about the longish hood.
IMO, From the current pictures it appears there may be issues seeing past the corners of the car given the proportions of the cabin, glass, and length of the hood. I looks rather good and in the S2000 the relatively long hood was designed well to eliminate this issue so I'll reserve judgement until it's production and I've sat in it. But personally, in small sports cars I like having solid visual ques around the position of my car relative to other things.
Mostly me, I think. Visually, it just doesn't seem like the hood needs to be that long. It's the idea that the engine team worked to make a compact, well-packaged engine that fits in the middle of the chassis. Then a designer adds 3 feet of car in front of it because it makes it look better.
However, this rendition aligns better with the intended product which is more Cosmo than RX7.
I'll probably stop complaining and wait for the RX7 'version' to come to fruition....probably...
*edit* Well maybe not 3 feet but some amount that isn't vital.
Idk, when I look at the rake on the windscreen and visualize an occupant inside I'd say its not a stretch to think that that space is needed for packaging. Look at the pic when the CEO is beside it again, this car is very small.
10-28-15, 10:56 AM
