Mazda Minagi Revealed

Mazda Minagi Concept
The Mazda Minagi concept car embodies Mazda's new SkyActiv technologies and new KODO design language, signaling the way for the next generation of Mazda cars to come.
The Mazda Minagi concept makes its world premiere at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show as the expression of Mazda's new SkyActiv technologies and new KODO design language. It is the first model which showcases characteristics likely to be seen in the next generation of Mazda cars.
For this reason, Mazda has fully incorporated its SkyActiv technologies into every aspect of driving performance, including the powertrain, chassis, and even body design. As the second concept vehicle to incorporate Mazda's new 'KODO - Soul of Motion' design language, Minagi challenges conventions with emotional design and exhilarating performance.
While Shinari was a pure design concept to express the full potential of KODO design, Mazda Minagi gives a glimpse of the next generation of products to come. As the second concept car to adopt Mazda's KODO design theme, Minagi's design elements combine the expression of energy pulsing throughout the vehicle with the keen agility to move about freely and nimbly. With its upright, compact packaging, Mazda Minagi offers a vision of KODO design that is different to Shinari, yet it shares the same sinuous, powerful stance.
"I wanted to convey something different from the Mazda Shinari. I felt a compact crossover SUV was the perfect vehicle to express agility and focused movement; the flexibility of four limbs moving in unison, and an upright posture."


- Masashi Nakayama, Chief Designer, Mazda Minagi Concept
The Mazda Minagi is a stylish expression of pent-up energy. In Japanese, its name conjures up the image of an object pulsating with energy and perfectly reflects the vehicle's speed, agility and spirited character. For Minagi, Mazda designers looked at different aspects of cheetahs as they hunt. A cheetah's head is positioned high, while long, powerful and supple limbs hold its lean torso upright to enable it to change direction quickly at high speed. Mazda's designers set out to evoke the moment when an animal contracts its muscles, ready to sprint and lunge at its prey. Furthermore, such a lunge can be in any direction; an idea which fits with the function of an agile crossover SUV as it nimbly darts through a sprawling cityscape.

Major features of the Mazda Minagi Concept
An urban-friendly compact crossover SUV which combines emotional design with exhilarating performance

• Mazda Minagi is the first concept car to fully adopt Mazda's SkyActiv technologies and new 'KODO - Soul of Motion' design and it represents Mazda's next generation of products
• Mazda's unique compact crossover SUV for urban explorers fuses emotional design - which conveys a lively ability to quickly leap into action and head in any direction - with the driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance of SkyActiv technologies
• KODO design elements adopted by this compact crossover SUV express pulsating energy and a nimble ability to move about freely

Exterior design

• The vehicle's crouched stance expresses the image of a cheetah as it stands with its weight poised on its hind legs, ready to lunge at its prey
• The cargo bay of conventional SUVs often resembles a vehicle wearing a backpack, whereas Minagi presents an image of a muscular entity that cleanly incorporates spaciousness within well-toned lines
• Placing the A-pillar rearward emphasizes the rearward orientation of the cabin. This stands in sharp contrast to the single-arc silhouette of frontward A-pillar placement on minivans, and emphasizes the driving position - a priority for the design of the Mazda Minagi concept
• The cabin's position relative to the lower body is further back than on conventional SUVs. This emphasizes the motion expressed in Minagi's form

Front view

• The chromed 'signature wing' on the front fascia, shared with Shinari, makes Minagi immediately recognizable as a Mazda and creates a strong impression
• Angling the front grille slightly downwards, while juxtaposing the headlamp housings design to slant upward, creates intensity
• Adding more dynamic contours to the prominent front fenders - highly characteristic of Mazda cars - expresses KODO design language's forceful sense of accumulating, then instantly releasing pent-up energy. These elements combine with the dynamic form of the rear fenders further emphasizing the wheels, which form the legs of this predator

Side view

• Sculpted lines along the sides of Mazda Minagi's body accentuate a sense of power which suggest the supple strength of a cheetah. These contours extend and connect with the rear fender in an expression which suggests the powerful musculature that joins the cheetah's shoulders and hips to its legs
• The overall effect is a graceful and beautiful form which directs the eye from front-to-rear
• The character line that flows along the lower part of Minagi's side panels symbolizes KODO's sense of power being accumulated, then quickly released

Rear view

• The rear fenders project boldly outward to create a wide, stable stance befitting an SUV
• The contrast between the rear fenders and the taut lines of the car's rear end mimics the strong and seductive hip line of a toned athlete

Headlamp design

• As with Shinari, the chromed 'signature wing' that sweeps up from the bottom of the front grille disappears into the center of the headlamp housings dramatically
• The design of the three-dimensional headlamp and rear combination lamps add a heightened sense of depth
• The line of the 'signature wing' element and the headlamp design combine to express the intense look of a wild animal's gaze

Interior design

• Mazda's designers set out to realize a driver-focused cockpit and cabin environment that expresses a reassuringly high level of strength and solidity. The interior employs quality materials along with the superior fit and finish of detailed hand craftsmanship
• The above features add to the anticipation of the driving pleasure to come by creating a refined and quality cabin environment
• The main black interior colour is highlighted by the colour red in the rear seatbacks and at the bottom of the door armrests

Characteristics unique to a compact crossover SUV

• Four upright satin chrome struts appear to support the instrument panel, each rising upward in an image of vertical strength which appears to defy gravity, underscoring the impression that Minagi's occupants are securely protected
• The design of the instrument cluster and surrounding switches emphasizes the snug, sporty nature of the driver-focused cockpit while expressing Mazda's sporty ethos

Craftsmanship

• Leather seats and door trim have been fashioned using the finest leather available
• Skilled craftsmen have carefully sewn the striking raised pleats, a touch that expresses the interior's high level of quality
• The 'black smoked' coating on the dark tinted horizontal metal panel - positioned along the center of the instrument panel - shows the high quality of the interior components
• Solid metal components, including the door handles, are milled from solid aluminium and carefully polished to provide a smooth, quality-enhancing surface. The door levers are designed to resemble the beauty and functionality of high-end racing bicycle components, and provide a level of quality that ensures they are a pleasure to use

Mazda Ryuga Concept

Press Release
MAZDA RYUGA CONCEPT: AN EVOLVED ZOOM-ZOOM

DETROIT – How will Mazda's Zoom-Zoom spirit achieve form and substance in the future? Laurens van den Acker, Design Division General Manager for Hiroshima, Japan's Mazda Motor Corporation, disturbed the status-quo and challenged every designer in his three global studios with that very question upon his arrival at Mazda early last year.

After months of soul searching, hundreds of sketches and thousands of discussions, meetings, arguments and revisions, the first part of the answer was unveiled at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show. Mazda's provocative Nagare (pronounced "nah-gah-reh") – Japanese for "flow" – concept introduced a new surface language that evokes the emotion of motion in a stationary automobile.

Nagare is one of a hundred or more Japanese words that describe the embodiment of motion – such as how wind shapes desert sand, the way currents stir the ocean's floor or the way waves lap at the shores of a lake. van den Acker explains, "Nagare is purposely emotional and expressive. Anyone who sees it is drawn for a closer look; they're moved to caress surfaces inspired by nature, to understand how they could work on an automobile.
"But we wanted to take the idea further," van den Acker continued. "The Ryuga concept we're presenting in Detroit is our next step in the evolution of Nagare. It's an exploratory design study that's more realistic than Nagare and therefore more useful in gauging reactions from those who see it.

"To put this in fashion terms, if Nagare is haute couture (a custom designed and tailored garment), Ryuga is prêt-a-porter (ready-to-wear, not one of a kind)."

RYUGA: "ree-yoo-ga," Japanese for gracious flow

"Ryuga celebrates refined and controlled motion," van den Acker continued. "Nagare is a dream or an emotion that's just beginning to take shape; Ryuga extends that idea by adding definition.

"To draw this new surface language closer in time to a car Mazda will produce for sale, we've added interior and powertrain details that were purposely absent from Nagare.

"Mazda is a brand that thrives on distinctive design. We are standing up to be recognized for boldness and originality. We have the courage to forge leadership in selected areas such as dynamic performance and striking design. Combined, these attributes give each of our products the soul of a sports car. The flow expressions that Nagare and Ryuga embody will be seen both in the near term on other concept cars and in the long term on production models.

"We're working on the face of Mazda to make it more distinguished and instantly recognizable. We can adjust this new surface language to suit various models within the Mazda family. The recent success of our product line has given us the confidence to seize this look as our own.


GRACIOUS FLOW – MOTION BORN IN NATURE

Large wheels placed at the far corners of Ryuga's exterior lend a highly stable, balanced stance. The aggressive wedge shape imparts motion even when this sports coupe is parked. Volumes that are small in front, larger at the rear, wrap around and over the wheels to give the exterior tension and direction.

"After we began studying natural phenomenon for inspiration, Mazda designers were initially hesitant to apply their findings, but I encouraged them to blend artistic and sculptural beauty to see where it led. Once we did, the results were both original and instantly appealing. While this initiative began with textures inspired by nature, it goes much deeper than that. We're looking at grand gestures that wrap all over the vehicle's exterior and throughout the interior. Some of the proportions are dramatically wind-swept. There's drama at every turn. There are no square corners."

Yasushi Nakamuta, chief designer for this project, previously headed the design of Mazda's immediately successful third-generation 2006 MX-5 Miata. Nakamuta says, "Ryuga incorporates elegant and refined design treatments which express Japanese concepts of mysterious beauty and intelligence, based on the new design theme that began with the Nagare concept car unveiled at the LA Auto Show."

Conducting a guided tour of the exterior, Nakamuta points out several key features:

• Ryuga's side surfaces were inspired by karesansui (Japanese dry gardens). The carefully raked pebbles in these gardens represent peaceful ripples caused by a breeze over a pool of water. The karesansui's man-made image of natural flow is represented in the Ryuga's surface texture to express simplicity and refinement.
• The headlamp shape resembles the flow of morning dew dropping from bamboo leaves. Advanced LED and fluorescent tube technology will enable such a striking design to be used on a production vehicle in the foreseeable future.
• To impart motion, the 21-inch wheel spokes – different on the left and right sides – are slightly twisted as if they're delivering torque. To convey the feeling of gas turbine blades, the trailing edges of the wheel spokes are accented with a tinge of body color.
• Flowing lava inspired both Ryuga's exterior hue and the tail lamp design. Depending on the incident light, Ryuga's surface appears to be shades of yellow, red, and blue, exactly like molten, flowing lava. Notes van den Acker: "The hot red finish goes straight to your heart."
• The roof molding tightens up the flowing cabin and gives an accent to the body styling as well. Cameras located at the forward end of each molding convey rear views to a center cockpit display screen. Turn signals are also integrated into these protruding accents.

Reflecting its Japanese origin, Ryuga is both simple and complex. While the dominant flow theme is simple, the details – such as the side surfaces and the wheels – are intricate. Solidity and fluidity live here together, in harmony.


FLOW THROUGH INTERIOR

Thanks to Mazda's innovative packaging expertise, Ryuga is significantly shorter and lower than today's four-passenger RX-8 sports car, yet it too accommodates four passengers in roomy comfort. A relatively long (110.2-inch) wheelbase and two large gull-wing doors provide a wide-open invitation to the interior.

As the doors rise to expose the interior of Ryuga and allow easy slide-in access, the passengers are presented
with the fusion of a cockpit - designed to maximize the emotional connection between the car and driver - with the social atmosphere of the rear passenger space, where lounge-like comfort is ensured through expansive space and Nagare-inspired design.

The front bucket seats provide ample lateral support for energetic driving with the shape of the seats creating an impression of movement which is further emphasized by the patterns in the material.

The experimental 'floating' center cluster allows a high level of interface between the driver and the multi-function touch panel without having to take one's eyes off the road ahead. Information necessary for safe and dynamic driving is available to the driver with RPM and speed (which is shown in both analog and digital formats) being displayed on the same axis.

Flowing upwards, the center cluster dynamically penetrates the front information panel which reflects Zoom-Zoom futuristic and sporty design craftsmanship, as well as an integrated interface between man and machine. Elongated pods give the cockpit depth while bringing information closer to the driver's eyes. An open-top steering wheel provides enhanced sight lines to the instruments and the road ahead.

Flow textures are emphasized in the door trim with lines that begin at the center of Ryuga's Mazda-trademark five-pointed grille and sweep rearward through interior surfaces. The artistic combination of leather, polished aluminum and translucent plastic give the interior a warm glow reminiscent of illumination themes already in use in current Mazda products.

DRIVING PERFORMANCE – ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES TO SUPPORT ZOOM-ZOOM

Mazda is working on various technologies to deliver Zoom-Zoom driving in the future, including earth-friendly environmental technologies and people-friendly safety technologies. As part of the initiatives, an E85/Gasoline FLEX FUEL engine which runs on sustainable bio fuel could be used in Ryuga. This engine delivers torque and power, balancing driving and environmental performance. Other important features that will support safe driving are the Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) cameras installed for the rear monitoring system and the blind-spot monitoring system. These help ensure safe driving while changing lanes and allow easy identification of potential obstacles.

In order to ensure the car provides a Zoom-Zoom driving experience, which is the basis behind all the other features, an open top steering wheel is employed with highly sensitive settings to respond to the driver's smallest input. The car also features steer-by-wire technology and gauges that deliver superbly clear information to the driver. The dramatic wheels with TOYO PROXES 245/35R-21 tires complete the driving experience, and the sophisticated original tread pattern perfectly suits the Ryuga's design concept.

FLOW, AS A STATE OF MIND

"The real significance of both Nagare and Ryuga," notes van den Acker, "is that it's the first time Mazda has ventured forth in search of a design motif that is undeniably new. Both concepts are exploratory studies and neither is planned for production. While Mazdas of the past and present have embraced flow in various ways, it's our intention to greatly intensify that character in the future."

Mazda Ryuga Specifications

Dimensions Length 1,280 mm/168.5 "
Width 1,900 mm/74.8"
Height 1,260 mm/49.6"
Wheelbase 2,800 mm110.2"
Engine Type MZR 2.5L E85/Gasoline FLEX FUEL
Transmission Type 6-speed AT
Drive FWD
Tires Tires (Front/Rear) 245/35 R21 93W TOYO PROXES

Mazda Shinari Concept Car

Mazda at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show

Official: Mazda Minagi Concept

The Mazda Minagi Concept shows the new design language that will be adopted after the Nagare. 
The Geneva-bound concept is likely to herald the successor of the CX-5. The new SUV will enter in the league of the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and VW Tiguan. Ikuo Maeda continues with the Kodo design first shown on the Shinari concept. More details and official information regarding the new model is expected soon. Very soon.

Press Release

Mazda MINAGI Concept to Showcase Mazda's All-new SKYACTIV Technologies and KODO Design at the Geneva Motor Show

HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation will showcase the world premiere of its new MINAGI compact crossover SUV concept car during the press days of the 2011 Geneva motor show, which is being held from March 1-13, 2011. The Mazda MINAGI concept fully embraces Mazda's new SKYACTIV technologies and its new design theme, KODO – Soul of Motion. The exciting MINAGI concept is the forerunner to the launch of Mazda's upcoming next-generation products and symbolizes the evolution of the Mazda brand as it begins a new era.

Mazda MINAGI

The Mazda MINAGI is a compact crossover SUV concept that combines Mazda's SKYACTIV technologies - which represent the harmony between driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance - with emotional KODO design that communicates pent up energy bursting with vitality as the vehicle nimbly navigates a sprawling urban cityscape. Fully introducing SKYACTIV technologies throughout, MINAGI is equipped with a SKYACTIV engine and SKYACTIV transmission fitted to a SKYACTIV-Body and chassis that merge comprehensive weight reduction with the assurance of ample safety features.

Mazda's stand at the Geneva show will also feature new SKYACTIV technology exhibits and the
Mazda SHINARI design concept car, among a wide range of products.

Officially titled the 81e Salon International de l'Auto de Genève, the show's press days are March
1 and 2, and the public days are March 3-13, 2011. Mazda will hold a press conference on Tuesday, March 1.

source: Mazda