[gmonsen]

You know, I have spent a serious amount of time and money -- as I constantly keep repeating -- just making the car what it could have been. Its meant to be an upscale evolution of the 7 had Mazda continued with the body a la Porsche and evolved it.

I am more in love with the car than when I bought my first one and think this is now close to what I've been trying to do. The thing is that it doesn't really show well at all. In pictures of the exterior or interior, people can see a few things that are different, like the aluminum grille and rear valance and some people notice the wheels. The Spirit R brakes (new thanks to K Hiraishi) look good, but no one recognizes them as being anything other than stock. Some of the newer things, like the emblems may be noticeable as well.

The interior shots show a really nice interior, but there's no way anyone can tell that its not stock (or mostly stock) from pictures. Of course, it is more or less the stock design, just made out of the best materials. The seats, being modified, padded, and leather covered RZ seats, look fairly stock as well, although they are closer to the Recaros Porsche puts in the GT3. The padded and perforated leather headliner and visors can only be seen from inside. Bunch of other stuff, like everything being leather and metal and no plastic or vinyl. But, again, you can't see it.

Even the motor is understated and a bit different, being naturally aspirated and not going for maximum power by any means, but a very pure rotary power and power suited to the chassis.

Gordon