Mazda KABURA to take a bow
Besides the CX-7 SUV, Mazda will be displaying its KABURA concept (sketch shown), a compact sports coupe vehicle at the 2006 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan.
The KABURA is the third concept vehicle following the SASSOU and the SENKU. Outside the concept was designed in the U.S. and is rear-wheel drive, there is very little information on it or the other concepts, though Inside Line notes it comes with a 2.0-liter engine.
It is not know if the KABURA went into production whether it would join or replace the MX-5 (formerly known as the Miata). We suspect it would slot in between the MX-5 and RX-8. Speaking of which, rumor has it Mazda will also have a hybrid RX-8 on display at the show.
[Source: Mazda]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tom Garner 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
As it's a compact sports coupe, couldn't this be a replacement for the Coupe/Tiburon?
Reply
RamSport47 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
Coupe/Tiberon are made by Hyundai not Mazda
Reply
JZeke 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
Miata Coupe? Or RX-7...
Reply
Doogs 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
Sheesh. They may as well have not released a sketch. Can't tell anything from it.
I'm guessing a Miata coupe type thing. Maybe they'll call it the MX-7, and then RX-7 when they put the rotary in it.
Reply
Poe 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
YES! That's what I want to see! A small AFFORDABLE *RWD* coupe! I've owned two such cars ('83 Celica GTS and '89 240SX) and loved them. There's nothing on the market like that now since the demise of the 240SX. Bring it on Mazda! FWD sucks.
Reply
chriseh 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
This appears to be the long ago announced RX-7 that slots between the RX-8 and MX-5. Expect the coupe version of the MX-5 to be in the form of a folding hardtop as announced earlier by Mazda.
Coupe/Tiberon? ...this is a Mazda not a Hyundai. Hyundai doesn't know how to build sports cars.
Reply
Steve S 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
There have been rumors around the various Mazda boards that Mazda will build an RX-3, small coupe Miataish in size with a rotary powerplant.
Reply
Jim O'Sullivan 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
Hybrid RX-8? My guess would lean more towards a Hydrogen RX-8 as they have been working on a hydrogen rotary for the last 8 years or so.
Reply
CrunchyCookie 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
Just what some of us have been dreaming of: a Miata with a hard roof (and hopefully a back seat, however useless), or an RX-8 with a real engine that doesn't get lamer mileage than a Corvette and guzzle a quart of oil monthly. Either car is pretty much perfect and awesome otherwise.
It's been quite a while since we've had one of these... long live the 240SX!
Reply
Jeremy's Right 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
#6: "There have been rumors around the various Mazda boards that Mazda will build an RX-3, small coupe Miataish in size with a rotary powerplant."
Actually, they are, but it will not be rotary-powered. A crying shame. When will they learn?
http://rotarynews.com/node/view/713
This KABURA is likely the prototype for the RX-3-minus-the-R compact coupe.
Reply
DT 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
yes no r(no rotary) hence...drum roll...mx-3
Reply
Timothy McClanahan 12:28AM (12/19/2005)
The Hydrogen version of their Renesis rotary engine puts out about half the amount of power as its gasoline counterpart, so I wouldn't count on a Hydrogen Mazda for quite a few years yet. :(
Reply
n22lasing 11:39PM (1/11/2006)
Yes! I agree this would be like the Sylvia! To give it more excitement they should have a Mazdaspeed version with the 2.3 MZR Engine pulling est 280hp! Watch out!
Reply