Mazda Furai Concept Unveiling Video
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, Auto Show Videos, Concept Cars, Mazda
Tags: Detroit, Furai, Japanese
At the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Mazda introduced the newest vehicle of the Nagare Design Concept. As the latest in Mazda’s award-winning and highly acclaimed series of Nagare concept cars, the Furai P2 concept vehicle celebrates 40 years of rotary engine and international motorsports heritage with the raciest interpretation of NAGARE design language to-date.
Enjoy our video of the Mazda Furai Concept unveiling.
Click here for more on the Mazda Furai Concept.
2009 Mazda RX-8 Shown At Detroit Auto Show
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, Mazda, Sports Coupes
Tags: Detroit, Japanese, RX-8
For 2009, Mazda will further the evolution of the four-door, four-seater sports coupe, giving RX-8 a refreshed exterior and interior design, enhanced performance and a new R3 sport package for the ultimate driving enthusiast. Unchanged is the core of the RX-8 – a high-powered, lightweight and perfectly balanced machine powered by the world-renowned twin-rotor RENESIS rotary engine.
For 2009, RX-8 receives design enhancements that are meant to freshen the styling and give RX-8 a new look, without impairing the basic design theme. Refinements for the 2009 model year include restyled front and rear bumpers and front fascia; sporty, high quality finish front and rear headlamps; and larger exhaust pipes (now measuring 90 mm across). The 2009 RX-8 also offers a new five-spoke wheel design featuring a symbolic and sporty design reminiscent of the rotary engine, with different arrangements for each wheel size.
Given that it is a sports car, the engineers improved the RX-8 body rigidity through the addition of structural reinforcements, by adding a trapezoidal strut tower bar and enhancing the local rigidity of the front suspension tower areas. Also, the rear suspension geometry has been reconfigured for better handling performance and driveshaft rigidity is improved, lowering NVH levels and improving performance.
In addition, the differential gear ratio on manual transmission-equipped cars is lowered from 4.444 to 4.777 for improved off-the-line performance. While minimal, these performance changes give RX-8 increased acceleration and performance, as well as even greater responsiveness to the accelerator pedal – always a rotary-engine and
RX-8 hallmark.
The 2009 Mazda RX-8 is available as either a 232-horsepower model fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, or a 212-horsepower model fitted with a six-speed Sport A/T automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for a Formula 1-style driving experience.
To cater to the driving-conscious enthusiast, the 2009 RX-8 will offer a new R3 sport package. Providing the very best in rotary-powered motoring, the R3 harkens back to the R1 and R2 packages offered on the mighty third-generation RX-7, and adds a sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers and front suspension crossmembers filled with urethane foam. Filling the crossmembers makes for a smoother ride, minimized NVH and greater suspension control. On the visual side of the package, a rear spoiler, side sills, fog lights and sporty front bumper are added to give an aggressive appearance, along with 19-inch forged aluminum-alloy wheels with high performance tires. Inside, the R3 adds a 300-watt Bose® audio system with Centerpoint® surround sound and AudioPilot® noise compensation technology, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, front Recaro sport seats with leather side bolsters, leather-wrapped parking brake handle and Mazda advanced keyless entry and start system.
Three other trim levels are also offered including: a Sport trim, a Touring trim (adds HID headlights, fog lamps, auto dimming mirror with Homelink® and 6-disc auto changer on top of the Sport trim features and DSC; add 18-inch wheels, a limited-slip differential, sport-tuned suspension and larger front disc brakes to these items for A/T cars, and Bose® audio system, moonroof, SIRIUS satellite radio are offered as the package option), and a Grand Touring trim (on top of the Touring trim features, adds automatic air conditioner, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, Bose® audio system auto headlight, rain sensing wiper, power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support and memory function, leather seating surfaces — heated front seats— and heated outside mirrors and Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry & Start system. A DVD-driven satellite-navigation unit is available as a stand-alone option and uses a single DVD for mapping the entire United States and portions of Canada. Additionally, a moon roof and SIRIUS satellite radio are offered as an package option).
The Latest Interpretation Of The Nagare Concept: The Mazda Furai
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, Concept Cars, Mazda
Tags: Detroit, Furai, Japanese
At the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Mazda introduced the newest vehicle of the Nagare Design Concept. As the latest in Mazda’s award-winning and highly acclaimed series of Nagare concept cars, the Furai P2 concept vehicle celebrates 40 years of rotary engine and international motorsports heritage with the raciest interpretation of NAGARE design language to-date.
Furai (pronounced “foo-rye”, Japanese for “sound of the wind”) is the sort of car that could only come from a company that incorporates the “Soul of a Sports Car” into everything it builds, but with an eye toward the future and the environment through the use of renewable fuels. Driving toward sustainability, Furai was initially tuned to operate on 100 percent ethanol fuel, the first time a racing three-rotor rotary engine has been fueled by ethanol. Research continues in earnest with partner BP into other renewable and future fuels, including ethanol gasoline blends like E10.
Franz von Holzhausen, Mazda North American Operations’ (MNAO) Director of Design and the person who lead the team that created the Furai, explains the concept behind the concept, “We were looking for a way to bridge the gap between Mazda Motorsports and the production vehicles in our lineup. The mindsets of road-car and racing car fans are quite different, so the purpose of Furai is to find a meeting point for these disparate interests.”
Instead of mimicking racecar components and design elements in a road car – the strategy preferred by supercar manufacturers – the “Mazda way” was to begin this project with the real McCoy: a Courage C65 chassis that earned its stripes during two seasons of LMP-2 endurance racing in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). This sports car was successfully campaigned under the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development banner by B-K Motorsports during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Drivers Jamie Bach, Guy Cosmo, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, and Raphael Matos piloted the car to one victory and a total of nine podium finishes in 15 ALMS events.
“Anticipating future rules changes in the ALMS, we created a new closed cockpit which would be more appropriate for a future production model,” said von Holzhausen. “The major element we did not change is the 450-horsepower RENESIS-based R20B three-rotor rotary engine that provides Furai ample Zoom-Zoom. The ultimate Mazda in our minds is rotary powered; as a company, we have no intention of abandoning that valuable asset. When people think of the very best sports cars in the world, the rotary powered Mazda RX-7 is always on that list.”
Disclaimer: Mazda neither intends to race Furai, nor is it a supercar the company plans to build and sell in the near future. Rather, Furai is a design study that lives between those extremes. Without the restrictions imposed by serial production models, and with the freedom of an autoshow environment, Mazda is using the opportunity to evolve the company’s Nagare design theme one more step closer to reality.
Mazda Taiki Unveiled At Detroit Auto Show
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, Concept Cars, Mazda, Sports Coupes
Tags: Detroit, Japanese, Taiki
The Mazda Taiki reflects one possible direction for a future generation of Mazda sports cars aimed at helping create a sustainable society. The fourth concept car in the Nagare design series, Mazda Taiki, further evolves the “flow” theme to establish a breathtaking presence that clearly defines its Nagare credentials, and visually expresses the atmosphere - called taiki in Japanese - that wraps the Earth in its protective mantle. Centering around the performance rotary engine sports packaging that is synonymous with the Mazda name, technologies introduced for the Mazda Taiki include the next-generation RENESIS (rotary engine 16X, refer to book separate volume for details), which sets new standards for environmental and driving performance, a front-engine rear-wheel-drive layout, unique 2-seat configuration, and others which convey an image of lightness. The effect integrates perfectly the design theme to realize unbeatable aerodynamic performance.
An evolution of Nagare design; the form of a car that operates in harmony with the environment; the creation of an iconic Mazda sports car symbolized by its next-generation RENESIS. To bring these concepts together and create a design worthy of the Nagare design series, chief designer Atsuhiko Yamada presented his team with a single objective: create “a design that visually expresses the flow of air”.
“The preceding three concept cars in the Nagare series each took a hint from nature, such as the flow of water or the patterned surface of wind-swept sand dunes. In contrast, Mazda wanted Taiki to convey both the beauty and power of nature, while also emphasizing the importance and the wonderful splendor of our environment. That led to our focusing on the air that blankets our planet and our desire to apply Nagare design in visually representing this entity, which is normally invisible to the eye,” said Chief Designer Atsuhiko Yamada. And, as the very name of the concept car makes clear, Mazda Taiki’s futuristic design embodies Mazda’s determination to build cars that contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.
The challenge to create “a design that visually expresses the flow of air” was inspired by the image of a pair of Hagoromo - the flowing robes that enable a celestial maiden to fly in Japanese legend - floating down from the sky. In addition to drawing sketch after sketch in various attempts to capture the right look, the designers also tried unique approaches, such as soaking cloth in plaster and then hanging it to dry while flapping in the wind, thereby capturing the motion of air in solid form. This gave birth to an innovative design, one with a nimble, light appearance and flowing contours that naturally capture the hearts and imaginations of those who see it.
The basic proportions begin with the stretched coupe form of a front-engine rear-wheel -drive layout, the short overhangs, and the liberating feel of the all-glass canopy, which combine to express a harmony of elegance and sportiness. The lower of the layered hagoromo flows from the front fenders to the sides, where it wraps under the body and gracefully curves up at the rear. The other hagoromo flows from the hood through the shoulder lines it etches, past the unique independent rear fender design, and lends a seductive curve to the rear deck. The fusion of these flowing upper and lower surfaces not only creates a visual depiction of flowing air, it also minimizes body volume for a trim, well-toned appearance, as well as creating a sense of floating lightly on air. This sensation is further amplified by the Ozonic Silver paint that was specially developed for this project. The outer panels of the doors that open widely toward the front form a relief that symbolizes the accelerating flow of air actually experienced by the designer during wind tunnel tests.
The design team sought to achieve an extremely high level of aerodynamic performance through a combination of design and technologies. A bird’s-eye view of the Mazda Taiki body shows how much its width is tapered from front to rear. From the side, one sees the smooth line of the flat underside kick up dramatically at the rear of the body. Validating the designer’s wish to visually capture the motion of flowing air, wind tunnel testing proved the excellent aerodynamic performance inherent in the design. The distinctive shape around the rear wheels, which channels air flowing back from the front fender through a ‘tunnel’ formed between the body and rear fender, also proved effective in creating downforce. The already high aerodynamic potential of the original form was then fine tuned, the end result being an excellent drag coefficient of 0.25 and zero lift.
The edges of the blades that comprise the grille are fitted with ultra-fine rows of brilliant LEDs. The rear combination lamps and door-mounted turn signal lamps employ unique Mazda technology and appear to shine through the body color but are distinguishable only when lit. The effect throughout creates the illusion of flowing air being transformed into lights visible to the human eye.
A collaborative effort with the tire designers and engineers created 22-inch tires for the Mazda Taiki that are dynamic in size and feature a bold tread pattern modeled after a flowing motif. The turbine wheel design was inspired by the turbo fan blades of a jet engine and developed in close collaboration with wheel engineers to create a unique design. (Cooperation: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., Enkei Corporation)
Inspired by Japanese koinobori - the decorative “climbing carp streamers” that fly proudly in the early May skies of Japan- the notion of creating an Air-tube became the concept word for the interior design. In accordance, everything from the dashboard and seats down to the door trim creates the dynamic sensation that the flow of the wind is being visually depicted.
At the same time, the design team created a unique ambience for each half of the interior. The colors and materials clearly divide the cabin into black and white zones, and the strength of the design lines expresses a dynamic yet gentle quality.
On the driver’s side, the dashboard twists in dynamic fashion and continues on the cushion of the driver’s seat. The independent seatback and headrest also create a new expression of flowing lightly, as though on a breeze. Black trim used as the keynote color, creates an environment that better helps the driver concentrate on driving.
The passenger ‘zone’ provides the relaxing comfort of a lounge chair surrounded by plenty of legroom. The white trim color helps accent the resulting expression of roomy comfort that truly befits a passenger seat. The design concept aims for a new form of sports car cabin. The center shelf between the driver and passenger seats can be effectively used as flexible utility space.
The transparent teardrop roof that covers the cabin is reinforced by a truss frame with flowing contours that constitute one part of the body structure. The same design theme is also applied to the steering column and seat frame of the driver’s seat. To make the beautiful contours of this frame design clearly visible, the cushion and back for the driver’s seat are made from a clear elastic silicone plastic material.
The black and white genuine leather of the interior features flowing calligraphic strokes painted on the surface using a gloss paint that contains metallic pigment. A new technique developed through collaboration with textile designers allowed an artist to use a brush to visually recreate the flow of the wind. The lines follow the contours of the dashboard and seats to further emphasize the sense of flow. The material surface is coated using a process that is unique to Mazda. (Cooperation: NUNO Corporation)
Extending gracefully to embrace the steering wheel and driver’s seat, the respective edges of the dashboard each feature a row of red LEDs that function as the tachometer. Streams of red light flow toward the front on either side of the driver to visually depict leaps in engine RPM. The result is dynamic visual feedback that expresses the emotion of driving.
To further advance safety performance and take it to new levels for the future, Mazda is actively working on an HMI that will make communication between driver and machine smoother and easier, as well as further developing advanced active safety technologies. Multi-control switches for the respective systems are integrated into the rotary-inspired steering wheel in a design that allows drivers to perform all driving operations without removing their hands from the steering wheel. Also integrated into the steering wheel is a multi-display that provides the driver with a variety of information displays
Mazda Nagare Concept Revamped At The NYIAS
Filed under: Concept Cars, Mazda, New York International Auto Show
The Mazda Nagare, the first in a series of design concepts introduced at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show, was refreshed for the 2007 New York International Auto Show. Nagare, Mazda Ryuga, and Mazda Hakaze, which makes its North American debut here in New York, are the first three concepts in the series to illustrate Mazda’s new design direction. The series will reach fruition in the fall of 2007, when a fourth concept vehicle is set to make its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show. Franz von Holzhausen, Mazda North American Operations’ (MNAO) Director of Design, and the man responsible for leading the US-based design team which developed this vehicle, explains, “We’re looking well down the road with Nagare. We want to suggest where Mazda design will be in 2020. To do that, we redefined basic proportions and the idea of driving without losing the emotional involvement. Mazda’s driving spirit will be enhanced and intensified by Nagare.”
“Mazda doesn’t produce concept cars to spin its wheels, and while some are more forward-looking than others, we simply do not create pure flights of fantasy. We develop these ideas to demonstrate what we really intend to build and sell. It took soul-searching along with basic research to invent the new surface language we’re calling Nagare. The dynamic qualities of Mazda products already do an excellent job of capturing the spirit of motion, so our goal was to move our design language a major step beyond what we’ve already demonstrated with Sassou, Senku, and Kabura. ”
The design team began by developing a surface or textural language that describes flow. The motion of the Nagare is defined by, and evident in, the texture of its interior and exterior surfaces. Since there is no right or wrong way to capture the impression of motion, each of the Mazda concepts presented throughout this global show season represented a different interpretation of Mazda’s new surface language.
Posed with the question of how flow is inspired from a moving sand dune and how it differs from flow inspired from a crystalline, slate-filled river, Mazda’s North American design team decided to experiment with exterior color options. Going below the water’s surface for inspiration, the design team chose a simple palette comprised of a liquid metal blue metallic base, a super high-gloss white tri-coat trim and silver metal accents – to give Nagare a translucent feel like slate rock under river water.
“We wanted to show that Nagare flow design is flexible,” said von Holzhausen. “It’s not just an abstract sculptural impression. It can be interpreted many different ways and by changing the color, we’ve allowed people to view Nagare for the first time under totally new circumstances.”
Inspired from co-molded Rollerblade wheels, the integrated airless wheel design increases durability and performance. Newly updated tires include a polyurethane-based, flexible surface coating made from recycled rubber aggregate and a urethane binder, which binds to the structural alloy wheels. The high vibration damping and skid-resistant properties of the recycled rubber/ urethane coating allow for an airless tire, suitable for all climate conditions.
The polyurethane and rubber material, made of recycled tires, is the same product used in recreation playgrounds and sport fields. Using Urethane allows the tires to be colored.
Like all Mazda products, Nagare has the soul of a sports car. Its shape is sleek and aerodynamically efficient, as you’d expect of an urban cruiser for the future. Wheels are positioned at the far corners of the envelope for quick steering response and agile maneuverability. There isn’t an ounce of overhang wasted.
Nagare’s side surfaces provide a means of visualizing the air flowing along and over the car as it speeds through the atmosphere. Light and shadow combine to convey this feeling of motion even when the car is still. Similar hints of fluid flow are evident in the hood, wheel arches, LED head- and tail-lamp treatments. The same surface language plays throughout Nagare’s interior; the instrument panel, center console, and door panels all appear to be influenced by flow.
Photo Gallery: Mazda Nagare Concept Photos
Mazda’s Hakaze Concept Glides Into NYIAS
Filed under: Concept Cars, Mazda, New York International Auto Show
In Japanese, the word Hakaze comes from “ha” for “leaf” and “kaze” which means “wind,” a fitting combination for a vehicle that looks like it is effortlessly cutting through the air while standing still. Mazda Hakaze has very compact proportions. At 174 inches, it is roughly the same length as the Mazda3 hatchback – which ensures agile, sporty handling – but is wider (74.4 inches, + 5.3 inches), and taller (61.4 inches, + 3.7 inches) with a high seating position, a very large glass area and large suspension travel, all attributes usually associated with a C-segment SUV.
The design team took inspiration from sports and outdoor activities in the wind or in the water, giving the sensation of being free. The team looked at sports like kite-surfing, flying, diving, driving personal watercraft or a motorcycle. They looked for shapes molded by natural elements – how the wind shapes the sand is a key element in the exterior design of the Hakaze.
Hakaze’s exterior forms are combined with colors, materials and surface treatment that also express Nagare flow. A desert image is the source for its golden color, reminiscent of a desert at sunset.
The natural look to the exterior surface was further underscored by employing a “flop” technique in the color treatment of all panels that are bent at an angle to form two sections with a smooth edge between them. The paint used for such panels was designed to give the upper part of the panel a more transparent feel, which is created by a transparent layer over the color. Then the color “flops” over towards a darker impression below the edge, an effect achieved by additives to the paint and by a slightly different use of particles in the paint. The final effect is similar to a sand dune or a wave in sand, which is lighter above and darker below.
Hakaze was designed to show how a possible future C-segment crossover would meet emerging lifestyles trends, and no other trend sport is as perfect a fit as kite-surfing, the latest big crossover sport. It is designed for typical surfer flexibility.
The interior of the Hakaze is a triumph of form, texture and functionality. Its two large, pop-up doors are keyless, one-touch and give a wide opening into one of its four bucket seats. Once inside, Hakaze’s interior gives an intense open feeling, even with the roof up. The windscreen extends to behind the front occupants, creating an enormous viewing angle. The A-pillar dives into the instrument panel just in front of the door, making this feeling even stronger.
The interior design, and especially the instrument panel, is asymmetrical with a strong focus on the driver. The wrap-around cockpit features a long steering unit that gives a feeling of sportiness and depth. It has orange-lit meters on each side of the steering wheel and in the center of the steering column is an LCD screen with navigation information, images from the car’s rear view and side cameras and warning indicators, all of which give an enhanced feeling of control to the driver. The center of the steering wheel is fixed, only the rim and the lower arm can rotate.
There are also unique sliding controls to the right of the driver on the center console, which follow the three illuminated lines in the surface. These lines have a dune wave design to make it easy for the driver to slide their finger up or down along the surface. Doing so adjusts seat positions, heating, audio and multimedia devices, with light below the surface moving up or down with the finger. The wave strip furthest from the driver has the controls for the car’s hard disc drive multimedia system and an LCD screen that electrically rises up and out of the dashboard surface on the passenger side. This screen can be turned by hand so the driver can also see it when the car is parked.
Data can be transferred to and from the car’s computer with a personal “data shell,” which is a further development of the USB stick concept used on the Mazda Sassou design car.
Hakaze also has a wireless charging pad located in the glove box (also using Bluetooth®) to recharge the batteries of a mobile phone, PDA, camera or MP3 player. This insightful solution does away with annoying cables, and keeps the device out of view and safe while it recharges automatically.
The Hakaze design concept has been conceived to be equipped with either a powerful DISI* gasoline engine or a diesel engine. The MZR 2.3-litre DISI gasoline engine is a high-performance turbocharged engine with direct injection that is coupled to Mazda’s active torque-split all-wheel drive transmission. This is Mazda’s latest MZR powertrain technology and is an ideal match to the adventurous and fun nature of Hakaze. It delivers high torque and power, 6-speed sport automatic transmission and beach-ready four-wheel drive traction.
Photo Gallery: Mazda Hakaze Concept Pictures
Video: Mazda Ryuga Concept Car from NAIAS
Filed under: Auto Show Videos, Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Mazda, Sports Coupes
The Mazda Ryuga Concept was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week. It’s a stunning car similar to Mazda’s Nagare Concept unveiled in Los Angeles a month earlier. The Ryuga’s lava red paint, flowing lines, and clear Mazda heritage are evident. The car offers traditional sporty characteristics for the driver while still allowing passengers to ride in comfort.
Watch the video of the Mazda Ryuga Concept:
Mazda Stops The Show With Their Ryuga Concept At NAIAS
Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Mazda
Ryuga (pronounced: ree-yoo-ga) builds on Mazda’s concept of flow. Nagare — Japanese for “flow” — debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November and introduced the company’s new design future. Japanese for “gracious flow,” Ryuga will reflect a higher level of sophistication through the use of rich fabrics, engineered fits and hidden details. Ryuga is elegant and refined, but radiates spirit and edge while portraying unique Japanese beauty.
“The Ryuga concept is an exploratory design study that’s more realistic than Nagare and therefore more useful in gauging reactions from those who see it,” said Laurens van den Acker, design division general manager for Mazda Motor Corporation. “Ryuga adds definition by incorporating a working interior, chassis and propulsion detail that were purposely absent from Nagare.
The interior of the car, once you are past the Lava Red exterior, is an advanced and very sporty cockpit that allows for an exciting personal driving experience while also providing a relaxed lounge environment to chat and hang out with friends. The Ryuga also comes equipped with advanced LED and Fluorescent Tube technology, Blind Spot Monitoring, rear-view cameras and other active and passive safely technologies.
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