1982 Bertone Mazda MX-81 Aria
It’s 1981. Mazda has just launched the first front-wheel-drive 323. In order to set a new design direction, they ask Bertone to produce a prototype based on the 323’s mechanicals. Bertone delivers a delightful brown hatchback coupe with a dropped beltline, a huge glass hatch and a wedgy front end with quite tidy pop-up lights. Mazda must have been pleased with the MX-81 as the Astina hatch and the second generation RX-7 make quite strong references to it.
The weirdest feature of the MX-81 was that it had a square belt instead of a steering wheel. I really hope it was a cheeky reference to the Austin Allegro’s “Quartic” wheel.
(Pic via Autotrader, many more at CarStyling.ru)
