A boy with a passion for mechanics and love of cars finds his equal in a 2001 Mazda NB MX5

An interview with Alex Kerr by Justin Bush

Justin: Welcome, everybody. Hello. Welcome to our first ever live MazdACT Stories interview, coming to you from the Captains Flat Hotel. To say that there’s some trepidation would be an understatement, so please bear with.

Well, what can I say about our guest? He’s been in the group for quite a while now.  I believe it was 2023 that you first came into the group?

Alex: That’s right, at the Canberra Airport. Just before Christmas.

Justin: You’d know him very well. He’s worked on a lot of people’s cars here. I think there’d likely be more people here with their hands up than down. He’s a lovely guy, always there when you need him to be.

Ladies and gentlemen; he’s your mate, he’s my mate – he’s Alex Kerr.  Please make him feel welcome.

Alex: Thanks.

Justin: We’re off to a good start!

Alex: Oh, yeah! Everyone applauds me (laughter)

Justin: That’s good! You’ve got to take it in life. Now, I’d like you to tell us about young Alex.

Alex: Young Alex? How young are we talking here? 

Justin: As far back as you can remember. Who’s young Alex?

Alex: Mischief.

Justin: Mischief?

Alex: To say the least.

Justin: Why?

Alex: Oh, I was always getting in trouble. Mostly just causing stress for my parents. 

Justin: Your parents are here today. They’re in the audience.

Alex: Yeah, they’re hiding there somewhere. But I was just someone who was willing to learn. I did Scouts as a kid, so I was always just wanting to not so much be independent but always learn something new. Life involvement skills in the sense of survival and stuff like that. I played soccer for about nine years, and it was always something different to learn.

Justin: Awesome. Your partner Sophie is also here today, though I’m not sure she can hear you back there?

Alex: She’s too busy playing with the dog!

Justin: How you doing, Sophie? Can you hear Alex back there?

Sophie: I’m playing with the dog, sorry (laughter)

Alex: We’ll make it work. Why do you think we’ve got a dog at home? 

Justin: I was going to say, this is why! Tell me, what was your first mechanical experience as a child that you can remember?

Alex: I was probably about six years old. Dad was doing brakes on my mum’s BA Ford Falcon. It was purple and he started doing the brakes on it. He comes inside and says, I need a hand with this. I’m like, I can help. I went out there, gave him a hand and then any time he was working on a car from there, I was just helping him out – doing oil changes, brakes here and there. 

Alex discovers his passion for mechanics, working on the family car and some early driving time in his youth (Credit – Kerr Family)

Justin: (Yells) So Dad, did you appreciate the help?

Alex’s Dad: Every time. You could have said no!  Less work for you to do, but then you wouldn’t be here today.

Justin: There you go. We were talking about this the other day, and I know we had to narrow it down, but what’s a memory you have working on something where you kind of went, oh, I got this! This is something I could do. 

Alex: So when I was about six, that was the birth of my passion for cars and stuff like that. When I started college, the school announced they had an automotive class that had just opened, and they asked if I would be interested. I’m like, yeah, sure, why not? Give it a shot. I’ve always had a passion for cars. Let’s give it a go. From there my first task was to rebuild a lawnmower. 

The school bought a whole pile of lawnmowers that didn’t run and none of them started. This is one of the old petrol lawnmowers, two stroke. We got given the dirtiest lawnmowers, and me the worst one out of the bunch.

It was covered in oil. The piston was seized, rusted solid. We had to go on with the task of getting our own piston rings and stuff, going and talking to local shops. In Kambah (a Canberra suburb), for example, back at the petrol station, there was an old mower shop there.

Tinkering with an engine early in the journey, building on knowledge that would later be applied to his MX5 (Credit – Kerr Family)

I went and got piston rings from there and even though mine was the worst one out of the bunch, it was the first one to be running again. After that, I’m just like, it’s either I’ve got a good talent for this, or I’ve just learned well in this aspect of things.

I’ve always been good with my hands, and I’ve always been good with thinking about how cars and engines work. 

Justin: Yeah, right. I mean, it’s not something that I can say I can compare to. I bring my own car to you all the time and mechanically, I look at it and it’s just ones and zeros – it boggles my mind. But when you look at it, what do you see?

Alex: I don’t see ones and zeros. It’s the same as reading a book. I don’t picture those sorts of images in my head. When I look at a car, I see diagrams. I picture an engine breakdown; I picture all the parts laying out on a bench and how it all works and pairs together.

Justin: Wow, that’s incredible. Is there anything else in life that you see like that? 

Alex: Not really, to be honest. Everything sort of just pieces together when it comes to cars. My whole life, my family that I have, the family that I’ve built between Soph and my fur babies and stuff like that, it just sort of falls together. The same as like a car just falls together – it just works. 

Justin: It just works. Let’s talk about this car – where does this come into your life? 

Alex: About seven years ago. I had an NA before this one. One of those with the pop-up lights. It was a boat and the suspension was shot. It overheated on the way back from Sussex Inlet on the South Coast and somehow still ran. It was great and I loved it.

Alex and his partner Sophie at a time when two MX5’s occupied the driveway (Credit – Kerr Family)

From there, I drove it around on a day-to-day basis. It had oil leaks, it had coolant leaks, but it still ran. It was a fun little toy. Unfortunately, I crashed it. I had it for about a year, and then I crashed it. That was eight years ago.  Then seven years ago, I got this one; my Dad and I drove to Sydney to get it.

After I crashed my NA, I stripped it down and sold the parts plus I utilised insurance money. I came about two grand short for this one and I had about five grand in my pocket, so I was short. I bought this for seven-two and if it wasn’t for Dad, I wouldn’t have had that money to be able to buy it. I went and looked at, I think, three MX5s in Sydney at the time. I saw the blue and just went, I’ve got to have it; it’s got to be this one! It turns out it’s a rare colour.

Justin: What colour is it?

Alex: It’s called Crystal Blue – Crystal Mica to be exact. I believe there was approximately 700 of them that got delivered to Australia and there was something like only 3,655 worldwide. A lot of them have come to the unfortunate ends of being crashed, and this is probably the only one in Canberra.

Justin: That’s amazing. I think it suits you; it feels like a very optimistic colour. It’s just nice.

Alex: It needs a bit of work in terms of paint work. You just don’t look too closely (laughter)

Justin: Good from afar, but far from good. We’re talking about what’s on the outside of the car but let’s duck inside the car. What have you done to this car, Alex? 

Alex: What hasn’t been done to this car? Let’s say the transmission is the one thing that hasn’t been touched.

Everything I’ve done, I did myself with some help from Dad. It has a built engine with stronger rods, pistons and valve springs that’s been turbocharged using the factory NB MX5 turbo and manifold. 

It’s got a Torsen LSD from an early model MX-5. All the suspension’s been redone with polyurethane bushes and Tein coil-overs with the full electronic suspension adjustment. You then have a four-point roll cage, a brace seat that can bolt in and out and a six-point brace harness as well, which allows you to do quite a lot. You can go to the shops or go to the track.

I’ve built it not to be a grenade. I’ve built it to be a car that I can run around as a daily but still have a lot of fun with. As much as it probably uses tyres faster than your everyday car because of the amount of camber it runs, I drive it to and from work. It’s my little runaround, basically. You’ve got the proper harness seatbelt as well.

Justin: Wow, is that right? 

Alex: Yeah, the proper six-point brace harness and stuff like that. I’ve got that on today. I just literally put it in yesterday in preparation for the track day coming up. When it comes past the track day, I’ll take that out and put the factory seat back in and away you go.

Justin: That’s fantastic. Having done everything you have so far, do you have any more plans for this car as time goes on?

Alex: Yes, eventually it’ll get a full respray exterior-wise, liven up the colour back to original. Eventually a bigger turbo, more power, full fuel system and all that kind of jazz. The transmission will get changed out to a sequential transmission, so faster shifts but still like a manual style. Something a bit more fun, it’ll wine its head off, but it’ll be a bunch more fun.

Justin: It’s about longevity, isn’t it?

Alex: Oh, yeah. Everything I’ve done and plan to do is for longevity. It’s a transmission that’ll handle power. The current one handles what it’s got but I don’t know for how long. You see your life flash before your eyes every time you use it. Third gear’s a little bit crunchy every now and then. I’m like, God, when’s that going to go? 

Justin: Having just touched on it, what does taking this car to the track mean to you?

Alex: It’s a challenge. It pushes my own comfort levels. I like the whole idea of having a challenge. I set my own times. I like to race against my own times, try and be better, try and be faster, but it also pushes my skills as a mechanic to the limits. How well have I built this engine? How well have I done the suspension?

A regular at Pheasant Wood Circuit, Marulan during track days, Alex hones his skills with accuracy as he chases the clock to his own personal satisfaction, seen here in 2024 and 2025 (Credit – AO Graphics)

It challenges not just me mentally and comfort-wise for racing time, but it also challenges my physical skill as to how I’ve built this car. I’ve built it to be a track car that I can still drive home. I can go to the track and not fear blowing it up. I can go to the track and go, yep, that’s the day done. Drive home and that’s it.  That’s what I’ve achieved so far. I’d only just turbocharged it after the last track day so hopefully after this next track day, I can do the exact same thing.

Justin: Good on you. I’m certainly looking forward to the next track day! Having been in the car with you, it’s an experience, to say the least. Even before it was turbocharged, it was a very fun and very fast car on the track, so I cannot wait to see what it can do.

Alex: I can’t wait to see it either. I’ll just cross the heart. 

Justin: Having said that, when you look back in the Mazda catalogue, why do you feel that the MX has got such an appeal over other cars?

Alex: I don’t look at it from the Mazda catalogue point of view. I got introduced to these cars through my old job as a full-time mechanic. One of the guys that I worked with had one, took me for a drive in it, and I loved it, so I went out and bought myself one. 

But ever since then, when I got this one, it’s been through thick and thin, it’s been through its ups and downs, and it’s been there when I need to clear my mind. I go for a drive, and it doesn’t matter how fast or slow I go, it always just clears the head, puts a smile on my face. No matter where I go, no matter what I do and it doesn’t matter whether I look at this one or another MX-5 on the road or even in a book or in a catalogue, I still look at these cars and think, it’s been an absolute pleasure to own one and it’s always going to be a pleasure to own one.

Out and about with MazdACT, seen at speed during Race the Train (March 2024) and his very first appearance for a monthly meet at the Canberra Airport (April 2023) (Credit – Zach Pyle Photography / We Love Our Cars Photography)

Justin: Good answer, Alex. That’s fantastic. Tell me, what does Mazda mean to you and why?

Alex: Fun and reliability. Every Mazda that I’ve seen, every Mazda that I’ve driven, whether it be my own car or another car through work, has been a reliable car. They’re a peppy little engine, but they’re just comfortable and they’re fun to drive. A lot of the Mazda’s that I’ve driven, even if they’re a bone stock car, even without work, if you drive them like a normal car, they’re reliable and they’re comfortable. They go on a day-to-day basis; they can get you from A to B ten million times without an issue and that’s if you look after them.

Justin: That’s what it’s all about. 

Alex: That’s exactly right. Every single car brand has its, what I’d like to say, dud. The sort of car that you look at and go, I don’t want to buy that. Even Mazda has those cars, but 90% of Mazda’s, you look at them and you just go, what’s wrong with it? Why would you even bother selling it if it’s just such a reliable car? It’s fantastic and a lot of the time it’s because people just go, do I need to downsize or upsize. Personally I think Mazda has something for everyone and I love it.

Justin: Alex, this has been a blast today. I also just want to thank our audience as well. Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for Alex Kerr. 

Alex: Thank you very much.

The MazdACT Stories live interview with Alex Kerr and his 2001 Mazda NB MX5 was conducted at The Captains Flat Hotel in New South Wales. Photography used here with permission by Anthony Oh at AO Graphics. Additional archival by the Kerr Family, Zach Pyle Photography and We Love Our Cars Photography. Website article formatted, assembled and hosted by Kevin Ha at StreetScene. Special thanks to the staff at The Captains Flat Hotel for their support and courtyard set backdrop and audience members of the Canberra car scene. Words, interview and story by Justin Bush at Austography Film Image Inc. for MazdACT Stories, Winter 2025.

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A VINTAGE STEAM TRAIN AND CAR ENTHUSIASTS COMBINE IN THE NATIONS’ CAPITAL FOR A SPECIAL EASTER EVENT

Words by Justin Bush

There’s something about a steam engine that contains a feeling of magic in the air.

From the hiss of the blow off valve to the smells of oil and grease on metal, the design of the locomotive or simply riding high in the cabin while the exhaust beat of the large driving wheels thunders along the railway line – they are living, breathing entities from another time and place.

Lukas White, Operations Manager at The Picnic Train is someone who appreciates the former glory of a steam engine. He’s just one of a passionate network of enthusiasts that help to ensure new generations are inspired by the former golden age of steam across the country with highly sort after heritage tours that, as recently as last year, carried somewhere in the vicinity of 50,000 passengers via Picnic Train excursions across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

“When I was young, my parents took me down to Hornsby Railway Station to watch locomotive 3801 come through on one of the Newcastle Flyer tours. The sound of the whistle, the smell of the engine, the coal burning and all the noises, just standing there next to that engine really captured me and made me appreciate what a steam engine is. Since then, I’ve thought steam engines are cool, and I’ll do whatever I can to make sure they stay around.”

Australia’s most well-known steam locomotive, 3801 (thirty-eight-oh one) recreates one of its famed Newcastle Flyer express trains from the 1940’s, seen here fresh from a multi-year overhaul in the 1980’s. (Credit via unknown source)

The Picnic Train has its origins in a different time. As Australia’s fleet of steam operated passenger and freight trains concluded in the early 1970’s after a century of powering the nation’s transport network, former operational staff and enthusiasts rushed to acquire items of rolling stock before they were scrapped. As heritage groups began to appear, one of those was the Lachlan Valley Railway who, with locomotive 5917 and a handful of carriages, opted to head south from Sydney to the seaside hamlet of Kiama for day trips on what became known as The Picnic Train.

The seaside township of Kiama is unique as the South Coast Line runs directly through the middle of town. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, locomotive 5917 is seen crossing the Terralong Street viaduct and at Bombo Beach with a day tour of the original Picnic Train (Credit via The Picnic Train)

“The train was a last-minute effort that the railways were trying to do in preservation. It went to Kiama and became known as the Picnic Train back in the 80s. Over the years it fell out of popularity until back in late 2018 when Lachlan Valley Railway decided to run another Picnic Train. They used locomotive 5917, but unfortunately it was in bad shape at the time, so the tour was re-formed to raise funds to restore and look after it.”

Far from the original syndicate of owners that presided over the group, Lukas and his ragtag team of current operators now bring the joy south to Canberra on the Easter and October Long Weekends. The magic of steam travel for residents of the nation’s capital is always guaranteed, with a recent total of 8000 passengers across the holiday period enjoying daily trips to the township of Bungendore. It therefore came as a surprise when the team decided it was time to collaborate with a local Mazda and rail enthusiast to add a special event to their already packed holiday schedule.

Lukas White and his committed team of operational staff and enthusiasts are a familiar sight across the state and the guardians of The Picnic Train, an enthusiast tour group that has its origins as far back as the early 1970’s.

Locomotive R766 is The Picnic Train’s latest addition to a bustling fleet of heritage locomotives. The R is from a class of 70 former mainline steam locomotives that emerged on the Victorian Railways in 1951, hauling express passenger and heavy freight trains across the state until their protracted withdrawal from service in 1974. Seven examples remain and R766 alone holds the unique honour of being the only locomotive in Australia to be converted for use in New South Wales from the Victorian rail network.

Today, the R is experiencing another first. As Lukas and his team perform a mid-morning oil and water refuelling break between trips in the Canberra rail yard (R766 was converted to an oil burner from coal firing in 2001), members and guests of local Mazda enthusiast social group MazdACT (Mazda’s of the Australian Capital Territory) are enjoying the unique opportunity of photo and videography of their vehicles with the engine for a first of-its-kind event in Australia; Race the Train!

“Long before Mazda came into my journey, I was a child bitten by the love and adoration of steam trains. As I got older and other passions took me away, I always retained that love from a distance and when I started MazdACT in 2021, I recalled The Picnic Train visiting the capital at the Easter long weekend. What started as a few unofficial cruises to Bungendore following the train became an official event in 2023 and now to have the operators on board (excuse the pun) – it’s a dream come true!”

MazdACT Director Justin Bush is an enthusiast who believes in offering unique outings for the car community, and through his committed efforts has gained the recognition of Mazda Australia. With a background passion for railway history, he is reminded of the effect that passion can have on people by simply looking around the rail yard as guests line up their vehicles for a photo opportunity with R766, idling patiently alongside. Members old, young and some with children are conversing and taking photos, talking cars and speaking with the engine crew as a line-up of some of Canberra’s best photographers capture the magic.

And what a line up they are rewarded with. From various iterations of the stylish Mazda MX5 to a rare Mitsuoka Le-Seyde, Toyota MR2’s, a Datsun 1200 sedan and 2000 roadster, ultra-modern BMW coupes, a classic Holden Commodore, various motorbikes, a pair of Mazda’s classic FC RX7’s and even a Tesla Model 3 (which Lukas attempts to hide with a black smoke plume courtesy of Fireman Alex Jollye in the cabin of R766, only creating a dramatic backdrop!), there is no shortage of eye candy for both sides of the enthusiast community. It’s what Justin and Lukas have worked so diligently towards, with the pre-event rail yard photo opportunity a rare and hard-earned achievement by Lukas.

“I think bringing the aspect of racing a train into a car community just adds another layer of excitement to what already is, by themselves, two very exciting groups. Being able to bring those people together and share their cars and their enthusiasm and race the train is a cool aspect that I look forward to for many years to come.”

As the final guests achieve their photo and depart, members of MazdACT unveil a last-minute addition to take pride and place aboard the front plate of R766. Created in the 48 hours prior to the event, it’s the group emblem on timber headboard which itself was inspired by the original ACT Coat of Arms found upon Canberra based steam locomotives of the past. The Picnic Train has now become the MazdACT Train (a move that will later confuse avid rail enthusiasts).

It’s Midday in Canberra’s industrial suburb of Fyshwick.

R766 has rolled out of the rail yard and is reversing back onto a booked-out tour train at the Canberra Railway Station platform. Further up the corridor at the Newcastle Street bridge, MazdACT and guests have taken over the Metro Petroleum precinct to await the arrival of the train for a special out-of-service stop near the roadway. Justin’s young boys and friends are down beside the line with large, chequered flags, photographers are taking up positions and a crowd has gathered along the embankment as, at last, Justin spies some black smoke in the far distance.

“It was Lukas’ idea to have a start line at our original, unofficial starting position at the petrol station in Fyshwick. We’ve always been able to get vehicles and guests safely parked alongside the line as the train thunders up and out of Canberra, with the ability to then get on the road quickly to follow it. But this year was different – to see the R slowly roll to a stop just for us and all the smiling faces and waving passengers on the train; it was truly magic.”

As the train rolls to a stop, Lukas is filming from the cabin and the midday passengers’ wave to the gathered crowd along the corridor. Below him the little boys stand poised with chequered flags raised high, drivers watch on and some remain with their vehicles, ready to hop in and go. Justin is on the megaphone, at first with a welcome to the event before a three second countdown begins. Then he jumps in the air and yells – GO!

The flags wave and hands cover ears as R766 chimes three times before releasing its steam valve, temporarily deafening the crowd. Anticipated wheel slip from the locomotive doesn’t occur; rather, the firebox, glimpsed just beneath the cabin frame, pops like firecrackers as power thrusts to the main driving wheels. The crowd rush to their vehicles as the train disappears into the distance, some goodbyes are made as others leave, and Lukas has his fist in the air aboard the engine. The race is on!

“It’s the fastest it’s ever been driven on that bit of track with that engine to date, and a favourite moment for me was stopping the train right at the start line. We had the flags there and everyone was watching – they dropped, and the engine went off and the driver didn’t hold back! It was just 100% full regulator and the fact that the engine didn’t go into a wheel slip and held its feet, that was probably the best moment for me. That was brilliant.”

The route leaving Canberra takes the convoy, some 30 cars strong, along Canberra Avenue and into the outskirts of Queanbeyan. Immediately traffic lights cause break ups and before long the race is struggling for MazdACT as more and more drop back into separate groups. R766 has cleared Queanbeyan Railway Station and is across the Molonglo River Bridge preparing to tackle the steep climb into the gorge under full power – the cabin crew fully committed to the race.

“In the preceding years with locomotive 5917, we always managed to use the gorge climb to get back in front of the train as the Kings Highway has an easier gradient and opportunities for overtaking slower vehicles. But I knew the second I saw smoke well past Queanbeyan as we came in that we were in big trouble.”

Justin retains a handful of participants as he frustratedly tries to pull everybody through the outer suburbs and standard weekend traffic onto the coast road. Some have gone directly through the CBD and are pulled over, waiting to rejoin the cruise as it thunders up through The Ridgeway and out towards Bungendore. Aboard R766, Lukas and team have picked up speed as the corridor flattens out coming across the Burbong River Bridge – and sight no cars roadside for the first fly-by. With double demerits on the roads due to the Easter period, Justin holds it steady as Lukas calls by phone for an update.

“The phone call was the moment I knew we didn’t stand a chance this year. Lukas was trying to hear me over the roar of the firebox as I yelled to him that we were still descending towards the river bridge and all I could spy was the smoke of the train way to the east and ahead of us. The last words I caught were we’ll see you all in Bungendore…”

Waving vehicles to remain on the Kings Highway and not stop, Justin and the group power on and await overtaking lanes for passing opportunities to reach the outskirts of Bungendore. He’s out of his car and waving madly to the oncoming cruise to make a right hand turn toward the Hoskinstown Level Crossing; a 100 kph zone that leaves little room for a mistake. While almost all vehicles pick up on the signal, an RX7 overshoots and must make a fast U-turn to rejoin the group just as the second RX7 joins him, both briefly sideways as they floor it towards the rail corridor.

The convoy is now split into three groups and at various distances from Bungendore. The first arrives at the level crossing with under a minute to spare as they hear R766 sound its whistle, quickly arranging their vehicles on the roadway for the only photo pass achievable today. With vehicles still arriving, R766 thunders across the roadway shaking and roaring with whistle blasts as she powers into Bungendore with her fully laden train behind her. For 2025 and after months of hard work, speculation and concerns about the R’s running gear – The Picnic Train has won. As Lukas notes;

“We did have a bit of a discussion after the event where I said, oh look it would have been good if we’d maybe met them at Burbong (River Bridge) and then gone the full 100 percent into the race so that they could at least see the engine The crew were like, no, it was a race, we were treating it like a race. So we gave it everything!”

Bungendore Railway Station offers a chance for the crew and convoy to finally come back together. Justin, Alex and Lukas shake hands and acknowledge the outcome with camaraderie, reflections and good banter. The headboard has done the event proud and is still attached to the front of R766. Convoy guests have begun their slow journey home and after a brief stop to see the train in reverse at the river bridge, organisers rejoin the crew in the afternoon back in Canberra for a debrief and final goodbyes.

As the sun begins its slow descent towards the horizon, the crew prepare R766 for her last journey of the day as Lukas and Justin converse with Alex about what 2026 may hold. Speculation on an award, moving the start line and setting a firm finish line and a qualifying number of vehicles for victory are discussed. As the train departs and the last remaining guests exit the yard, they return to the roads of the nation’s capital defeated yet inspired for another year; safe in the knowledge that a unique collaboration has been achieved and that victory belongs to everyone involved.

“It was a huge effort with several moving parts, from organisers to the crew, the broad range of guests and our wonderful creatives that were given such an awesome canvas to make some magic. If you’re not heading to church, away or consuming chocolate, then Race the Train is the place to be on Easter Saturday for a truly special day out!”

Like the Great Race of Hunter Valley Steamfest each March and the Puffing Billy Running Festival in Victoria each September, Race the Train! joins a select number of special events nationally where transport goes into competition mode for the enjoyment of guests. But unlike a race between steam engines and biplanes and vintage locomotives and marathon runners, the race that comes together in the nation’s capital is one that draws upon that oldest of competitors – the automobile and the train.

And that race is far from over.

Race the Train! is a special event held on Easter Saturday in Canberra and is proudly presented by MazdACT and The Picnic Train with support from the Canberra Railway Museum. Photography used here with permission by Tyler P. Media, We Love Our Cars Photography, SnapsBySal, Xpresstrainography, AO Graphics, AusChronicles and Mani de Mel with additional archival by The Picnic Train. The R766 headboard was created by Storm Cruden, Aaron Smyth, Reece Whitefield and Alex Kerr with print work by Instant Colour Press, Belconnen. Website article formatted, assembled and hosted by Kevin Ha at StreetScene. Words, research and story by Justin Bush at MazdACT with interview elements by Rebecca Robson for MazdACT Stories, Autumn 2025.