Is it just me or is Mazda one manufacturer that really has their finger on the pulse when it comes to designing new vehicles? These first sketches of the new Mazda 1 or City Car show that small doesn’t have to be dull. Following the same “Nagare” design language as the Nagari, Taiki and Furai concepts this is likely to be the first Mazda to take Nagare styling into production.
The concept Mazda 1 is set to debut at this year’s Paris Motor Show in September and will feature light-weight perspex plastic panels along with practical sliding doors and seats.
“The finished article will be even more radical than the car seen here. It will be aimed at young people and feature the likes of iPod connectivity, sat-nav and Blue- tooth. It will be environmentally friendly, and weigh as little as possible,” said Peter Birthwhistle, chief designer at Mazda’s European Research and Development Centre.
Mazda has also revealed that they are planning to debut a Ford Kuga based SUV at this years Moscow Motor Show in August along with a Nagare themed RX-7 which is currently being developed.
[Source: AutoExpress]
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Looks cool if a little top-heavy.
Can anyone explain what on earth has happened at Mazda in the last 7-8 years? They have completely woken up from their choko-bland cars of the 90s and are designing some real lookers.
I’ll try to explain as best I can.
To understand what has happened with Mazda’s model range in recent times, you need first to go back in time and look at their past, so a history lesson it is.
In November of 1979, Ford and Mazda entered into a capital tie-up; in which Ford acquired a 25% equity stake in Mazda. Then in June 1992, Mazda and Ford become equal partners in a joint venture named Auto Alliance International, Inc (AAI) (formerly MMUC). Then a few years later after several more close tie ups, things changed.
You see, while Ford let Mazda get away with building ‘some’ nice cars. Ford was always ‘at’ Mazda for the high costs in R&D, which in my book is a good thing, but from Fords accountant’s perspective, bad. Ford just couldn’t understand why Mazda would want to use so many resources, spend so much time just on what Ford deemed ‘not important’ issues. The FD RX7 is a perfect example of Mazda building a fantastic car, and all the while having Ford grumble about it.
Mazda being owned by the controlling share of FoMoCo for so long, and having bashed Ford around the head repeatedly for many years screaming to be left alone without blue oval boffins having input on their cars. Mazda were released! having finally been able to cut their ties with the penny pinching Ford accountants. Thus they have been let loose with larger budgets to do what Mazda do best… build cars!
As time went on, Ford let mazda get back their own identity at the request of the successful Japanese auto maker. It was very much a case of timing as anything Ford touched turn to garbage, and Mazda was really the only jewel in their crown and it was at this point they had opportunity to tell FoMoCo that they needed to be left alone.
Then in 2002 Mazda commences domestic production of the all-new MZR Engine which Mazda has developed as the “Center of Excellence” in the Ford Group, and Ford took a sidestep away and let the wheels of motion being, which soon took the form of zoom zoom zoom!
It was this Center of Excellence that made all the difference with the MZR engines, as Ford knew just how good the design is.
Those larger budgets in conjunction with the “Center of Excellence” have let Mazda get back to their roots, and follow the procedures of concept to reality of their cars using the methods Mazda have had in place long before the global giant of ford got involved. To give you an example of what I mean you need only to look at what took place with the new MX5.
At first, the team thoroughly discussed what should be retained from the first- and second-generation Mazda MX-5 models, and what to evolve for the all-new Mazda MX-5. The six key categories, seen below in what has become known at Mazda as the “fishbone chart”, guided the effort towards the desired “oneness”. They are styling (inside and outside), touching (every aspect concerned with the tactile sense), listening (dominated by the engine’s voice but also encompassing wind effects), cornering (handling dynamics), driving (everything from ride quality to acceleration response), and braking. The starting point of the new Mazda MX-5 was this ‘Fishbone chart’ and it shows.
Also, people like Takao Kijima, chief designer and project manager of the MX5 have a real hand’s on approach to their cars, right from the very conception to the global release of the little roadster, and all without a Ford employee in sight. Mazda have a heritage worth keeping and not being exploited by global giants like FomoCo.
These days the ’skin drafting’ which in essence is the workings of creating the shape of a car, is now done by young iPod wearing, Mac using, roller blading designers living in California (which just so happens to be where most successful manufacturers have design studios these days) are now designing the cars, rather than the previous stayed and conservative team of so called experts, that resemble automotive dinosaurs and not the designers of today. So recent cars like the Mazda 6, Mazda 2, and Mazda 3 etc … have been born.
Of course the automotive trade is very much cyclic, and design philosophy comes and goes, but it does seem apparent that Mazda are keen on making seriously good cars not just now, but well into the next decade.
mmmm,arha,yep,ooo,really,got ya,right …….thanks for that Daniel,what a ball of knowledge you have been today!You know your stuff thats for sure.
Bavarian Missile thank you for the kind words! However the ability to remember ‘car facts’ or rather what my wife deems as ‘useless information’ comes at a price.
While I may be able to refer to cars buy the platform they sit on, or the bloke that was in charge of building the thing, and in general odd things about automobiles. It has left me with the inability to remember things like my wedding anniversary or the date of my first born child…
As I said it comes at a cost, but since you are entertained, it’s not all for nothing.
(I really hope my wife doesn’t read TMR today)
Man Dan, you have waaaay too much time on your hands! But very interesting info.