Thanks, Mazda!

So, the 2010 MazdaSPEED3 was recently revealed; pics can be found at AutoBlog and possibly elsewhere.

I’d like to take this opportunity to send out a hearty wave of gratitude to Mazda for this one. Why? Because I bought a MazdaSPEED3 late last summer. Of course, one of the things one worries about when blowing a big chunk of change on something like that is “will I regret this when the next model comes out in a year?”

Problem solved.

Look, I’m not under the illusion that my Lightning (that’s my 3’s name) is the most attractive car on the road—though it’s not bad—but that new thing is… hideous. The grinning mug looks bad enough on the regular 3, but the hood scoop and extra wavy plastic just magnify the awful. Nor do I like the bug-eyed back. I do like the dual exhausts, and the rims, though. The new interior is a wash; some bits look a little better, some look a little worse. But the grinning front, man, what were they thinking? Apparently, it was “let’s make the current owners happy about their decision.” OK, then, thanks!