Mazda 3? - Maybe, maybe not.

[SehnKhan]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]Traditionally there have been similarities between Mazda and Ford with the Laser/323. Having been to the Malaysian Ford site I came across the following car - the Ford Lynx. In Malaysia, the Laser was called the Lynx. Could this be a blueprint for the Mazda 3? In my opinion, probably not, as the shape of this lynx has great similarities to the last Laser from side on, with the lights kinda like the new Falcon, and rear lights like the new Commodore! Maybe the 323 Protoge will look a little like this? Who knows. I like the shape of this car though, elegant yet stylish.
[img:post_uid0]http://www.ford.com.my/vehicles/lynx/img/gallery/pop5.jpg[/img:post_uid0]
[img:post_uid0]http://www.ford.com.my/vehicles/lynx/img/gallery/pop4.jpg[/img:post_uid0]
[img:post_uid0]http://www.ford.com.my/vehicles/lynx/img/gallery/pop2.jpg[/img:post_uid0]
[img:post_uid0]http://www.ford.com.my/vehicles/lynx/img/gallery/pop1.jpg[/img:post_uid0]


Competition - best photoshopped image of the side on image! See how we can all go ;)[/color:post_uid0]

[EZZY]

[color=#000080:post_uid0]i dont like it. i think it looked too american. :(
hope the boys at mazda wont take this path.. ???[/color:post_uid0]

[Rupewrecht]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]sorry to dsiappoint you, but you'll find that it's just a facelift of the just superseded Laser. all they've really changed is the front (lights/grille/bumper) and the rear (lights/trim/bumper)
while leaving the rest of the car the same.

the new Mazda3 will be a lot different, trust me...apparently it will share architecture and components with the next generation Ford Focus - but it's likely that that platform will be developed by Mazda as it was for the current gen 323. and the the motors will be based on Mazda's new four-cylinder family, as the Zetec and FS motors are put to rest.[/color:post_uid0]

[mrpayner]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]Yeah, i agree with Eric that's its a bit american looking. The Mazda 3 will [hopefully] have sharper styling going back to the good old days of our Astina's. If the 6 is anything to go by we should be in for a delicious treat when the 3 comes out.

Does anyone have any spy photos at all??

Adam.[/color:post_uid0]

[CJR]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]There were a couple of spy shots of the 3 in the latest issue of [i:post_uid0]WHEELS[/i:post_uid0] (the COTY issue). Despite the cladding, it looked as though they'll be sticking with the wagonoid shape for the hatch, which I thought was mildly disappointing, but then again, interior versatility counts for a whole lot more nowadays than it did when the BA came out (especially in Europe), so I'm not suprised, really. If memory serves me correctly, from reports in the press about a year ago when mazda gave certain journalists a look at pics of it's upcoming models, the sedan will supposedly echo the RX-8 in having a coupe-like profile, but with four conventional doors. here's to hoping, anyway.[/color:post_uid0]

[CJR]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]Scan of said article (http://bdm.cofa.unsw.edu.au/users/z3066437/Mazda3.jpg)[/color:post_uid0]

[MrShadow]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]My first reaction was

"uggghhhhh, what the [i:post_uid0]F$CK[/i:post_uid0] is that f%^ken thing?" ???

Then I realised they've put some sh!t over to cover up the shape.[/color:post_uid0]

[Rupewrecht]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]if thast's the case, it *could* look something like this...

[img:post_uid0]http://www.autohaus-langer.de/aenderbare/neue_modelle/mazda_3/maz323_g.jpg[/img:post_uid0][/color:post_uid0]

[CJR]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]^ I'd buy one...[/color:post_uid0]

[mrpayner]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]That doesn't look too bad actually [the orange pic]. It'll be interesting to see the Geneva motor show concept that comes out.*Only time will tell.

If the new 3 looked like that I'd probabily buy one too. Keep the old one of course!!

Adam.[/color:post_uid0]

[MrShadow]

[color=#000000:post_uid0][quote:post_uid0]If the new 3 looked like that I'd probabily buy one too. Keep the old one of course!!

[/quote:post_uid0]

Ditto[/color:post_uid0]

[Sandyman]

[color=#FF0000:post_uid14]It looks a bit like the 6 crossed with the rx-8 and nissan Z. well thats what i think anyway. looks tops[/color:post_uid14]

[bRaDiNhO]

[color=#FF0000:post_uid0]The back of the covered up 3 in the spy photos looks like a 1st Gen model. Back to the best :D .

3 will be good. Its gotta be better than the 2 or it wont sell. = good.[/color:post_uid0]