This is the 1985 Mazda MX-03 concept, a remarkable one-off creation that embodies a forward-thinking design with plenty of unique and intriguing elements, both inside and out. Unveiled over 36 years ago at the Tokyo Motor Show, the concept vehicle marked an ambitious departure from the norm for Mazda. While the second-generation Mazda RX-7 (FC3S), which was also revealed at the same show, would go on to become one of the brand’s most successful and beloved models, the MX-03 was something entirely different. The RX-7 undoubtedly stole the spotlight, but it was the MX-03 that captured the imagination of designers and enthusiasts alike with its bold, futuristic design. Intended strictly as a concept, the MX-03 gave Mazda the creative freedom to push boundaries without concern for production feasibility or market acceptance. This resulted in a vehicle with some of the most unique and innovative design elements seen in a concept car at the time. Aerodynamically, the MX-03 was ahead of its time, incorporating clever features such as the absence of a passenger-side rearview mirror, an integrated rear wing, and finely tuned wheel housings. These modifications helped the car achieve an impressive drag coefficient of just 0.25, a significant achievement for an automotive design of the era. Stepping inside the MX-03, you’re met with an interior that feels decades ahead of its time. The cockpit boasts a heads-up display, a digital dashboard, and an array of high-tech controls and switches that would not have seemed out of place in a spacecraft. The standout feature of the interior, however, is the steering wheel, which appears to have been borrowed from a fighter jet, featuring a design that looks more like it belongs in an aviation cockpit than in a car.
How many made? 1 of 1.
Engine: tri-rotor turbocharged 1962cc engine with 315 hp
Debut: 1985 Tokyo Motor Show
Top Speed: 180mph (290kph) - theoretical figure only, the car was never tested for top speed
0-60mph: 4.7 seconds (theoretical)
Photo Credit: @captain_spalding787
Research: @rarecarsonly
1985 Mazda MX-03
18.12.2024
Mazda