More pictures

[temolik]

There are a lot of aditional pictures on the US official website - Some are old, but most I haven't seen yet, and are a combination of concept and Euro production models. I must say, some look stunning.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=upcomingMazda3

There's the link - photos are under "Concept Gallery".

[azeli73]

Number 2 looks like a PT POO POO (puke)

[wongpres]

Excellent link temolik!

Having seen pictures of the actual Job1 euro-spec hatch, I can confirm that the silver pictures on MazdaUSA is almost the production version (the only difference to the production version is that the production version has door mouldings).

Also, from the interior pictures on MazdaUSA, you can see the manual climate controls, and the slightly cheapened instrument panel (the RX-8 style glossy 'piano-black' instrument panel that was in the MX Sportif is now gone).

[chuyler1]

What's up with the stereo? I know the one we got now looks like a dbl-din drop in...but its clean and easy to upgrade.

Are auto manufacturers trying to snuff out the after-market competition? Look at the Mazda6...you would need a $75 kit just to replicate the dash with a single din opening for an aftermarket headunit.

I don't know, maybe the standerdized 'DIN' opening is fading out.

[temolik]

I agree wongpres, it looks like the interior has been cheapened a bit in the production model (I assume the interior pictures shown, as they are different from the Sportif, are for the prod. version?)

On the other hand, it looks to me like Mazda were moving towards the European, Golf-style monochromatic look with smaller buttons, which is usually associated with upscale designs to most car reviewers (who seem to regard faux aluminum as cheap).

While I love the faux aluminum on my Protege, I've also begun to tire of it a bit as everyone's been doing it (Mazda6, Matrix, Subaru Impreza to name just a few).

This interior still looks pretty neat though.

[bazooka joe]

i kinda like it. i'm not tradin in the p5 or anything, but it looks good, not great good. joe

[wongpres]

chuyler1, in 2000, Mazda stated that all new-generation Mazda's wouldn't have standard DIN radios. It was part of Mazda's new interior design philosophy (this radio decision in particular was to harmonize all the climate & radio controls).

Hence all new-generation Mazdas (6, 2, RX-8, 3) will NOT have standardized DIN radios.

temolik, except for the blue hatch, all the new pictures on MazdaUSA are production (or very, very close to it). At this point the specs aren't out yet, but I suspect the sport grille and lower-body skirt from the blue hatch will be standard for the N. American versions (kind of like how the current Pro5 has been sportened up).

[chuyler1]

So what if we want an MP3 player? or Satalite radio? We gotta go with out A/C?

[mazdadan]

Originally posted by chuyler1
So what if we want an MP3 player? or Satalite radio? We gotta go with out A/C?

I agree...If Mazda isn't going to step up to the plate with better head units, then they should make the design easy to replace/upgrade. I guess now that Ford has more say in the design, they want to make all of the Climate Controls/Stereos just like the Ford Taurus. I think the Taurus is the car it all began with.

[uclap5]

yeah my brother has a taurus and the proprietary stereo always bugged me.

im sure people will find a way around it... ;)

[wongpres]

Originally posted by chuyler1
So what if we want an MP3 player? or Satalite radio? We gotta go with out A/C?

All Mazda radios are modular and expandable. The catch, of course, is that the expandable components are only available from Mazda.

MP3, 6-CD changer, minidisc, and cassette are all available from Mazda (though not all can be combined with each other).

As for satellite, Ford announced a few months back they signed up with a provider (I don't remember off hand if it was XM or Sirius), and will begin adding it to some '04 models. So over the next couple of years, you'll start seeing it available on Mazda's.

[mouseOfMars]

notice that on the mazda site pics...they don't show the
seats....so those bad ass seats that were in the Sportif
will probably not show up.....
...just a hunch

[StarvingRussian]

I don't like the giant things around the gauges, It looks stupid.

[starflare21]

I think if there were a big orgy between a Mazda Demio, P/T Cruiser, Toyota Matrix and a VW Golf you'd get that Mazda 3 Concept on that webpage. Eck. :wtf: