Myth Confirmed: 2009 Mazda 3’s Final Form Scooped

Tony O'Kane

18:2011 August 2008

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Myth Confirmed: 2009 Mazda 3's Final Form Scooped

A few days ago we brought you a couple of images of a computer-generated rendering of the upcoming Mazda3. Back then we had no idea whether they were the real deal or were simply the product of a kid with an overactive imagination and a pirated copy of 3D Studio Max. We can now conclusively say that yes, this is what the new-for-2009 Mazda3 will look like.

The folks over at Carscoop dug up a few more images of the rendered 3, along with the documentation that originally went with them. It appears the images are all part of Mazda's submission toOHIM, the European Union's regulatory body for trademarks, which means that if Mazda is bothering to register the shape, then, in all likelihood, this is what we'll be seeing cruising the streets come early 2009.

So, what do we make of it? For starters, it's unmistakably Mazda in its design with those bulging Mazda6-esque front arches and the broad grin of that wide front grille, bringing Mazda's new and updated design language to their best-selling hatchback. The side profile is very reminiscent of the current 3, right down to that signature triangular C-pillar, but the overall look is more modern and dynamic than that of the current car (although with that hatch spoiler it could almost be mistaken for Subaru's WRX STI from certain angles).

The only disappointment is that it doesn't look more like that well-executed rendering from last month, which - despite its proportional compromises - looked like a properly futuristic Mazda3. It's no deal-breaker though and if these CG renderings are anything to go by, the new Mazda3 should prove to be just as popular as the old one. Bring on the MPS version, I say.

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[Carscoop]