Cars, like everything else in life, come and go. When some cars fade away, we’re glad and relieved. For others that we loved and admired, their deaths bring us the lonely agony of loss and despair. And so, we mourn them.
Back in 2008, I went to the New York International Auto Show intent on seeing the glorious Mazda Furai concept with my own eyes. I’d seen the photos and I was of the opinion that it was the single greatest-looking concept in recent history.
AND THEN it came to be known that the Furai was burned to a crisp during a Top Gear test in 2013. This line, in particular, sent a sour pang through my heart when I read it:
As the crew hose the Furai, its Mazda badge gets blasted off and onto the tarmac, where it comes to rest surrounded by charred carbon fibre.
Shit.
Anyone else mourning a car? It doesn’t have to be a concept like the Furai. It could be a car you owned that died or was sold. Or a car that is no longer made. Or any car, really.
Let’s talk it out. It helps.
Correction: An earlier version of this story alleged that Top Gear did the burning, when in fact, it was a Mazda driver at the wheel during the incident. This story has been updated to reflect that. But I’m STILL MAD THAT IT HAPPENED.