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Mazda RX-EVOLV Concept Makes Debut at NAIAS    

11 January 2000

Mazda RX-EVOLV Concept Makes Debut at North American International Auto Show; Rotary-Powered Four-Door Sports Car Showcases Mazda's Future Vision    
    DETROIT, Jan. 11 -- While everyone seems to have their own
definition of the term "sports car," one of the most common is of a two-seater
possessing dynamic capabilities (acceleration, handling and braking) exceeding
those of a conventional four-door sedan.  In short, sports cars have room for
the driver and one passenger, thus limiting their practicality and market
appeal.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000111/LATU007A )
    Mazda aims to stand this conventional thinking on its ear with RX-EVOLV
concept car, a rotary-powered four-door true sports car that promises to be
the next big thing in sports cars.  The RX-EVOLV makes its North American
debut at, not coincidentally, the North American International Auto Show,
which runs from Jan. 15 - 23 at Cobo Hall in Detroit.
    With the RX-EVOLV, Mazda takes the sports car to its next evolutionary
level, offering room for four full-size adults in a compact, high-performance,
four-door package.  With its potent new rotary engine, front mid-ship layout,
four-wheel independent suspension and ideal 50/50 weight distribution, the
RX-EVOLV is Mazda's vision of the sports car for the next millennium.

                          - Rotary Engine Heritage -
    An integral part of Mazda's revolutionary engineering heritage has been
the company's nearly 40 years of experience with the rotary engine.  Mazda is
the only automobile manufacturer in the world that offers a pure rotational
internal combustion engine.  Mazda's rotary engine heritage includes the first
rotary-powered car, the 1967 Cosmo 110 Sport, the original RX-7 sports car
(1979), and the only Japanese sports car to have won the renowned 24 Hours of
LeMans endurance race, the Mazda 787B (1991).

                           - 280 hp at 9,000 rpm -
    The "RENESIS" rotary engine in the RX-EVOLV represents the potential that
Mazda believes lies within this unique powerplant.  The "RENESIS" (Rotary
Engine GENESIS) twin-rotor engine delivers a potent 280 horsepower, the
highest output ever achieved by a normally aspirated rotary engine, and revs
to an astounding 10,000 rpm.  This performance is the result of the "RENESIS"
engine's side port layout and lighter rotors, which also contribute to its
increased fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.  Once again, Mazda's
diligence and dedication to the rotary engine has paid off with new
breakthroughs that ensure the future of this unique engine.

                          - Front Mid-Ship Layout -
    The significance of the RX-EVOLV extends far beyond its engine, however.
The layout and design of the car also hint at Mazda's future direction.  Due
to the compact size of the "RENESIS" engine, the RX-EVOLV uses a front
mid-ship layout, with the engine located behind the front axle, putting equal
weight over the front and rear wheels.  Access to the engine is provided by an
innovative two-piece clamshell hood, hinged at the front as well as the rear.

                           - Micro-HID Headlights -
    The wheels of the RX-EVOLV are pushed out to the corners of the vehicle,
providing short overhangs and a long wheelbase.  At the front, a chrome Mazda
brand symbol sits just above a stylized five-point grille opening.  Extremely
thin and tiny Micro-HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights reside in the narrow
grille opening.

                       - Twin-Bubble "Aero Wave" Roof -
    The RX-EVOLV's sense of stability is enhanced by its wide stance and
pronounced wheel arches.  The greenhouse is separated from the rest of the car
by a strong shoulder line, and the roof incorporates a variation on Mazda's
twin-bubble "Aero-Wave" roof found on the third-generation RX-7 sports car.
The rear roof pillar is reminiscent of the first-generation RX-7.  The dual
round taillights incorporate two round elements, long a hallmark of Mazda
sports cars.

                          - Freestyle Door System -
    The interior of the RX-EVOLV is no less revolutionary than its powerplant
or exterior design.  The four-door layout provides exceptional access to the
interior.  The unique "Freestyle Door System" means there is no center pillar
to interfere with ingress and egress.  The front doors feature a double action
hinge -- the door first extends out and forward, then rotates to open.  The
rear doors open to the rear and swings out 90 degrees for full access to the
rear seats.

                            - Four Bucket Seats -
    The RX-EVOLV features four individual bucket seats with leather-trimmed
bolsters and breathable mesh inserts.  Not only are they extremely comfortable
and supportive, but they also take up less space than conventional seats,
allowing more room for the occupants.  A fold-down child seat is built into
the passenger-side rear seat.  A strong central backbone runs through the
cabin between the seats from the instrument panel to the cargo area.

                        - Formula One-Type Shifting -
    The instrument panel is driver oriented, with two large pods housing the
tachometer and speedometer prominently located in front of the driver.
Auxiliary gauges are housed in a multi-mode display in the center console, as
are the controls for the audio and ventilation systems.  The center console
also houses the rotor-shaped joystick control for the six-speed auto-shift
manual transmission.  This joystick allows the driver to select one of two
modes -- clutchless automatic shifting or manual shifting using the wing shift
controls mounted on the steering wheel (similar to the paddle shifters used on
Formula One race cars).  The wing shift selectors allow the driver to make
quick fingertip shifts without removing his or her hands from the steering
wheel.

                      - Carbon-Fiber Power Plant Frame -
    For exceptional handling, the RX-EVOLV features a solid chassis that
employs hydroformed high-strength steel tubes in the side sills, pillars, roof
rails and door edges.  This gives the body of the RX-EVOLV the same rigidity
as a conventional sedan with a center pillar.  The engine and transmission are
solidly connected to the rear suspension by a carbon-fiber Power Plant Frame
(PPF), similar to the design used on the Miata and third-generation RX-7.

                      - 19-Inch Four-Wheel Disc Brakes -
    The RX-EVOLV uses four-wheel double-wishbone independent suspension to
keep the wheels firmly planted on the road.  The rack-and-pinion steering is
electronically controlled, with a quick ratio for razor-sharp reflexes.
Large, 19-inch ventilated disc brakes use six-piston calipers up front and
four-piston calipers in the rear, and the braking system features four-wheel
ABS and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC).  The lightweight five-spoke 20-inch
alloy wheels are shod with unidirectional asymmetric-tread low-profile
run-flat tires.  Low-pressure sensors alert the driver to a loss of tire
pressure.

                          - Advanced Technologies -
    Other advanced technologies incorporated in the RX-EVOLV are:
    -- An Active Cornering Brake system that allows the driver to control the
    brake force at each wheel individually, thus permitting the driver to
    alter the handling of the vehicle depending on his or her preferences
    (from understeer to oversteer).
    -- An ID Access Card that locks and unlocks the doors and starts the
    engine.  The card also stores driver information and can be used to vary
    the level of engine output and actuation of the Active Cornering Brake
    system based on driver skill level.  It can also transmit medical
    information in an emergency.
    -- A one-touch parking brake system that engages and disengages the
    parking brake at the touch of a button.
    -- Push-button controls for engine start and kill.
    -- A rear seat slide mechanism that moves the rear seats fore and aft,
    depending on passenger or cargo needs.
    -- A multi-zone audio system with 10 ultra-thin speakers integrated into
    the door trim, roof pillars and roof trim for concert hall-quality sound
    in a lightweight, space-efficient package.

    While Mazda has no plans to produce the RX-EVOLV concept vehicle in its
current form, the car is a showcase of the company's advanced thinking and
hints at the direction future Mazda products might take.
    Mazda North American Operations is responsible for the sales and
marketing, customer parts and service support of Mazda vehicles in the United
States.  Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., MNAO has over 750 dealerships
nationwide and is owned by Mazda Motor Corporation, Hiroshima, Japan.