SEMA 2010: Mazda brings some serious Zoom-Zoom to Las Vegas

 

Mazda showcases track-ready sports cars at SEMA – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mazda builds plenty of sporty cars that incorporate a fun-to-drive feeling, but calling something a sports car does not automatically equate to a vehicle that is ready for the track. For the 2010 SEMA show, Mazda tweaked a handful of cars to show us just how quickly fun can turn into ferocious.

Looking into its stable, Mazda reached in and pulled out a few Mazda2s, a couple of MX-5s, a pair of Mazda3s and an RX-8, then turned them over to its North American design director, Derek Jenkins.

"The versatility of Mazda vehicles is extraordinary. With just minor modifications to a stock Mazda, it can be ready for the track or a car show. Our SEMA cars demonstrate this ability; taking a vehicle from the dealership and making it a truly unique piece."

The subcompact Mazda2 was given two personalities for the show: a track-ready, lightweight racer and a sporty street car. The track version is called the Mazda2 Evil Track while the other is simply called the Mazda2 Street. Both are great examples of how relatively underpowered cars can still be a total hoot to drive.

Mazda's iconic roadster also arrives in two souped up versions. The MX-5 Super20 celebrates the 20th anniversary of the droptop sports car. Under the hood lies a supercharged Cosworth engine and the paint scheme is black on gray, both of which give this MX-5 a substantially meaner aura. The other Miata at SEMA is the MX-5 Cup Car, which is a full-on spec racer outfitted with a plethora of racing equipment.

Turning its attention to a four-door, Mazda has brought a turbocharged Mazda3 and the Mazda3 Red Line Time Attack car. Both feature a similar paint scheme, but the turbo Mazda3 is a modified street car while the Red Line Time Attack vehicle runs in the Super Modified class of its series and is capable of hitting 180 miles per hour on a long straight. That's awfully quick for a C-segment vehicle.

Mazda has also brought an RX-8 along to serve as a well-deserved pat on the back. The Grand-Am GT Mazda RX-8 just completed its 2010 season and utterly dominated the competition. Of the 12 races run, the RX-8 won six of them. More information on each vehicle is available in the full press-release waiting after the jump