1. om
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mAZDAthe emotion of motion – mAZDA one 2007 2008
–the emotion of motion iSSUe – winter
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www.mAZDAUSA.Com
mAZDA.Co.UK

2. WELCOME TO
CAMP ZOOM-ZOOM.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. It’s not just a racetrack, it’s our spiritual home. An asphalt field of dreams
that embodies everything we stand for. It is in the heart of a thousand champions, driving Mazdas to victory
at racetracks all across America. In fact, on any given weekend more Mazdas are road raced than any other
car. But then, what other cars would you expect to excel at places like this other than the ones designed and
*
engineered the Zoom-Zoom way.
MazdaUSA.com
*BASED ON SPORTS CAR CLUB OF AMERICA RACING DATA. ©2007 Mazda Motor of America, Inc.

3. an
d, ce Mazdas th
very weeken
more p eople road ra a,
cers. At Mazd
E r. A nd for the p
ast 13 years
I’ve been on
e of those ra
developed th
e most com
prehensive
ls.
any other ca is why we’ve ve their goa
our pa ssion, which rts to help drivers achie
racing fuels of motorspo racing
in the history pursuing his
e 14), who’s
ladder syste
m natomy, pag
sey (Race A
Just ask P atrick Demp eveloping
also about d
ard an RX-8. ut racing; it’s
dreams abo not just abo r if you’re
Program is oesn’t matte
But ou r Motorsport rs for you. It d tches
exciting ca exciting stre
re liable, more of the most
better, more ing it to one to feel the
work or tak e want you
driving yo ur Mazda to
the Dragon , page 44); w
erica (Enter behind the w
heel.
of hig hway in Am me you get
ti
motion every
emotion of
Robert T. Davis
Senior Vice President
PHOTOGRAPHY: jameS SykeS
Product Development
and Quality
Mazda North American
Operations
Global Editor Nik Berg Global Art Director Geraldine Lynch Editor Graham Verdon Art Director Sandra Latini Deputy Editor Carlos Weigle Senior Designer Mya McNulty
Project Coordinator Sarah O’Connor Production Manager Mira Kosovac Publisher Tom Hrubes Project Manager Lori Branov Reproduction Clarity Printing St. Joseph Print Group
For Mazda North American Operations David Klan, William Gordon, Mary J. Maerzke. For Mazda Corporation Global Brand Development Manager Silvina Penovi.
Address changes or inquiries: 7755 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, CA. 92618. Tel: 1-800-222-5500 mazdausa.com
Zoom-Zoom is published on behalf of Mazda North American Operations by Redwood Custom Communications, 37 Front Street East, Toronto, Ontario M5E 1B3. Tel: 416-360-7339.
All product specifications were correct at press time. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher. Printed in Canada.

4. C ON winter
2008
14
TEN TS
24 Features
14 Race anatomy
Catch actor Patrick Dempsey as he goes
44 eNter tHe DrAgON
the MAZDASPEED3 conquers 318 turns in
11 miles of unadulterated driving paradise
from celebrity to racer in 6 seconds
52 RISe and ShIne
22 Face to Face
Mazda’s Franz von Holzhausen challenges car
Dazzling solar design has made its
way into private homes, public spaces
and even high-tech electricity plants
lovers to imagine the MAZDA3 of the future
24 Icecapade 56 Flow RIdeR
Meet Taiki, Mazda’s latest glimpse into
For some reason, Ben Firth climbs mountains your miraculous automotive future
of ice as they float in the Atlantic Ocean
32 StaR tRek regulars
Jump into the award-winning Mazda CX-9
for a rough-and-tumble drive on the roads
of Newfoundland, Canada’s eastern frontier
06 emotIon oF motIon
Mazda owners around the world show us
how to Zoom-Zoom, and now it’s your turn
38 motley cRew
If you think car racing on sand is hard, try it 10 play tIme
on foot. An Australian outback riverbed is the DIY paper cameras, morphing shoes and
scene of a boating competition like no other sidekicks for your Nintendos and iPods
con tributors »PHiliP
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22
SevenStock thrills, more reasons
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64 my maZda
Proud owners of the rX-8 and CX-7
tell us why you should have one, too
66 my GReateSt thRIll
Dr. McDreamy’s high-speed passion
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Zoom-Zoom 1

14. RACE ANATOMY
A MAzdA-shAped blur of blAck And
green speeds into the pit lane and comes to
a screeching halt. Team engineers in rotary-
emblazoned racing suits swoop down to
release its exhausted driver. And in the second
before he removes his helmet, this could be
any of the nearly 200 racers speeding through
this dusty race weekend near Salt Lake City.
But he’s not. He’s Patrick Dempsey, star of the
hit TV show Grey’s Anatomy and Hollywood
man of the moment.
As he peels off the top of his racing suit and
takes a swig of energy drink, the camera crew
from E! Channel moves in, and he’s a celebrity
again. He flashes them a distracted grin, but
Dempsey, who’s only been racing seriously for
three years, is determined to squeeze every
bit of knowledge from this practice session at
Utah’s Miller Motorsports Park. After an intense
discussion with his crew chief, Dempsey
leaps up into the HyperSport control center
overlooking their pit to watch and learn as
his teammates speed around the track.
In headphones and a Mazda cap, Dempsey
is incognito again—just the way he likes it.
“Racing is a great escape from Hollywood,”
he tells me during some rare downtime. “I
really love having an outlet, a departure from
that world.” And what a different world it is.
The trailer he shares with his team is just
In the pIts wIth
patrIck Dempsey
on a whIte-knuckleD
race weekenD
story alIce lawlor
photography chrIstopher wahl
Zoom-Zoom

15. RACE ANATOMY
Zoom-Zoom 2

16. DEMPSEY SPEED
big enough for lockers and a compact hear Dempsey’s voice in recent television
kitchen—all utility, no luxury. But Dempsey’s commercials for Mazda.
in his element. The easy banter between In 2005, he raced the MX-5 Cup and
''it’s an
the team members is a testament to their the Panoz GT Racing Series, coming in
years of training together, which started a very respectable third. Since 2006, he’s
well before Dempsey and his hospital drama taken part in the KONI Challenge Series
ability
character, Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd, and the SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda
became household names. “They kind of MX-5 Cup series. These days, his Grey’s
keep it grounded for me,” says the actor, Anatomy contract even states that he’s
to be
with a laugh. allowed to race during taping. “Racing is a
A huge racing fan since childhood, his great challenge for me, both mentally and
passion was reignited five years ago by physically,” he says through a mouthful
his wife. “She bought me a three-day Skip of Doritos. “And it brings me back to my
private
Barber course, and that opened up the athletic side, to that part of my nature.”
door for me,” he explains. Since then he’s This race weekend is putting that part
been working to earn his racing stripes of his nature to the test like never before.
in a
with the help of Mazda’s Motorsports He’s doing triple duty: competing in the
Development Program. “There’s some KONI Challenge Series, the Mazda MX-5
really young energy behind Mazda and it’s Cup and the grueling season finale of the
public
very supportive,” he says. “I feel the love of Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. In total,
racing in everybody there.” That common he’ll rack up around seven hours behind the
focus is continually driving the Dempsey- wheel, more than any other driver at the
place''
Mazda relationship forward in new and track. Dempsey’s unfazed. “My experience
exciting ways. Listen closely and you’ll is limited, so yeah, I’m in the deep end of
Zoom-Zoom

17. RACE ANATOMY
dempsey makes the leap
from celebrity to racer.
“once I get in that car,
hit my marks and do what
I’m supposed to do, the
rest will follow.”
Zoom-Zoom 7

18. RACE ANATOMY
dempsey shares
a few laughs with
fellow Mazda racer,
frankie “Malcolm
in the Middle” Muniz
5 Zoom-Zoom

19. DEMPSEY SPEED
the pool,” he admits. “But once I get in that
car, hit my marks and do what I’m supposed
to do, the rest will follow.”
With that, he’s off, whisked away in one
of the track’s ubiquitous golf carts, chased
by an entourage of press. “Dempsey being
here is definitely making a difference,”
notes one journalist. “You can really feel
the buzz.” He has a point: Beneath the
deep thrum of tuning engines, there’s
a palpable excitement. And Dempsey’s
not the only celebrity at the track today.
Former Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie
Muniz is pushing hard for a career as a pro
driver and moving up fast. Ian Ziering, of
Beverly Hills 90210 fame, is also getting
behind the wheel for his first professional from top, clockwise: dempsey and
the team, driving the rX-8 GT, listening
race. Like thousands of amateur racers and learning, and doing publicity
across North America, these guys are
part of Mazda’s Motorsports Development
program. “They came to us wanting to race,”
says James Jordan, Mazda’s Alternative
Marketing Manager, “and we gave them
the opportunity. Frankie is involved in our
‘ladder’ program, and Ian is driving for
fun. Other manufacturers have celebrity
weekends, but we’d much rather have
celebrities take part in real races.”
The day of the big race is a Utah special:
oppressively hot and desert dry. At the
entrance to the track, rows of checkered
flags flap madly in the wind, framed by
rusty mountains and an impossibly blue
sky. It’s an unlikely juxtaposition: throbbing
automotive action against a backdrop
of sweeping natural beauty.
“Ladies and gentleman,” booms the
announcer’s voice, “you’ve landed on your
feet. This is Miller Motorsports Park, and
this is how racing should be done.” It’s a
Zoom-Zoom 6

20. RACE ANATOMY
dempsey competing
in the Mazda MX-5 cup
at Miller Motorsports
park: “racing is a great
escape from hollywood.”
Dempsey’s cars: on this page, he races a lightly modified MX-5, packed with extra safety features but riding on street tires, very much like the ones on your mazda.
his RX-8 GT (previous page) is a pure racecar. In fact, it boasts a 450-horsepower, 3-rotor rotary engine that can reach a speed of over 180 mph without breaking a sweat.
7 Zoom-Zoom

21. DEMPSEY SPEED
his tv contract states
he’s alloweD to
race During filMing
“There’s some
really young energy
behind Mazda. I feel
the love of racing
in everybody there,”
dempsey says.
bold claim, but as the Mazda MX-5 Cup
plays out—a real nail-biter, with Muniz
coming from sixth place to challenge for
second, only to go off course two laps
before the end—it really can’t be denied.
As the cars line up for the 7.5-hour finale
of Sunchaser 000, Dempsey gets a few
last words of encouragement from his
Mazda co-drivers, Joe Foster and Charles
Espenlaub. “He has that real hunger,” Foster
says later. “He’s coming along fast and is
very dedicated to being successful and
respected.” As the final adjustments are
made to the new SoBe Mazda RX- GT,
Dempsey is in the zone. “I concentrate on
blocking everything out,” he explains. “My
experience in front of the camera helps. It’s
that ability to be private in a public place.”
The race begins with a surge of burning
rubber, and then it’s Dempsey’s turn, and
he’s ready. So is the assembled crowd
of fans—excitable women with camera-
phones, jostling each other for the best
angle of “McDreamy.” But he’s all business
as he zips up his suit. So would he give up
his day job for racing? In a heartbeat, says
the look he shoots me. “Winning a Golden
Globe is a kind of popularity contest,” he
says, pulling on his helmet. “But when you’re
racing and you cross the finish line, there’s
nobody else in there. It’s you and the team,
and you’ve done it.” A nod from the chief,
and Dempsey vaults over the barrier and
climbs behind the wheel. Strapped in. Foot
to the floor. Smoking wheels. And suddenly
he’s just a dot on the track—an unstoppable
mixture of man and machine, fueled by the
overwhelming urge to go really, really fast. n
Zoom-Zoom

22. face
INDOOR BEACH
face to
Mazda’s Nor
Facebook c
th A
ar lo
merica n Director o
vers to get
f Design, Fra
creative and
im
nz v
agine their
en, challeng
on Holzhaus A ZDA3
ow n 2 0 1 8 M
es
s weigle
story cArlo ryce DuFFy
hy b
photograp
Franz von Holzhausen
checks out Kabura.
Below, five contestants’
Mazda3 imaginings
» a n d r e w K i n o m o t o bothwell, wA » c h r i s t o p h e r c h u n g silver spring, MD » p r e s t o n g i l l i a m east bend, Nc » d a n n y s o n g san Mateo, cA
Zoom-Zoom

23. DESIgN CHALLENgE
“I DON’T
THINk ANy
OTHER WHat iF you could design your
BRAND HAS dream car of the future? And what if
THE guTS Mazda’s design team developed a full-scale
model of your fantasy before a worldwide
TO ALLOW audience at the L.A. Auto Show? Well,
CONSuMERS Mazda made this dream a reality by asking
car fans for their vision of the 08 Mazda3.
TO HAvE SO The challenge was simple: articulate your
MuCH idea in 50 words, sketches optional, via
CONTROL the social networking site Facebook. Next,
Mazda designers picked 0 finalists, then
OvER five, and finally the big winner: Mallory
DESIgN.” McMorrow, of South Bend, IN. The industrial
design student won the opportunity of a
lifetime, working side by side with Mazda
North American Director of Design, Franz
von Holzhausen, and his team, to refine
the concept and build a model out of clay
over a week at the California car show.
“I don’t think any other brand has the
guts to allow consumers to have so much
control over design. But we’re really paying
attention to their wants and desires,” says
Franz. And even though he recognizes
the challenge of working with someone
who’s not a professional (yet?), he thinks
the process is a big win for everybody:
“There’s something so unique, fun and
exciting about stepping off a cliff a little bit.”
What better way to find inspired car
fanatics than to use a powerful social
network such as Facebook? Franz certainly
gets it: “Facebook is the fastest-growing
web-connectivity site on the Internet
right now. It’s geared toward a younger
crowd that is exactly the demographic
of the Mazda3. We felt it was the perfect
marriage.” A match made in heaven, indeed.
After revealing four stunning concept
cars in the Nagare series (check out the
latest one, Taiki, on page 56), expectations
are running high for Mazda’s future design,
including the 08 Mazda3. As for Franz,
he lets us in on his personal view: “By 08
brands will have become more distinctive;
we’re moving toward a more unique and
individualistic lifestyle.” But will we be
building our own cars? If so, the future
seems to be here already. n
AND THE WINNER IS . . .
Mallory McMorrow, , an industrial design student at the university of Notre
Dame. For her, nailing the Mazda Design Challenge just makes sense. “I’m known
as ‘the car girl’ in our department and have always had a passion for everything
automotive,” says the happy winner. Passionate about late-night drives “by myself,
in my car, through winding back roads,” Mallory found inspiration for her Mazda3
design in her own life, creating a version for the young professional who “needs
a practical car, yet appreciates sporty handling and the experience of the drive.” » m a l l o r y m c m o r r o w south bend, iN
Zoom-Zoom

24. INDOOR BEACH
g to
''tryin his
cl imb t e
it lik
is a b n
ru ssia ''
roul ette
Zoom-Zoom

25. NEWFOUNDLAND ICECAPADE
ShoW ben FirTh a mounTain and he’ll climb iT.
icebergS, on The oTher hand? Well, ThaT’S a
Whole diFFerenT STory. and here iT iS…
Story nik ‘ice’ berg PhotograPhy philip lee harvey
There’s a loud crack, like a gunshoT. ben, a professional mountain climber
a massive boulder splits from the iceberg from alberta, canada, has scaled peaks
and plunges into the sea. Seconds later, all over the world, but here in iceberg alley,
the whole 230-foot-long behemoth begins off the coast of newfoundland, he faces
to upend, then rolls over, sending out great a completely new challenge: he is here
plumes of spray toward our little fishing to climb an iceberg.
boat. Waves crash over the bow, and huge “icebergs are very, very dangerous
chunks of ice are launched skyward from creatures,” he says. “They’re completely
beneath the ocean. volatile, you cannot predict anything
“a few minutes ago, i was considering they’re going to do. i’ve lived in the
going up the south face of that,” says ben mountains and climbed them all my life,
Firth, from the relative safety of the boat. but this is a bit like russian roulette.”
Zoom-Zoom

26. NEWFOUNDLAND ICECAPADE
''you can
as a seasoned mountain guide, ben would react and the ocean would behave,”
knows his climbing, but that’s not what explains ben. “So this time i was looking to
he’s worried about here: it’s actually control the dangers as much as possible.
get four
getting safely onto a berg in the first i did as much research as i could to find
place. but he’s done his homework, and the best place for icebergs in bays and
that’s why we’re in a fishing boat off the coves where they’re protected from
seasons
northern coast of newfoundland. heavy seas and grounded against the sea
every year, tens of thousands of bottom. So they’re probably not going to
icebergs are formed when greenland’s roll over, and they’ll also be accessible.”
in just
glaciers advance into the ocean and ben has persuaded local father-and-
fracture. These massive blocks of ice son fishermen carl and brent hedderson
get caught up in the southerly atlantic to take us out to a group of icebergs off
currents, and as many as 800 make their pistolet bay in their 32-foot longline fishing
one day''
way to the coasts of newfoundland and boat. earlier in the day we pinpointed them
labrador. only around 12 percent of each from the shore, and ben thinks they’re
iceberg (the tip, of course) is seen above likely candidates for climbing as they
water. even so, these are mighty peaks, appear to be grounded on a shelf just off
and, for ben, a major challenge. the coast. The plan is to circle the icebergs
in 2005, ben and fellow climber Will a few times to find a suitable landing spot,
gadd headed further north to labrador then ben will get into a small skiff, motor
and successfully climbed a number of up to one and clamber on. it certainly
icebergs. and now, having learned some sounds like a simple plan.
valuable lessons, ben is back to try again. ben is good to go, now wearing his
“The first time around, we were dry suit, life vest, climbing boots, gloves
completely ignorant about how the ice and helmet, with freshly sharpened ice
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27. INDOOR BEACH
axes at the ready. but the elements have
other ideas. although the recently rolled
iceberg does seem to have settled, and
in its new position offers a good potential
landing spot, the wind has picked up and
the choppy seas make it impossible to get
close without potentially ramming into it.
it’s boat pilot brent’s call. and it’s a sensible
one. The skiff returns to the fishing boat,
and they climb back on board.
“There was just no way to get on. and
i couldn’t put brent at risk, so we’ve made
the right choice,” says ben. “i was ready
and i’d crossed that mental line, but in
climbing you learn to wait until the time
is absolutely right.”
We steam back to shore and find that
we’re already the talk of the town in
St. anthony. aaron beswick, a reporter
and photographer for the Northern Pen
newspaper, is at the wharf to greet us.
“are you the lunatics?” he screeches.
he wants to put ben on the front
page and tag along on our next attempt.
instead, we agree to give him some
Ben Firth contemplates
Benapproach. above for
his keeps a lookout
and left, snapshots of the rest
icebergs, while wild
newfoundland weather
of newfoundland keeps
a lookout for Ben
photographs, if ben is successful. and
this is definitely a big “if.” ICEBERg FACts
For the next two days, we rise early 40,000 icebergs calve off the coast
and check on the position of the bergs of greenland every year. of those, up
by clambering up through the moss and to 800 make it to iceberg alley
lichen to the clifftops. but each time we The glacial ice making up each iceberg
meet carl at the wharf, the seas are too is up to 15,000 years old
strong to make an attempt. on another The tip of the iceberg is typically just
day, a dense fog rolls in. 1/8 of its overall mass
“That’s newfoundland,” says John in iceberg alley, the average height of an
Simmonds, owner of the comfortable iceberg is around 15 storeys. They can
but rather optimistically named glacier weigh up to 200,000 tons
manor resort. “Sometimes you get four The largest iceberg recorded in the
seasons in one day.” alley was 8 miles long, 3.7 miles wide
John, like all the newfoundlanders and 65 feet tall (above the waterline).
we meet, thinks that what we’re doing it weighed nine billion tons
is crazy. Then, like every newfoundlander, iceberg ice is extremely pure. locals
he immediately sets about helping us even use it to make vodka
as much as he possibly can. he calls
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28. ICEBERg
ALLEY greenland
laBrador sea
neWFoundland
and laBrador
sT. anThony
This amazing pleasure
dome offers a touch of
Jamaica in the middle of
Japan. When the weather
Zoom-Zoom

29. NEWFOUNDLAND ICECAPADE
'Quote
large-
piece
of
modern
design'
iceberg ahead! now it’s
just a case of trying to
get onto the damn thing
friends all over the area and tracks down of a viking village. The first european on
an iceberg right in the harbor at conche. north american shores wasn’t columbus,
he even finds another fisherman willing but a bearded guy they took to calling eric
to take us to it. it’s a 90-minute drive to (or something).
an area known as French Shore—so-called an estimated 90 vikings from greenland
because it’s the one part of newfoundland crossed the sea in open longboats and
settled by the French. The rest of the established a camp. but, despite having
island was settled by the english and a reputation as warmongers, they were
the irish. They weren’t the first settlers, driven off by the indigenous people.
though. at l’anse aux meadows, in the as we enter the small fishing community
1960s, archaeologists unearthed evidence of conche, we discover the perfect iceberg.
Zoom-Zoom 9

30. indoor beach
each
blow of
an axe
sends a
shower
of ice
not as large as we’d hoped—a ‘growler’ then climbs down its sheer face using his and he signals for the boat to come get him.
around the size of a family house—but it’s ice axes to support his weight; each blow he’s done it, but only just.
sitting in a calm bay just a quarter mile of an axe sends a shower of ice, but the back on dry land, ben explains how his
from the shore. it’s hasn’t moved in days, berg still seems to be holding up. climbing instincts took over: “i stayed on the
so we’re sure it’s securely grounded. Then, suddenly, there’s the same loud outside edge, so if i couldn’t keep running,
ben’s quickly back into his gear and on a crack we’d heard a few days earlier, and a i could always jump off.
skiff. The sea is calm and, after circling the large piece on the far side of the growler “i’d say it’s one of the most challenging
iceberg a couple of times, he has his entry plunges into the sea. ben reacts fast and things i’ve ever done. i’m wracking my
point. legs straddling the bow of the boat, gets up onto the flat surface of the berg brains trying to make this as safe as
crampons poised, the boat nudges up to just as it begins to tip. as it rotates he possible, but it’s hard to explain just how
the berg and ben climbs onto it. after a runs up it, and for a few terrifying seconds volatile these things are. no matter what
few tentative steps it feels secure, and he it looks like it’s going to completely turn you do to prepare, you’re still looking at
works his way up the ridge to the summit, turtle. but it stabilizes halfway through, something completely unpredictable.” n
find out more about icebergs, newfoundl and and ben
/ benfirth. com; icebergfinder.com;
glaciermanorresort.com; newfoundlandlabrador.com
Zoom-Zoom

31. 'Quote neWFoundland icecapade
large-
piece
of
modern
design'
upload your
adventure at / zoom-zoommagazine.com
ice work if you can get it:
Ben’s fate rests upon
two little axes and a pair
of spiked shoes
Zoom-Zoom 9

32. INDOOR BEACH
star
trek
the mazda cx-9 wins motor trend
2008 sport/utility of the year. we
take an epic victory lap around
canada’s rough-and-tumble coast
story neil mcdonald
photography todd mclellan
Zoom-Zoom

33. CX-9 IN NEWFOUNDLAND

34. this is as far east
INDOOR BEACH
as you can go in a car
without getting wet
Mazda’s CX-9 is a rising star. So as the sun climbs out of this trip, part of me didn’t believe in these floating ice giants. The
the Atlantic and North America’s first light shines through the natural wonders are a revelation, but I’m a car guy at heart. And
windshield, it seems fitting. what I’m most excited about is experiencing all the award-winning
I’m driving along the edge of a craggy, windswept coastline attributes the brand new 2008 Mazda CX-9 has to offer, while
just outside of St. John’s, Newfoundland. This is as far east as you burning around a 750-mile circle through some of Canada’s most
can go in a car on this continent without getting wet. Next stop, rough and rugged terrain.
Northern France, about a 2,000-mile straight shot east. Iceland’s The CX-9 has been making fast friends of owners and auto
around 600 miles closer off the port side. journalists alike—and receiving plenty of praise. Perhaps the heartiest
As I try to wrap my head around the sheer enormity of it all, the pat on the back came recently in the form of Motor Trend’s
sun glints off something near the horizon of the steel-grey ocean: 2008 Sport/Utility of the Year award. The well-respected 0auto
an iceberg. Apparently they drift over here from Greenland. Until magazine’s writers and editors unanimously extolled the virtues of
4 Zoom-Zoom

35. CX-9 IN NEWFOUNDLAND
newfoundland is dotted with traditional coastal fishing villages.
the people are invariably friendly and hospitable, but harsh winters
can make the condition of the winding roads unpredictable
the seven-seat crossover SUV, calling the CX-9 the best value on
the market, proclaiming Mazda had achieved what it set out to do:
imbue a three-row crossover SUV with the soul of a sports car.
The CX-9 has been proving it to me along every primal mile of
this giant victory lap. Newfoundland has more than 18,000 miles
of coastline, from gently sloping bays to ragged fjords. The roads
buckle and slide in surprising ways, yet the car’s steering and ride
both cope admirably. As I zoom around the baffling corners, the
sporty character of the CX-9 comes out to play.
The engine is a muscular 3.7-liter V6 that delivers 237 kW of
horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 270 lbs of torque at 4,250 rpm. This Zoom-Zoom 4

36. INDOOR BEACH
on
baffling
turns,
the
sporty
cX-9
comes
newfoundland
has more than
18,000 miles of
coastline, and
breathtaking
mountain passes
to play
the CX-9 moves
effortlessly through
a charming but
demanding drive
along the coast
Zoom-Zoom

37. CX-9 IN NEWFOUNDLAND
baby is mated to a smooth Asin six-speed automatic transmission Even Newfoundlanders will tell you that the condition of the
and is available both as a front or electronically controlled Active- roads is not one of the province’s best attributes. The extreme
Torque Split all-wheel drive. It comes as no surprise, then, that the weather of harsh Canadian winters means jagged potholes and
CX-9 can do 0 to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. unpredictable planes that test a car’s resolve. It’s a measure of its
As I move through this land with communities rich in tradition, lush suspension that I rarely have to back off from 65 mph when
it’s clear that this place is a world apart, not only in geography, but the road turns from smooth to rough and back again. It’s a great
also in attitude. I meet stalwart people with hearts and smiles as driving pleasure to move through tight corners holding on to a
big as the ocean surrounding them. Everywhere there are bubbling steering wheel that feels like it’s straight from an MX-5.
personalities with a bottomless pride that result in exhuberant Mazda’s fingerprints are found throughout its interior, making
hospitality at each stop along the way. it easy to settle into beautifully desolate expanses of the Trans-
I make my way through tiny, quiet, seaside villages with names Canada Highway. I just set the cruise control, bask in the heat of
like Fermeuse, Ferryland and Admiral’s Cove, and witness first- the leather seat warmers, and take advantage of the amazing vistas
hand the car’s effect. Villagers stop and stare as I pass through afforded me by the car’s high-up driving position.
their narrow streets, drawn to its gorgeous looks. The steep-angled By the time I roll back into the capital city of St. John’s, there’s
windshield, slanted headlamps and alloy wheels work together to no doubt in my mind or spirit that the CX-9 deserves all the
grab attention.Visually, the CX-9 borrows some of the styling cues accolades: its versatily and sporty character come out through
of the sportier CX-7, but its longer wheelbase means plenty of leg each rough corner. Just like the people of Newfoundland, a car
and headroom inside for seven passengers. can’t fake it against a landscape of such stark honesty. n
for video of the
cx-9 in action / mazdausa.com/cx9/video
A StAR IS BORN CX-9’s driving performance, dynamic good looks
inside and out, and surprising roominess could not
Perhaps the magazine’s editors said it best when be denied. It also didn’t hurt that no other SUV on the
naming mazda’s cX-9 Motor Trend’s 2008 sport/utility market has received higher safety ratings from the
of the year: “the CX-9 is sleek and elegant, sporty National Highway traffic Safety Administration.
and sophisticated, an SUV seemingly well suited for Starting at $29,40 and available in front- and all-
going to the mountains, midtown or the market.” wheel drive in Sport, touring and Grand touring,
the CX-9 beat out stiff competition, reigning there’s no better value or more exciting ride in a
victorious over other contenders. Ultimately, the seven-seater on the road today.
Zoom-Zoom

38. MOTLEY
W
s on
Our oarsman take g
on
the U.S. Army (am
ld’s
others) in the wor
strangest boat race
fOrd
Story lUke pOnS ceS Andrijich
Photogra Phy frAn

39. dry rUn
out of steel
e of a frame made
it’s not really a boat at all—mor d there’s a slight
o, I was soMethI
ng tched around it. An
Many years ag tubing with canvas panels stre
in it.
ree days a week i’d . There’s no water
of an oarsman. Th issue with the river ariety boat race. in
ce in a four-man bo
at and go isn’t your garden-v
take my pla So th is most definitely its kind in the world
. if
ng up and down the only event of
training—vigorously
rowi
fact, it’s totally unique— dd,” this co mes pretty close.
er Thames in engla
nd. We’d take nary definition of “o
the riv ol. you’re after a dictio regatta.
esenting our scho Welcome to the he
nley-on-Todd a, nestled
part in races repr henley e middle of Australi
at the world-famou
s
Alice Springs is smack bang in th ith a population
n. Once we rowed are rthern Territory. W
Sometimes we’d wi Queen. Bu t my rowing days in the southe rn region of the no ribed as “limited,”
tta, in front of the ly 20 years. that could be desc
royal rega titive boat for near and a cultural life
t foot on a compe of 28,000 from being the
history. i haven’t se gust, i find myself is very far indeed
id afternoon in Au this rem ote outback town as August turns int
o
ver, on a dusty, ar rse. But every year,
howe center of the known unive ly known— comes alive.
Well, almost. different from the ice—as it’s popular
reliving my youth. September, The Al
[inset], but it’s a bit
i’m in a one-man boat oars. no sides, eit
her. in fact,
old days. There’s no bottom and no
Zoom-Zoom 9

40. indOOr BeAch
ThE TEaMs
Run, fREd E-
f LinTsTOn
sT YLE, up a Ed
d RY RivERb
At 11 a.m . sharp, the normall
y peaceful Todd Ma
ll in the center
for a motley crew
of
o a parade ground
of town is transformed int s and comica lly aggressive
dignitaries, tourist ed with flour
competitors, town ders are bombard
gs. Bystan
loc als dressed as Vikin ls, as gaily decorated floats
d with water pisto
bombs and squirte ed town center.
pedestrianiz in the parade:
pass through the ion is represented
it seems ev ery local organizat , the jesus Army,
y Volunteer Ministry
the rotaria ns, the Scientolog erican base on the
uids (there’s an Am
the U.S. Army’s fighting Sq rvice and many, m
any
yal flying doctor Se
outskir ts of town), the ro t, global door -handle leviathan
onsor of the even el, with a legion
others. The main sp amount of personn
s the largest towards the
Assa Abloy, provide arching in formation
of yellow T-shir ted employees m ll start at noon.
the competition wi
Todd river’s dr y riverbed, where r,” Alice Springs
our annual calenda
“This is the biggest event in takes a battery
ims proudly, as he
town crier Milton Blanch excla ’s a chance for the
e extinguisher. “it
of wate r from a Viking’s fir d have a fantastic
time.
their hair down an
town speople to really let irit.” Then he ’s off towards
t for community sp
Above all, it’s grea ier’s bell as rotaria
ns pelt him
his town cr
th e riverbed, ringing
40 Zoom-Zoom

41. indOOr BeAch
dry rUn
e events are simply
. Ultimately, all th
the Wom en’s rowing four tance in sand.
er henley regatta
, from running a short dis s, there’s
qu ite unlike the prop different ways of boat-based pursuit
with flour. This is all een would gside the
eekily takes its name. What the Qu Bu t there’s more. Alon olves a lot of falling over;
which this event ch petition, which inv a large steel
yone’s guess. e the Sand Skis com , which entails filling
m ake of this is an has de scended into th the Sand Shoveli ng competition e Oxford Tubs,
od-natured rabble m e possible; and th
By the time the go day will be very different fro drum with sa nd in the fastest tim a shovel. in the
come clear that to ions el along rails using
main arena, it’s be fro m local radio stat which includ es paddling a vess force of silliness.
d fixture. Two djs, , a veritable tour de
the royally-approve for the afternoon’s fri
volity
fastest tim e possible. All in all tta isn’t typically
e the announcers -friendly. that the Todd rega
SunfM and 8hA, ar m being strictly child “you’ve got to understand SunfM dj josh
ers frequently fro clares the ntralian,’ ” opines
and their banter ve 17th-century fop de lian, it’s typically ‘ce ern Territory. look
cillor dressed as a cidedly off-
Austra
happen in the north
After a town coun stride with some de rs. “This could only ally no law
t into their Batte ere. There’s practic
tta open, the djs ge 00-strong crowd e middle of nowh we’ve got to
rega
his powdered wig.
The 4,5
y. around, we’re in th eat deal to do. So
co lor remarks about is set fo r the rest of the da in these parts and there’s not a gr interjects by
al. And so the tone th five-minute brea
ks A truculent Viking
cackles its approv , wi make our ow n entertainment.” ’s face. “And this,
ts start immediately gaggle ter pistol into josh
The individual even r-O wn-Boat races. A emptying th e contents of his wa
st up, the Bring-you of the now-sodden dj
sputters.
between heats. fir ng line in a variety unfortunately, is it,” in the
es th eir way to the starti man boat— i’ve entered myself
of local teams mak , climb inside them
and
re i am in that one-
ns So he ur-man, but no netheless,
e boat-like creatio a trio of it may not be a fo
wobbly homemad y riverbed, around Men’s kayak heats. petitive craft.
fred flintstone -style, up the sand follows, whereb y cades, i find m yself back in a com y’s
run,
and back. The Bath
tub derby after nearly two de a member of toda
empty fuel drums ing a bathtub . Army soldier and
run the sam e course while carry My competition is a U.S
a team of four men s follow, then
der-16 kayak heat
containing a te enage girl. The Un
Zoom-Zoom

42. indOOr BeAch
all-conquering Assa Abloy crew. i’ll have to do my best. But as the 4x4-powered vessels—the Viking, the defender and
starting pistol cracks, the other two take off like startled whippets, the nauteus—set about laying waste to each other
quite literally leaving me in their dust. running in sand is hard, and and to most of the crowd, with the help of water
my comedy kayak gets heavier with every step. i limp in a pathetic cannons, smoke bombs and 25 electronically
third, with the commentary from the dj box being “cold, stone, detonated flour mortars. After 15 minutes of
motherless last,” before going on to make a detrimental remark ruthless cacophony and intense wetness,
about my brown shorts. it’s all over. The crowd drains away into Alice
So while my return to boating has been something of a failure, Springs to continue celebrating into the night.
the 46th annual Todd regatta has been an unqualified success. As an event, the henley-on-Todd regatta is indeed
Monies have been raised for local charities and the sun has shone unique. is it the silliest day out in the world? possibly.
relentlessly. As the afternoon draws to a close, the crowd braces The most fun? probably. Unless, of course, you’re her
for the grand finale: the Great Battle Boat Spectacular. Three Majesty the Queen of england. n
upload your
adventures / zoom-zoommagazine.com
Zoom-Zoom

43. dry rUn
the alice attractions…
royal flyIng doctor
servIce base
a half-hour tour includes
a visit to the control
room, from where the
rfds operates over-the-air
medical clinics for isolated
territories covering an
area the size of western
europe. flyingdoctor.net
Irrkerlantye
arts center
If you’re after aboriginal
artwork, avoid the pricey
galleries in town. visit
this community arts center
and marvel at the creativity
of the arrernte people.
irrkerlantyearts.com
old ghan traIn
and MuseuM
train buffs will delight at
this collection of restored
carriages and locomotives
from the frontier-busting
ghan railway, which only
reached the alice in 1929.
+1 (8) 89 04
olIve pInk
botanIc garden
founded by australian
anthropologist olive pink,
this sprawling garden offers
mini-bush walks as well as
an array of native shrubs and
flora, such as sturt’s desert
pea (right). opbg.com.au
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44. MazdaSpeed3: dragon slayer
EntEr
44 Zoom-Zoom