M-Coupe, M-Speedster, The Miata Club Racer and Other Mazda "Legends"

[RotorNutFD3S]

So I was searching through some photos and came across these shots that I took at The Mitty back in 2011.
I figured there might be a few people who'd enjoy these.

The M Coupe:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2267/5708829829_4999ff6230_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3498/5709395196_b5c2ecebac_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3499/5708831935_0821845be8_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3371/5709395040_a2e56b2e3d_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3345/5708832033_bf3244a792_b.jpg

The M Speedster:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2222/5708830327_8e354701e0_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3173/5708830487_39092b3790_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3623/5708830709_18a7723bb7_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3158/5708830947_b4e19da481_o.jpg

The Club Racer:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3058/5709397282_1b97d909b6_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3113/5708832331_aa4f70670e_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3163/5709397552_f28e79d7c6_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2775/5709397758_b978d2d1c9_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3208/5709398206_385748d447_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3661/5708833139_191bd9888b_b.jpg

Jim Downing's RX3:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2741/5708833349_94a4d8b822_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2109/5708833509_2c64c8b8e2_b.jpg

1967 Cosmo Sport:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3609/5708831715_6094017b1a_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3043/5709396276_066113c767_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2413/5709396442_ae671bf711_b.jpg

Mazda MX-R01, #5:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3390/5709385074_2fdcbc9daf_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2178/5709385530_e9c8f43f6a_b.jpg

On track for their parade laps, along with other Mazdas that were running that day:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3630/5709385990_6c5072b725_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2529/5708820977_eb8d22aa43_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3231/5708820379_a60856fc3b_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3608/5708820795_9893ff2652_b.jpg

[Demon I Am]

Awesome to see such a historic display

[Phatmiata]

This is too awesome!!! Thank you so much for sharing Eric !!!

[atank]

Very nice to see these automobiles!!!!!!!!!

[SM16RMSM]

I never knew they made a NA Coupe. I only seen pictures of the NB Coupe.

[fwdtamiya]

The NA wasn't a production model like the NB, just a design project (is that the right terminology?)

[vote4pedro]

The NA wasn't a production model like the NB, just a design project (is that the right terminology?)
design project or concept car

[wannafbody]

That NA coupe is really sharp.

[roadsternut]

design project or concept car

It wasn't even that. It was just created as a show car, in the absence of the deceased FD. Usually Concepts are produced to try out some new idea that gets to production.

[RotorNutFD3S]

I sort of doubt the M Coupe had anything to do with the FD as it wasn't deceased until 2002. It was only discontinued in the US after MY95.

FWIW, all of the older articles I've read stated that the M Coupe was a concept car approved by Mazda to show what the NA would look like without the drop-top. Most rumors stated that Mazda marketing decided that it wouldn't sell well at the time.

[etikoner]

Nice pics. I love me some race spec RX-3's

and that COSMO.. ugh so beautiful

[fwdtamiya]

It wasn't even that. It was just created as a show car, in the absence of the deceased FD. Usually Concepts are produced to try out some new idea that gets to production.
I feel like you're just trolling, waiting for someone to point out the NB coupe concept and production NB coupe? Are you looking at the NA coupe as a US only design, thinking that they never shared design concepts with Mazda Japan and had no influence there?

Well, this article says "styling exercise" and I think that's pretty synonymous with design project. :P

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2644/4085607685_d191f559a9_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2585/4086365338_f455150725_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2498/4086365684_815d7c6485_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2501/4086365962_21d586ed26_o.jpg

[The Driver]

The roadster and me. A love affair!

[kung fu jesus]

Came into this thread expecting this:

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n410/2000mkoop/bimmerforums/coupe%20shoot/06.jpg


Still left satisfied.

[The Driver]

Came into this thread expecting this:

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n410/2000mkoop/bimmerforums/coupe%20shoot/06.jpg


Still left satisfied.

U got issues, man. Only by selling that E-30, can you find a cure!

[Phatmiata]

If you look closely, they did actually use one design the M-Coupe and applied it onto the production models of the NB.

[m00se]

Rocker panel and rounded door edge?

[roadsternut]

I sort of doubt the M Coupe had anything to do with the FD as it wasn't deceased until 2002. It was only discontinued in the US after MY95.

FWIW, all of the older articles I've read stated that the M Coupe was a concept car approved by Mazda to show what the NA would look like without the drop-top. Most rumors stated that Mazda marketing decided that it wouldn't sell well at the time.

This coupe was put together by Mazda North America as an internal project. Mazda Japan built more serious coupe styling study in 1990-91. MNAO also did an earlier coupe. Mazda NA also did an early coupe concept. There was no need to build the M-Coupe to show Mazda what a Roadster coupe would look like, they already knew.

http://cdn.mkimg.carview.co.jp/minkara/photo/000/002/136/382/2136382/p2.jpg
http://cdn.mkimg.carview.co.jp/minkara/photo/000/002/136/382/2136382/p5.jpg
http://mkimg.carview.co.jp/minkara/blog/000/027/216/962/27216962/p1.jpg
http://www.speedhunters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Mazda-163.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n109/saz9961/Catalogues/654b21f0-192c-45fd-8422-b5eb6ed1212b_zpsa877ddc8.jpg
http://multil.sakura.ne.jp/sblo_files/u5rs/image/resize48048.jpg
http://multil.sakura.ne.jp/sblo_files/u5rs/image/resize48049.jpg

Pretty obvious in side profile that the America coupe treatment was not the origin of the production coupe.

Early American attempt, years before the M-Coupe.

http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q393/tarmacblog/MiataMCoupe92-1.gif


Everything you've said just paraphrases what Miata.net says on the subject, written by someone 10+ years ago who didn't know the F010 even existed. Brian Long quotes Tom Matano who stressed the M-Coupe was only ever a styling exercise; there was never an intention to use it for marketing a coupe idea, thats just something the media made up. In a similar vein, the Monoposto and Superlight only ever existed to provide something interesting to look at a show.

The F010 was a project ordered by Shigenori Fukada. Note, the two different sides.

Someone translate this;

http://multil.sakura.ne.jp/sblo_files/u5rs/image/684.jpg

http://multil.sakura.ne.jp/sblo_files/u5rs/image/120630b.jpg

[RotorNutFD3S]

Then there was no need to build another coupe for a show car when the FD left the US. They apparently already had plenty of coupes to choose from.
Interesting info though.

[roadsternut]

Then there was no need to build another coupe for a show car when the FD left the US. They apparently already had plenty of coupes to choose from.
Interesting info though.

Well, F010 was not a show grade car; the left side looked different from the right side. It was also a Canadian spec car and therefore could not be imported into the US. The M2-1008; not sure any survived (Mazda only has a sole replica left); that was Japanese spec, and of course could not be imported into the US. The M-Coupe used a road registered US spec car.

The F010 had a pretty rough interior

http://cdn.mkimg.carview.co.jp/minkara/photo/000/002/136/382/2136382/p8.jpg
http://cdn.mkimg.carview.co.jp/minkara/photo/000/002/136/382/2136382/p7.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/4836965386_b8824035d3_z.jpg

Rough fibreglassing

http://cdn.mkimg.carview.co.jp/minkara/photo/000/002/153/998/2153998/p7.jpg

I think the M-Coupe should be looked at not as a Mazda Motors project (as far as I know, its never been exhibited outside of North America) but as a MNAO project. In the same way, the MX5 Superlight is really a Mazda Europe showcar project, and also irrelevant to the MX5 story. The Superlight started out (allegedly) as an unregistered red 1.8 base spec MX5 that had fell off the transporter.

http://www.ausmotive.com/images/Mazda-MX-5-Superlight-IAA-01.jpg
http://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/mazda-mx-5-superlight-building-the-show-car-13651_1.jpg

When it comes to show cars, Mazda is a master of smoke and mirrors. Did anyone really think they were going to launch a 2.0 IRTB'd NB (MX5 MPS concept), or a FM-supercharged NC (the Yusho) or a throttle-bodied' NC (the GT; the GT that is on sale is nothing like the cars the press tested).

[kung fu jesus]

One of the times I have seen the yellow NA prototype, I saw some stress cracks in the paint/body where the B pillar meets the fender. These styling and concept prototypes are meant as exercises and typically used to promote the model they are based off of.