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Mazda held a traditional sending off ceremony yesterday for its first shipment of vehicles to leave its headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan in the new year. This is done at the beginning of every year and all the big execs come out to watch new vehicles like the Mazda2 and CX-7 get loaded onto a shipping vessel and whisked away to markets abroad. Rotarynews.com, however, noticed something particularly interesting in the photos of the event that Mazda released. Decorated in balloons and streamers is a Mazda RX-8 Convertible, a version of the RX-8 that doesn't technically exist and which we've never seen before. Its duties appear to be parade-like in nature, slowly transporting two execs around a parking lot who are seen standing up on the back seat and holding onto a crossbar. It's probably just a one-off vehicle that was made for occasions like this, but at least you now know that an RX-8 Convertible does exist and that it can be done. Thanks for the tip, Walter!
[Source: Mazda, Rotarynews.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Menice @ Jan 8th 2008 11:13AM
hey thats supposed to ship to me!
get the frig of my seats ya egg rolls!
Chris @ Jan 8th 2008 11:16AM
Awesome! It's the new Segway Duo RX-8!
Cyx @ Jan 8th 2008 11:16AM
If Japanese prime minister get it as a national car,i would think...ridiculous!
sd @ Jan 8th 2008 11:20AM
future popemobile?
John R @ Jan 8th 2008 11:28AM
i don't know how to feel about this. I don't like convertibles but that car is calling me like the ex-lover that haunts your thoughts.
Its too bad the Miata exists. A great car, no doubt, but it probably negates the possibilty of an RX-8 convertible.
Richard @ Jan 8th 2008 11:39AM
Who's that on the right?
Looks like Ron Dennis!
Brad C @ Jan 8th 2008 11:50AM
This has been seen years ago. It was used at a different parade before.
Steve_S @ Jan 8th 2008 12:58PM
It was made by a customer and is loaned to Mazda for these types of occasions.
I could seriously go for a vert RX8, too bad they won't make one.
Steve_S @ Jan 8th 2008 12:59PM
It's a one off for a private party loaned to Mazda for things like this.
tuna @ Jan 8th 2008 1:25PM
For a company that makes zoom zoom, it looked like a after dinner sing-along at a retirement home.
For PR purposes, Mazda did themselves a huge disservice. C'mon, hire some models to pose with the car. Now I can't dissassociate the RX-8 from a box of Depends!
tuna @ Jan 8th 2008 1:26PM
Before anyone freaks out... I'm kidding!
Kn1ves @ Jan 8th 2008 1:26PM
I really believe that its one of those loaned vehicles to Mazda by a private party for events such as this.
Leaf @ Jan 8th 2008 1:36PM
This photo has some hilarious photoshopping potential.
Alex @ Jan 8th 2008 2:10PM
i just wish the Mazda2 was on its way to American shores...
big L @ Jan 8th 2008 2:17PM
Menice- those guys would be
"cucumber rolls" wouldn't they?
kae4d @ Jan 8th 2008 2:25PM
uhm..
i have two questions:
1) what happened to the rear doors??
do they still open or are they fixed - they must be fixed, if not, what's the point when you have that rollbar??
2) what's with the japanese?? do all execs wear white gloves on parades or does the car come with body coloured gloves??
i'm really confused, sorry.
by the way, hello everybody :)
catgirlshyla @ Jan 8th 2008 6:13PM
Nothing new. The Royal Palace has a fleet of Toyota Crowns and Nissan Cedrics with the chop-top.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Crown_and_Cedric_opencar.jpg
And the Korean President has a few ute-esque and chopped cars as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxRc9UyLQfE
Jim @ Jan 8th 2008 9:00PM
Dig the white gloves!
Xcountryflyer @ Jan 8th 2008 10:40PM
Guess they had to keep a bit rollbar on the thing to keep the B-pillar for the suicide door structure.