Other sites are reporting that this is the RX-9 but we have a sneaking suspicion that this is the 19k base price Aston clone Mazda (a derivative of the Ford Reflex concept car) was showing focus group attendees in late 2005 when we first broke this story.
Let us refresh your memory below…
From 2005:
AUTO SPIES WORLD EXCLUSIVE- $19,000 Aston Martin clone in development from Mazda?
Dear 001,
I think I may have uncovered the hottest scoop of the year.
Last week at a super-secret focus group location in Hollywood, I got a glimpse of one of the hottest little sport coupes I’ve seen in a long time.
It was only shown in concept form but boy was this thing hot!
Imagine a cross between the RX-8 and the Aston Martin DB9 but in a much smaller package.
From the side and rear view it is pure Aston and from the front it’s a more radical RX-8.
It has big bulging front wheel surrounds.
Even more pronounced than the RX-8.
In the same room with the new little coupe, were the potential competitors surrounding it.
The Acura TSX, Scion TC, Honda Civic, Mazda RX-8, Mazda Miata, Mitsubishi Eclipse and the G35 coupe rounded out the list.
They were looking for customer feedback about the pros and cons of each cars interiors and exteriors.
Needless to say, the new Coupe made EVERY car look obsolete except the G35 coupe.
The G is not as cool looking but it is more refined, elegant and looks more expensive.
But this new coupe, which we will coin the code name of DB1 from this point forward, really made the biggest statement.
Even though it is still in concept form (not even a working mockup) I was able to get the exact specs:
4 cyl. 2.0 liter engine
161 HP
129 Torque
2436 lbs.
18” tires
Aside from the radically cool design a few totally new features were being tested to see if there was interest from consumers.
One was the fact that it is the first car I know of where the front and rear passenger seats were WIDER than the driver and rear drivers side passenger seat.
The reason for this was two-fold.
The front seat back folded forward turning the front seat into a mini table or foot ottoman for the rear seat passenger.
Plus the rear passenger seat reclined.
Finally, the front windshield went back halfway across the whole roof (like a combo pano windshield roof) and there was a pop up spoiler above the rear window.
But the best part was the base price they were projecting of between $18-$20K!
Any negatives?
The only one I could see is that anyone over 6’2” won’t find much room in this compact coupe.
It was WAY smaller inside than the Civic’s, Scion, TSX, etc.
But it was one GORGEOUS design!!!!
I’ll pass along more details as I get them from my mole within Mazda.
Gary D.
2008 San Diego Auto Show Photo Gallery
2008 Detroit Auto Show Photo Gallery