Did you know you can customise your Roadster online?
With Mazda's "Web Tune Factory" page you can create your virtual perfect Roadster and see how it will look with your selected optional extras. Of course, it is only intended for the Japanese market, you can't build one and have it exported. But what you can do is play around with it and get an idea of how your car would look. "In February 2001, Mazda became the first Japanese automaker to launch an Internet-based built-to-order website. Thanks to the Web Tune Factory,potential customers can experience even greater enjoyment in designing a customized version of their favourite Mazda vehicle. The website currently features a lineup of 22 Mazda models available in Japan, including special editions." - MazdaWeb Tune isn't limited to Roadsters, there is a full range of Mazda models you can tinker with. Some you have probably never even heard of such as the "Carol" or the "Scrum Wagon". Now let's click on enter and get started. |
You'll be presented with the range of cars that can be tuned online, we're interested in the Roadster and in this example I've chosen the soft top... |
Now press on the start button with the little spanner... |
You'll be taken to this screen with a navigation bar on the left and a preview of the car on the right. The text is all in Japanese but you can work out what the options are from the images. After you have chosen which model variant, (RS, VS etc) the first job is to pick an exterior colour. I've chosen red with a tan interior. The second layer of the nav bar has two options for interior and exterior colour. You'll find the options for interior here. |
With a colour chosen it's time to work your way down the navigation bar adding various optional extras. You'll then get to see the image preview update and add the parts you've picked. Here I've added a hardtop, chrome fuel lid, chrome windscreen surround, front spoiler, rear spoiler, side skirts, rear diffuser, and chrome door handles. |
Hmmm nice but not sure about Red now, how does it look in White? |
Answer.. Awesome! Now what about the alloy wheels? Let's add the 17" Mazdaspeed alloys. |
Lookin' good! Can I see it from the rear? Yep, just click that little orange button in the bottom right corner to switch between front, rear, and interior views. |
And if I remove the hardtop... |
Very nice. Now once you're done playing around, click on the Finish button and your car will be "built" and you can choose a nice background to take a photo. Here's a blue one I finished earlier. |
So that was a brief introduction to Web Tune Factory, it'd be nice if you could still play with the older models too. Maybe there is an archive somewhere but I've not found it yet. Anyway, here is the link if you want to have a go Web Tune
Update: seems the website is no longer active |