Friday 25th July 2008

Pic Of The Week

The fast and the furai-ous...

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At the British International Motor Show this week there was one car which really stood out. It wasn't one of the big launches or even one of the cars I had been waiting anxiously to see, but the Mazda Furai concept car turned out to be absolutely stunning.

I must admit, when this car was first launched it slipped below my radar slightly. I saw the pictures and passed it by without much thought. Seeing it in the flesh was an entirely different experience. I know it is a cliché but words and pictures really cannot do this car justice. Most racing cars are purposeful, rather than truly beautiful but the Furai really is one of the best pieces of modern design I have ever seen. From the overall design right down to the subtle detailing this is a cracking car that you could study for hours without getting bored.

Unlike most concept cars it's not just a pretty face either, with a 450bhp triple rotor engine and Courage LMP-2 chassis underneath, it has been designed as a fully functioning prototype and it goes as well as it looks.

If you are at the motor show next week you have to check it out but until then download our new wallpaper and join me in hoping that we get to see the Furai on a race track some time soon.

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[rikky]

awesome

[BoRED S2upid]

That is an amazing looking thing. What are the chances of it ever going into production?.

[H2DaE]

Awesome!

There's a video on Youtube of it being tested around Laguna Seca (I think) and the sound from it is just immense! Like an F1 car but with pops and crackles too

Edited by H2DaE on Friday 25th July 13:20

[anonymous-user]

H2DaE said:

There's a video on Youtube of it being tested around Laguna Seca (I think) and the sound from it is just immense! Like an F1 car but with pops and crackles too

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Xl0i4uNGU

That sounds amazing!

[AmenToThat]

Saw this at FOS, have to agree with the author of the article. When pics were first released thought that it was just another gimmicky concept car and didn't pay it much attention.

But up close it is truly stunning, the level of detail is mind blowing. Several things I would say though, you would have to be on intimate terms with your passenger to fit two of you in and its bloody loud (even by FOS standards).

Shame that I don’t think we will ever see it or anything reach production

[DamoLLb]

Wouldn't have looked for this at the motor show now I defo will. It looks truly awesome-Not quite sure why MPS version of Mazdas look so boring when they can achieve this!

[davidcharles]

...i don't care what it looks like as long as it can do 7mins 25.28282828282secs at the ring......thats faster than a GTR / ZR1 you know...

[Killer2005]

LexSport said:

H2DaE said:

There's a video on Youtube of it being tested around Laguna Seca (I think) and the sound from it is just immense! Like an F1 car but with pops and crackles too

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Xl0i4uNGU

That sounds amazing!

Sweet zombie jesus

Mazda please build this

[qube_TA]

davidcharles said:

...i don't care what it looks like as long as it can do 7mins 25.28282828282secs at the ring......thats faster than a GTR / ZR1 you know...

Wasn't the ZR1 7.24?

Looks amazing, looks like it's off a computer game.

[cocopop]

Pure sex, such a good looking car, and soooo loud.

Please let it race.

[Barry Ashcroft]

Piccy from the front would of been better IMHO

[northap]

Beautiful

Looks like its designed to slip past speed cameras undetected!!!

[pjac67]

Barry Ashcroft said:

Piccy from the front would of been better IMHO

Agreed - amazing light configuration. Also better without the sun shining on it as can't appreciate the matt carbon fibre look/finish.

Also saw/heard it @ FoS - was anyone in the supercar paddock Sun lunchtime when it was revving/throttle blipping for a good 2-3 mins - awesome sound....

[louiebaby]

Saw it at the FoS, luckily I didn't blink, otherwise I'd have missed it...

Couldn't fail to hear it though!

On closer inspection, it was clearly a (working) concept car. For instance, the beautiful swoops in the grill had nothing behind them, they were just solid plastic, so a bit of an aerodynamic brick wall there.

If this is their new design direction, or they're even thinking about building it, then it will surely be a success at raising their profile...

Lewis.

[Xaero]

I had a good look at the one at FOS.

Truely amazing detail, I'm sure I missed loads on it as well. But bits that stood out to me were the rear towing hook was a carbon fibre one shaped like a rotor, and the air intake above the engine holes... they were all rotor shaped

I also never realised at the time the swirly bit at the front were its lights too.

[The Walrus]

You should look at the 787b for engine noise silly engine !!

[Builder]

Beautiful. Now, how can we make it road legal?

From the rear quarter, it looks like a modernized Ultima GTR. After looking at the video, the rest is nothing like.

If I am not mistaken, those are video (side) rear view camera pods...not mirrors.

[S4E Jord]

i saw this at Festival of speed. the saound was amazing! i saw stood next to it (inchs) when it launched off the line at FOS. so glad my mate is a marshall

[H2DaE]

Xaero said:

Truely amazing detail, I'm sure I missed loads on it as well. But bits that stood out to me were the rear towing hook was a carbon fibre one shaped like a rotor, and the air intake above the engine holes... they were all rotor shaped

They also do this with the RX-8 if you look at it, the refletor in the rear bumper is rotor shaped and the seat headrests have little silver rotors in too

[rhinochopig]

They said fit a 2l 4 pot, use GRP bodywork and sell them for 30-40k.

Edited by rhinochopig on Friday 25th July 15:30