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.
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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.
