The unique show car will be on display at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon
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by Brad Anderson
2 hours ago
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by Brad Anderson
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Students from Nihon Automotive Technology School (NATS) in Japan are readying a unique Mazda RX-3 Cabriolet for the Tokyo Auto Salon kicking off on January 13.
Given that the Mazda RX-3 is quite a desirable car and was never actually sold as a convertible, the students haven’t taken an original and chopped off its roof. Instead, it is based around an ND-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata that has been stripped back to the shell and then fitted with new bodywork.
Fitted to the front of the Miata is a fiber-reinforced plastic fascia produced by EZO-ISM that just happens to be almost the perfect width for the car. Various other body panels, including the wheel arches, have been made by the NATS students themselves.
Given that the car is being built for the Tokyo Auto Salon, it comes as no surprise that the students haven’t set out to build a Mazda RX-3 Convertible that looks like it could have rolled out of the Mazda factory in the 1970s. Instead, it has been equipped with a host of unique features, including flared fenders and a massive front splitter. It also rocks a large ducktail-style spoiler on the rear.
A handful of videos have been shared on YouTube showing the build process of the show car. One of these videos shows the students painting it in a bright shade of yellow with green accents.