Mazda Kazamai Concept: All-new CX-5?
Motoring Channel Staff - 27/August/2008
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Mazda Kazamai Concept
Mazda Kazamai Concept hints at a new compact
crossover vehicle that would be ready post 2010
Mazda has had great success with the CX-7 and CX-9
crossovers - it's only natural to develop a smaller one
There is speculation that this concept would
become the new Mazda CX-5 compact 4WD
The Mazda Kazamai is powered by a new 2.0-litre
DISI petrol engine that will begin production soon
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Moscow, Russia — Mazda's
has revealed its latest concept car, the
Kazamai, which is making its global debut at the 2008 Moscow Motor Show. The
name Kazamai can be translated from Japanese to mean 'swirling
crosswinds' and this idea can be seen in the design: note the creases
on the doors for instance. More importantly however, the
new Mazda Kazamai concept is rumoured to be the precursor to an
all-new compact crossover vehicle, which could arrive in the
new decade. This all-new model could go by the name of the CX-5 or CX-4, a potential baby brother of the CX-7 and CX-9 crossover vehicles. This Japanese concept car is also a
coup for the Moscow Motor Show and a sign that the Russian car market
is now an important market for mainstream car makers, due to its ability to deliver big revenue. The Russian new car market recently overtook Germany as the largest in Europe with around 1.65 million annual sales. Russia's
middle class, not unlike China's, is rapidly growing in wealth and
this is reflected in things like car sales and the increasing
demand for luxury goods in the country of 140 million people. The
new Kazamai concept was designed to gauge the response from this
prospering new market, whose sales of SUVs make up a large percentage
of the new car market. According
to Mazda, the concept "is a sporty, compact crossover SUV designed
especially for the Russian market". Like Mazda's previous concept cars, such as the Ryuga and Taiki, the new SUV concept car will embody the Japanese car maker's 'Nagare' design philosophy, which can be read as 'flow'. Mazda
says that it's latest concept car "is designed to appeal particularly
to younger SUV owners who have a strong sense of style". "The Mazda Kazamai concept car addresses the growing popularity of SUVs
in Russia and gives a strong hint at where Mazda might be going with a
compact crossover SUV," says the company. A strong hint... Or perhaps a pre-production design? As the images reveal, the new concept vehicle will have an overtly sporty
design and is likely to be a smaller, sportier version of the CX-7
crossover vehicle. Mazda has confirmed that the show car will sit on large 22-inch alloy wheels to "lend it high emotional appeal". The
trendy 4WD concept is a bit bigger than the Mazda3, measuring 1930mm
wide and 4520mm long, and is powered by a next generation 2.0-litre
petrol engine. This 4-cylinder engine features Direct Injection
Spark Ignition (DISI), which facilitates a cleaner burn. This results
in more power, but reduces fuel waste and is claimed to improveefficiency by up to 30%. The new 2.0-litre DISI engine will also deliver greatly reduced CO2 emissions and is coupled to a 6-speed automatic transmission mated to an four-wheel drive system. Inside
the Mazda Kazamai concept car there is room for four people, and
according to its creator it features a "well considered human machine
interface" to operate the vehicles controls. The new concept car also pioneers an advanced body shell. Mazda
says it is employing a new construction method that is the product
of a new body structure programme currently being refined by the
company, and which features a lightweight structure that gives the car
improved levels of crash safety, in the event of a collision. Other
safety features include dynamic stability control (DSC), roll stability
control, a pre-crash safety system, and blind spot monitoring to assist
lane change. It even features forward-looking pedestrian
safety solutions, such as soft plastic quarter panels and a shock-cone
aluminium bonnet that do less damage to the human body. And this
one could be custom made for dangerous areas: a personal security
system. This high tech system scans the area both outside and inside
the car, and has an automatic alert system which informs the driver in
the event of an emergency to help to protect both the owner and
occupants. Related articles:
- Mazda RX-8 (2008)
- Mazda3: Leaked (2010)
- Mazda6 MPS (Road Test)
- Mazda CX-9 (2008)
- Mazda6 (2008)
- Mazda2 (2008)
- Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe (Road Test)
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