Porsche Deaign by Mazda

Remember the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo concept that we all agreed was a much better looking rear end than the current car? I saw the design on the road the other day...on the new Mazda 3.

The Mazda3 is one of the best looking cars on the road, MSRP regardless.

I liked the previous (2013 and prior) Mazda 3 rear view better. Not many people notice, but on the sport version, the rear window mimics the shape of the Mazda badge, and the tail lights look like a Japanese demon mask.

The Japanese have given the world some great performance cars but have never given the world stunning earth breaking looking cars with the exception of the original Datsun 240Z. They just never seem to get it right when it comes to the styling. But the Mazda3 is one of their better copy cat designs. I own one BTW.

I always hated that sharp crease right down the middle of the previous gen. It bothered me every time I followed one.

I saw a new mazda 6 in the wild the other day. Upon spotting it I said aloud, "That's a damn good looking car!".

TR8owner wrote: The Japanese have given the world some great performance cars but have never given the world stunning earth breaking looking cars with the exception of the original Datsun 240Z. They just never seem to get it right when it comes to the styling. But the Mazda3 is one of their better copy cat designs. I own one BTW.

NSX? FD?

pinchvalve wrote: Remember the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo concept that we all agreed was a much better looking rear end than the current car? I saw the design on the road the other day...on the new Mazda 3.

i don't see it.. nothing looks the same to me beyond the basic hatchback design..

mattmacklind wrote: The Mazda3 is one of the best looking cars on the road, MSRP regardless.

Agreed, the current 3 and 6 are both strikingly beautiful in a way I did not expect from Mazda. Or any other non-European make.

I'm looking forward to seeing the new Miata in person.

I saw the new Miata yesterday. I liked it a lot.

codrus wrote:

TR8owner wrote: The Japanese have given the world some great performance cars but have never given the world stunning earth breaking looking cars with the exception of the original Datsun 240Z. They just never seem to get it right when it comes to the styling. But the Mazda3 is one of their better copy cat designs. I own one BTW.

NSX? FD?

NA Miata? Honda S2000?

TR8owner wrote: But the Mazda3 is one of their better copy cat designs. I own one BTW.

What is the 3 a copy of? I'm not really arguing, but I can't think of anything myself. Maybe some euro hatch we don't get in North America?

In reply to codrus:

The FD is ok, but nothing too special in terms of aesthetics. The NSX, however is just a doorstop with headlights (and 250hp).

In reply to Cuda:

You are quite possibly the first person I have ever heard who didn't think the FD was one of the modern pinnacles of automotive design.

novaderrik wrote:

pinchvalve wrote: Remember the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo concept that we all agreed was a much better looking rear end than the current car? I saw the design on the road the other day...on the new Mazda 3.

i don't see it.. nothing looks the same to me beyond the basic hatchback design..

I don't see any similarity either.

mad_machine wrote:

codrus wrote:

TR8owner wrote: The Japanese have given the world some great performance cars but have never given the world stunning earth breaking looking cars with the exception of the original Datsun 240Z. They just never seem to get it right when it comes to the styling. But the Mazda3 is one of their better copy cat designs. I own one BTW.

NSX? FD?

NA Miata? Honda S2000?

?

Duke wrote: In reply to Cuda: You are quite possibly the first person I have ever heard who didn't think the FD was one of the modern pinnacles of automotive design.

I know,right?

Tralfaz wrote:

Duke wrote: In reply to Cuda: You are quite possibly the first person I have ever heard who didn't think the FD was one of the modern pinnacles of automotive design.

I know,right?

But who had those taillights first, FD or ford Taurus?

I don't care who designed it, the Mazda3 is a beautiful piece of work!

mad_machine wrote:

codrus wrote:

TR8owner wrote: The Japanese have given the world some great performance cars but have never given the world stunning earth breaking looking cars with the exception of the original Datsun 240Z. They just never seem to get it right when it comes to the styling. But the Mazda3 is one of their better copy cat designs. I own one BTW.

NSX? FD?

NA Miata? Honda S2000?

I hope you're joking. They looked straight at a Lotus Elan the whole time they were designing the Miata. The NSX is a Ferrari knockoff (except with reasonable maintenance cost). The S2k is pretty bland and typical of its class. The FD is understated and hardly revolutionary.

This isn't to say any of these cars are bad looking, but none of them are game changers the way a Miura or E-type was. The 240z is the last car from Japan to really shock the world.

I guess the Mitsuoka Orochi is pretty revolutionary, though.

Yeah, but the 240Z is a copy of the 2000GT, which is a copy of the E-type.

mad_machine wrote:

codrus wrote:

TR8owner wrote: The Japanese have given the world some great performance cars but have never given the world stunning earth breaking looking cars with the exception of the original Datsun 240Z. They just never seem to get it right when it comes to the styling. But the Mazda3 is one of their better copy cat designs. I own one BTW.

NSX? FD?

NA Miata? Honda S2000?

I think the 1st-gen Mazda Cosmo should qualify...and the 2000GT even if it was an E-type knockoff (and mechanically, an Elan knockoff).

And the FT1 concept has potential.