These factory-prepared track-ready Mazda Spirit Racing concepts are apparently confirmed for production too.
While Mazda may be the self-proclaimed company of zoom-zoom, it has unfortunately been nearly a decade now since they have made the rather interesting decision to shut down its hot Mazdaspeed division. Leaving it therefore with essentially nothing to compete against the likes of Honda’s perennial Type R and more recently, Toyota spicy Gazoo Racing division.
Thankfully, it does finally appear that someone at the company has finally realised this rather gaping gap in its product lineup. More importantly too though as indicated the track-ready Mazda Spirit Racing RS and 3 concepts recently revealed at the Tokyo Auto Salon, something has finally been done about it!
Now just for those who are perhaps unaware of Mazda Spirit Racing first, it is the branding used on the firm’s race cars in Japan. What the newly showcased Mazda Spirit Racing RS and 3 are however is the automaker’s latest attempt in bringing what they learnt from the track (primarily in its participation in the Super Taikyuu endurance series) and applying it to their production models, in the form of its MX-5 roadster and Mazda3 hatchback respectively for these two concepts.
As with most track-focused special editions to come from Japan, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising to know that most of the major changes made to these Mazda Spirit Racing concepts is focused on what makes it goes around corners. Jammed into the arches of both cars therefore are new six-spoke Rays wheels wrapped in sticky Bridgestone Potenza tyres, with the MX-5-based RS apparently also benefitting from both a wider track and lower ride height too.
Both cars meanwhile also net a comprehensive suite of aero accompaniments on its lower edges to complement the aforementioned wheel upgrades. The souped-up Mazda3 even further features a sizeable roof-mounted spoiler, to go with its more pronounced front splitter and wider side skirts over its more subtly-styled roadster sibling.
As for the other exterior enhancements, both concepts come adorned in the customary grey hue of Mazda Spirit Racing. This battle ship aesthetic is then topped off with flashes of red on the mirror caps and front bumpers of both cars, along with red stitching within and cheeky red brake calipers to further highlights its performance intent.
To that end too, these two concepts also net a prominent black go-faster stripe and large Mazda Spirit Racing decals aft from the front fender. Though unfortunately bar larger exhaust tips, there does not apparently seem to be any additional power mods performed to both their stock 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engines.
Mazda was nevertheless quoted during the reveal for the RS at least to be designed to appeal not only to existing MX-5 owners, but those who are “a little faster”. Which should be just as well, as according to comments made by Mazda Spirit Racing’s Ikuo Maeda, the Japanese automaker apparently has plans to press both these track-spec concepts into production in the near future.
