Well, just got back from taking my kids to the Chicago Auto Show, and gotta say, Mazda's booth was a disappointment. No concepts shown at all, just production cars, and no Mazdaspeed RX-8, which is what I was hoping to see. This could have just been a showroom from a dealership.

Of the -8s they showed:

- a Purple "Shinka" edition car - cool color, looked to have the Mazdaspeed front end on it as well - otherwise, pretty much a stock car.

- A Velocity Red GT with Sirius radio playing

- Sunlight Silver automatic GT with Navi.

- A Titanium sports package with the appearance package and the rotary accents.

Their big "turntable" display was the Mazdaspeed 6 and they had several other 6's, all variety of 3's, MPVs and the little SUV out as well.

Was part of Ford's "mega exhibit that included all their brands in one big area - Ford, L-M, Jag, Aston Martin, Mazda and Volvo.

I have pics - I'll download off the camera and post a few later tonight or tomorrow to this thread.

Stew

 

doh! that sux... i was planning to go.. but having second thoughts now...

.. the motorcycle show was good! (i've got my eye on that blk gsxr-1000 )

 

Overall, the show is awesome actually. Definitely go if you're a car guy - it's a blast. Chrysler Corp's booth was amazing - like the size of 3 football fields and included rides in remotely-controlled jeeps going up and down incredibly steep hills and "fording" a stream that was as deep as the hood.

Also, Ford had a huge mustang exhibit with all of these amazingly cool, customized mustangs. There was one with this tangerine orange two-town metalflake paint job that was just stunning. I'll post a pic if my son shot it.

Definitely go. Just don't go to be impressed by Mazda because you WILL be disappointed.

I'm going to the cycle show tomorrow. It's an all-motorhead weekend!

Stew

 

on the news, they didnt even talk about the mazda section. was kinda sad.

 

nothing to talk about, is why.

 

Cool report Stew. Post some pix when you get a chance. How was the interior in the Shinka? Did it look right? The shots I've seen look great.

- Irish

 

Ok, they suck - but three pix at the Mazda booth.

1) Shinka with two of my three sons playing "vanna white" with it ... (the interior didn't seem all that different - was all black leather as far as I could tell. It did have the satellite radio option, which is rather cool - the song names display on the red center console display). Love that color.,

2) Velo-Red RX-8 with my 3 sons milling about and a bigger view of the Mazda booth.

3) Velo-Red RX-8, hood open view

That''s all I got at the Mazda booth, apparently.

Stew

 

If you think Chicago was bad, Detroit this year was even worse. They had just the one MS 8, and I couldn't even find the MS 6 without looking hard...it was tucked into the rear of the display. They did have a few concepts but still, what a disappointment.

 

at least you got the ms8.. :p

 

I went too. I was actually delighted to find the Mazda exhibit because after glancing at the autoshow map in the program, Mazda wasn't even listed.

When I did see it I was relieved. Also, my wife was pretty impressed with the 8 so I'm one step closer to get one. Dealer called me today and said there is another $500 cash off on the RX8 for the autoshow. Now, I'm two steps closer to getting one.