Mazda RX 7 - X Caliber

When it comes to Arthurian legend, it's very difficult to know which account is "true." Literary Scholars, intelligent in their own right, seem to break down into hysterics and fervent name-calling when opposing theories are proposed by those they consider "the illiterati." One source of common disagreement surrounds the sword known as Excalibur. Loosely translated into ancient Celtic (Arthur's native tongue) the sword's name means "hard lightning," describing the apparent harnessed power of the weapon. However, even with the popularity of Sean Connery's portrayal of the Once and Future King, the origins of the sword are doubtful. Some scholars say Excalibur is the same sword that Arthur magically pulled from the stone, while others say it was a gift from The Lady of the Lake.

Wherever the "truth" lies, one thing is for certain: Excalibur has been resurrected in the present day. Only this time it has a new name, a new shape, and a new owner.

The RX7 that you see here, owned by Marvin Leckuthai of Los Angeles, Calif., is the legendary sword incarnate-with a few contemporary additions, of course. The scabbard has been transformed into a predominantly aluminum unibody housing, adorned with Mazdaspeed 25th Anniversary fender flares and side skirts that have been custom molded to blend into the styling cues of a C-West front fascia. Factory sheetmetal covering the engine bay was replaced with a mysterious super-strong and lightweight composite material known to apprentice swordsmiths as "carbon fiber." Instead of gemstones adorning the scabbard, X Caliber uses Japanese-spec '99 RX7 turn signals and PIAA's Extreme HID headlights for a touch of brilliance and magnificence. In addition to these add-ons, the neo-scabbard also sports a custom neon-blue underglow with stroboscopic lights in the front and rear to blind charging attackers in all directions. A Corvis GT wing brings up the rear in a spectacular blaze of medieval F1 glory. In place of the royal family crest, a simple Kandy Cobalt Blue and Neon Yellow (both wares of the House of Kolors) design was used to cover the scabbard, with all the construction and exterior decoration done by ye olde bodysmiths at Excel Autobody.

As everyone knows, the blade is the business end of a sword. Without it, a sword would be nothing more than an over-glorified twirling baton. And, as any good swordsmith knows, the key to a great blade lies within two factors-the right choice of materials and the proper forging/building process. As you would expect from a weapon of the highest caliber, only the choicest materials were used and only the finest craftsmen were enlisted to build upon the magic of the original Excalibur.