Catch of the Day – Mazda MX3

Wow, this picture was taken on February 2015, in Brazil. Time really flies, even when you’re not having fun.

The car is a 1990s Mazda MX3; I can’t tell the exact year. Even if it is not a common sight in Brazil, it is not the kind of car I would take time to photograph. One reason made me pull out my cell and register it.

The owner removed all the original nameplates and logos and replaced them with Ferrari ones. It is funny that the trunk lock cylinder prevents the horse from going full prancing.

I didn’t take a picture of the front of this Mazda, but I do remember seeing the yellow prancing horse Ferrari logo on the hood.

I noticed the Mazda parked at a Shell gas station on my way to and from work every day. I assumed it belonged to the station’s manager. As a regular customer there, I regret never taking the time to find out who owned the car to strike up a conversation about this interesting “Ferrari.”

The car.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Japanese automakers offered some interesting sports compact options for enthusiasts with not-so-deep pockets. It was a time of Honda CRX, Toyota Passeo, Nissan Pulsar, and so on. Mazda was committed to standing out from the competition, and in 1991, the company released the MX3. Besides the bold design, the MX3 offered a 1.8-litre V6 engine. The smallest V6 to ever power a production car.

Despite being a pretty good option then, the MX3 was overshadowed by the Miata, and in 1998, it quietly went into retirement.

The gas station

Writing about this interesting Japanese Ferrari brought me some sweet memories—memories of something as ordinary as fuelling up my car. After so many years away from home, I can help but smile when I remember something like this.

These are a few pictures of the gas station where I found that MX3. Since it was close to my home and on my way to work, I was a regular customer there.

Shell has been changing the image of its stations worldwide for the last decades, but in Brazil, they brought it one notch above the average “gas and convenience” we are used to. There, you can find state-of-the-art pumps, a competent deli inside with delicious sandwiches and snacks baked in-store, clean washrooms, and even a decent selection of wine and beer.

They also fully take advantage of Shell and Ferrari’s partnership. Customers can have a loyalty card, collect points, and redeem them for Ferrari merchandise, such as hats, T-shirts, and die-cast miniatures. Perhaps this link inspired the owner of the MX3.

Another thing I miss about Brazilian gas stations is the digital tire pressure machines; they are easy to operate and free of charge.

“Lives who boldly live.”

This phrase was written on the wall of the men’s washroom at that Shell gas station, and I hope it’s still there. I had to take a picture of it because it’s such an unusual place to display a powerful statement like this.

Sometimes, I wonder if I have truly followed it. When I reflect on the many different places my wife and I have called home, it becomes clear that we have, in some way, been living boldly.