New Roadster Bodykits are starting to appear. Thats good, because I saw a pic of a silver NC RHT and it was bad.
I've been thinking hard about what to do with the front of the roadster. Lip or full bumper? But that's been decided. Thanks to a friend here in Japan, who just updated his bumper to a Mazdaspeed one. I have the opportunity to obtain his M'z tune front lip spoiler in a little deal.
What's happening in the workshop? 
I don't want this blog to be a review of everything that happens in Japan for the roadster. But this event caught my eye at Tsukuba TC1000.
Superchrger!!! yum.
Double Nopro action.
Check out the rims on this cruiser. They are taller than the bonnet line on my car!
Driving around Tokyo is always an experience. It never ceases to amaze me that there are sometimes 20 levels of traffic happening above, on and below ground. 
The place is an engineer's dream.
Sometimes you find some little gems too.
This super clean cosmo was heading to Super Auto bacs as well. I saw a group of exiges and a corvette meeting, a broken down TVR Chimera (rare in Japan) and some crazy HKS stereo!
Instead we got the NR-A in basic form and that's it. Where are the MAZDASPEED options! THE REAR DIFFUSER, REAR SPOILER AND FRONT SPOILERS and SIDE SKIRTS ???????? ??????????????????? ?????????????? ?????????? ?????????? Come on MAZDA, support your fans. TAS is THE place to show your stuff.
Anyway, enough bitching. The NR-A features all the new roadster sameness and a rollbar and recaro RS-G seats and Willians seatbelts.
The dash features the mazdaspeed (Defi) dials.
The rest us all pretty normal.
The roll bar is same as previous NR-A. 
Fitment was actually pretty poor. With the carpet holes cut with a knife and not very well either.
I'd still buy one to race if I had cash cause the NR-A one make series is cool with good competition for not much entry fee.
Rear would look racey if it was dropped another 4 inches.
XA Car had a 20th anniversary lineup of all generations.
Right up to the latest RHT.
I love the way the new lights reflect up under direct light.
Designing sucks. Sat down with a pen at work and sketched this design. Came home and did a little chop. Looks pretty cool, and pretty ugly at the same time. Not sure If I like it. I wanted to include a splitter and open up the intake. I think the bottom needs to push back more. But hey I'm not doing it again.
This car from KS Burnout has caused a lot of issues for me lately, I love the madly oversized 19" rims that really make the car incredibly aggressive and it's super dumped stance is simply rediculous and cool at the same time. The Weds Kranze LX2 521 rims are 19x9 +43 and fitted with super stretched 225/35/19 toyo proxes. It's simply a car that appeals to me. Front fender liners have been removed and I'm sure the ride, general handling, accelleration and braking are all affected by the rims.
The Kranze wheels are a problem for me because I do like a car that handles. Can the problems of increased weight and size be overcome by a light weight choice?
Maybe RAYS Bronze CE28N would be light. (Nopro)
Maybe upsized RE30 would be good. (Rodopina)
Maybe some lightweight Enkei NT03 or RP-F1 (Joyfast).
All look insane but when looking at wheel. Wheel weights make a huge difference to performance.
I have owned an NA roadster with Heavy Chrome 17" wheels and believe me when I say, you notice the difference in every driving environment. In a car with limited power you especially notice it. The fun chuckability is gone with heavy wheels, likewise accelleration is a chore and a brake and wait philosophy must be dialed in. They stayed on the car for a while but I eventually reverted to standard wheels.
My first FD had Rays CE37W lightweight wheels which gave amazing lightweight turn in and easy accelleration. My last FD wore 10" wide Advan RS for extreme grip, but thats not the focus of my NC.
To apply these ideas to my NC roadster which currently has lightweight Advan RGII and good feel. I am thinking about the lightest weight options possible.
SSR Type C are one of the lightest - 19x8 +48 - you are still looking at 9.00Kg each
RAYS TE37 or RE30 are light. TE37 Gen II may be even lighter.
BUT Dymag wheels could be the answer. Carbon rim and magnesium centre.
Now this car really has me thinking. The price will stop that though. Dymag 19x9 are £1,125 per wheel, but OMG! SOOO COOL!
Russ.
After an unsuccessful buying run at Crystal Japan and SuperAutobacs. Air duct not in stock.
What to do on NY is always a dilemma. But as the first sun hit the car in 2009, I knew I made a good choice to drive in the early darkness.
Although you can't quite make it out in this pic above, at about 6:40 the sky started to illuminate enough for Mt Fuji to become visible.
This one is a little better, but the fresh cold winter morning was displaying some beautiful light and the changes in gradation were enjoyed as Fuji came into full light.
I started to enjoy the early daylight around Tateyama in Chiba's Boso peninsula. This old place created some mood while about 100 hawks circled overhead.
On the road I was greeted to images like this.
The road itself was empty as the morning lazily cruised away.
Past a few beaches.... 
and through a few tunnels....
I was soon at Komagawa.
A turn inland and a nice pace saw the Boso Skyline dissapear behind.
Then the small roads through Chiba are a real pleasure when they are empty.
Winter strips the trees that line the roads.
My destination on the return journey, was a quick stop at the Tokyo Konan shrine. There is an awesome but short little road up to this with 1st and 2nd gear hairpins that begs to be driven well. It would make a great hill climb course.
