Spoonie

The "ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM" Commercials are annoying, stupid, and misleading.

"What happens when the Company that builds sports cars decides to build an SUV"? Excuse me Mazda, But the only car that Mazda can call a sports car in the U.S is the Maita.

Although the Miata is nice I would'nt have billed it as being the Halo "sports car" for the U.S market. Not enough oomph.

When the RX-8 is released then the commercails will mean something.

Hercules

with nothing to say of the Protege?

honestly, i think that the cars Mazda is releasing now are more appropriate for the "zoom zoom" campaign. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean much, because their cars ARE zoom-zoom fun

Jerome81

Zoom Zoom means fun to drive, not fastest, most powerful, heaviest, widest tires, monster burnouts..... etc.

I think Zoom Zoom applies and works well. Every car they build now that the 626 is gone is zippy and fun to drive, relative to other vehicles in the class. They're only going to get better.

Mazda is probably one of the more famous sports car manufacturers on earth. Who else can claim RX-7s and Miatas in their portfolios? Those two nameplates are probably 2 of the most respected and well known names in the history of the automobile. Damn fine sports cars too.

I'll admit, the whole "minivan with the soul of a sports car" is a bit cheesy.

If anything, the RX-8 might be TOO much for the zoom zoom. They're gonna need something with a little more kick for this one. A little kid whispering isn't gonna cut it.

Donny Boy

As for the SUV you refer to, the Tribute won the small SUV comparo a few months ago in Car & Driver. Outgunning the competition from the big two, Toyota and Honda. The zero to sixty, handling and braking were rated GREEEEAAT.

Nontheless, it would be nice to get the Tribute with the V-6, 4 WD and manual tranny along with 4 wheel disc brakes.

But, still the best.

Now look at the MPV, with 200 hp V-6 and 5 speed auto. Perhaps one of the better performing minivans.

Now look at the Mazda6. 219 hp V-6 and manual tranny.

Miata, need I say more.

Protoge by MazdaSpeed. 170 hp and manual tranny and more.

Then there's RX-8. Well. I'll just zoom, zoom away from it all.

zoom44

several people have recently said to me that the protege5 out handles the miata, does anybody know if this is true or is it just bravado?

Spining Ncnratr

The only one that might would be the new Mazdaspeed edition with the suspension and 170 HP turbo 2.0 over the 142 HP 1.8 of the Miata and it would be good if mazda would drop Miata as its German and just call it the MX-5 but thats my Opinion.

BryanH

A sports car doesn't have to have a lot of power. The original sports cars - Triumphs, MGs, etc - were not powerful. When you get a sports car with massive power, you might call it an ultra high performance car, or something.

Toadman

Well look at it this way....what other Asian/US domestic/European automaker can make that legitimate claim in such a price range with such a variety of models and performance stats to back it up? Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi? :D

Red Devil

I'm with everyone else, every car that Mazda builds may not be the fastest or most powerful in comparisons. But they are always hailed as being the best handling and most fun to drive.

Just look at the new Toyota MR2 vs. the Miata. I still have yet to see one comparison where the MR2 was given the nod. One article said, I think it was R&T, that the MR2 was great and very competent, but there was something about the Miata that was "magic." I think that is what Zoom Zoom is about.

BryanH

The MR2 Spyder is faster, but less practical and harder for joe average to drive. The cars are so close, it comes down to personal preferences on drivetrain layout, cockpit size, stuff like that.

I've driven both but can't really compare them fairly, as the '99 Miata I drove was *very* heavily modified, and the '00 Spyder was basically stock.

Both cars are tons of fun, I can say that for sure.

Sputnik

I agree. Even articles in car magazines like Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track, are based on enough personal bias that I cannot base any of my decisions on them. If I get a chance to try a car that they've tested, I normally find myself coming back with a different evaluation. It might still be negative or positive, but I normally find myself disagreeing with a significant portion of what they say.

Mind you, that's due to my own personal bias. Which brings me to my point: Don't base your decision on other's biases, base them on your own. Don't be a Lemming.

---jps

Mazda man

How about a kid shouting?:D

wakeech

exactly my point!! (read sig) :D

snow_tires

the real problem with zoomzoom (imo) is that song. it's time to put it to pasture, it's become quite annoying.

btw my protege5 is damn fun to drive. and that's what counts: driving pleasure.

Grimace

I agree. Nothing wrong with the ad campaign, but the song is getting tired. Mazda should pick something new for the RX-8 commercials when they air. Something along the lines of...
Jamiroquai - "Travelling Without Moving"
The Cars - "Here in my Car"

Or they wanted to get really goofy, Detroit Grand Pubahs "Offbeat Killer":
"...I got a long black car,
With black tinted windows,
Black interior,
With the suicide doors..."

Man, I can think of a 1000 songs that would make a killer ad campaign. I should've been in advertising....

PatrickB

Um, Grimace? You are! What, are you not getting the royalties from the latest ad that has Donald Trump in it or something?

Toadman

I've got the best song, but I'm saving it for a car video I will be making soon. :D

BlueAdept

Cool, do we get to see it?

Grimace

:D

Never even thought of that!

Donny Boy

The whole point of zoom zoom was to create something flashy and memorable that sticks in the minds of those who hear it. Zoom zoom conjures up an image of performance, youth, design, music and Mazda to name a few. This was one successful ad campaign.

Mazda needs or desires to keep their name in the minds of the consumers, and zoom zoom does it.

As to how long they should go with it, I don't know. But whatever replaces zoom zoom must be as catching, and I doubt that that level of "catchiness" could be easily duplicated. I hope Mazda can do it.

The whole concept of a kid saying zoom zoom while admiring a car (Mazda) going to a nice tune and easy to remember words is great.

Do it again Mazda.

Just remember, the words zoom zoom wont mean anything if the cars don't really zoom zoom themselves. Thank heavens they really do.

fuz

Yah, but the whole "zoom zoom" thing sounds, for lack of a better term, ghey.

Ask anyone under 20 about zoom zoom, and it sounds stupid. I'd wish that they'd embrace mitsubishi's advertising where they use up to date pop songs that are cool and catchy in a high engergy video. Mitsu's cars are selling well, even though in every review, they end up sub-par.

mjgc0

I agree with Fuz, Mitsu ads are much cooler even though I would never own another Mitsubishi because of poor build quality.

wakeech

how old are you guys?? most of my friends, and i, get the feeling that Mitsu adds smack with trying too hard... they're kinda lame....

anyways, bmw and audi commercials are by far the best... they can afford it, but that's the way serious cars should be portrayed... Mistu's aren't serious cars, and Honda and Toyota just don't try, 'cause they don't have to...
and every american car commercial i've ever seen just plain sucks... especially the truck ones, oh god...

on the other hand, i think Mazda's commercial's rock, as people talk about them, and they stick out in people's minds, even if they're silly, and kinda lame...
i'm sure many of the Canucks on the board will know about the Royal Canadian Airfarce, and i remember, i think it was about a year ago during their new year's special, they made fun of the Zoom Zoom kid... there's no such thing as bad publicity...

SmokingClutch

I think one of the two following songs would be appropriate for the RX-8 intro:

"Circles" by Incubus:

Hey, what would it mean to you
To know that it'll come back around again
Hey, whatever it means to you
Know that everything moves in circles...
...round and round and round and round and...

...or the intro to "Elevation" by U2.

A little less appropriate but more sentimental would be "Alive" by Pearl Jam.