Detroit 2008: Mazda Furai looks even better in person
click above for new live shots of the Mazda Furai
We were looking forward to seeing the Mazda Furai, but nothing could take away from the experience of actually seeing it in person. The car simply just doesn't have a bad angle. What's really incredible is that it's not just a show car. Under that sleek body is a Mazda 20B rotary engine pushing 450 horsepower and a Courage C65 race car chassis. While you may not be personally at the show, we've done our best to bring you the high resolution photos. You can check out the new live pictures in the Furai Concept gallery, along with the 60 press shots that were added earlier today.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Thinker 2:19PM (1/23/2008)
It must've went so fast the front melted.
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Ligor 1:40PM (1/13/2008)
how ugly can it get
i guess Mazda thought a lot more uglier than I could imagine
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GDUB 3:23PM (1/13/2008)
The car is stunning. Hands down amazing design.
Zoom Zoom
Lee Gibson 11:42PM (1/13/2008)
*blink blink*
Wow. I think your computer screen might be broken.
To each their own, but I LOVE it.
meshies 1:49PM (1/14/2008)
Def not ugly. I am so inlove I am going to say this is in my top 5 best designed vehicles ever. Its just amazing.
carguy 1:46PM (1/13/2008)
It's hot - it may look like a Batman prop but that is a good thing.
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MemphisNET 1:48PM (1/13/2008)
it would look right at home on the race track, even some LMP look in it. but it looks too far-fetched as a production vehicle, especially that nose. Put some RX8 in the front and it looks better.
now from a tech standpoint its awesome!
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Temple 7:33PM (1/13/2008)
Reminds me of the Mazda 792P. The most beautiful race car in history (IMHO).
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/RX-792P.html
Chase 2:10PM (1/13/2008)
This is the most amazing concept to come out in more than a year. No other company has been so daring and actually pulled it off. -- Mazda's never been my kind of car, but I'll give them credit where they deserve it. Great job Mazda with your functional piece of rolling artwork.
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why not the LS2/LS7? 2:13PM (1/13/2008)
The rims on the back being smaller than the front really messes with me.
I don't know if I'm blown away by this, they took a race car and slapped on a lot of stuff that makes it less aerodynamic.
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stefan 2:23PM (1/13/2008)
@Ligor
Are you blind.
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clevershark 2:31PM (1/13/2008)
Does Mazda actually sell it as a track car? They really should.
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why not the LS2/LS7? 2:52PM (1/13/2008)
Mazda doesn't even race the Wankel themselves in the US right now. They dropped the Wankel and picked up a 2.0L turbo AER motor for ALMS.
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/11/mazda-announces-alms-entry-rotorheads-weep/
Would you buy a rotary track car from a company that doesn't even race it themselves?
HotRodzNKustoms 3:56PM (1/13/2008)
The reason Mazda doesn't race the rotary themselves in ALMS is because the FIA banned rotaries after 1991. The year Mazda won the 24 hours of Le Mans.
They still race Star Mazdas with rotaries though.
mk 2:35PM (1/13/2008)
This thing is HAWT.
It could lose a bit of complexity on the front with the braided lines around the marker lights...
But otherwise, the lines of this car are truly original and about as sexy as a dedicated race car design has been lately.
The sleek canopy with a point at the front, the shape of the front fender blending into the concave side intakes, the sleek finish. over the rear tires...
And those sexy as hell wheels. The rears may be smaller diameter in order to have taller sidewall tires, but I am pretty sure it is wider. I SO hope that wheel design arrives on the consumer market. It looks fantastic.
Good job, Mazda. Best implementation of the new design language yet. NOW, Bring us a RWD coupe, Kabura or slightly bigger RX_.
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clevershark 2:34PM (1/13/2008)
Then again could this car actually race 24 hours without the engine blowing its seals or wearing down its rotor tips?..
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HotRodzNKustoms 3:49PM (1/13/2008)
This is the exact chassis and motor (787B I believe) that won the 24 hours of Le Mans making Mazda the only Japanese manufacture to ever win the famed race.
Now I have a can am car with a 13B and it is the most reliable big horse power race car I have ever owned. The motor will last an entire season without needing a rebuild!
Lee Gibson 12:12AM (1/14/2008)
If the rotary were so unsuitable for endurance racing, why was it banned from competition after it won?
Dan 3:13PM (1/13/2008)
Dear Autoblog, I love you, but your gallery resizing is as bad as it ever was.
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010111 3:41PM (1/13/2008)
i think you guys attached the wrong photos to this story. because the thing in the photos is absolutely gross-out disgusting.
i'll take my headlights without wrinkley skin flaps from now on. thanks.
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