VIDEO: Test Mazda CX-7

Mazda is the latest manufacturer to launch itself onto the SUV market with the new CX-7.

Mazda CX-7 receives special award for 'Best SUV'

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation has announced today that the Mazda Demio was named the 2008 Automotive Researchers’ and Journalists’ Conference of Japan (RJC) Car of the Year. The Mazda CX-7 also won the special “Best SUV” prize. RJC Chairman, Michio Takei, announced the two awards after the final round of balloting.

This year’s RJC Car of the Year (COTY) winner, the Mazda Demio (known as the Mazda2 overseas), is a compact car that combines distinct styling, superb handling and very competitive running costs with the fun-to-drive spirit of Zoom-Zoom. Demio received high marks from RJC for its great fuel efficiency and drivability. The new model is around 100 kilograms lighter than the previous model, and the 13C-V model grade combines Mazda’s MZR 1.3L Miller-cycle engine with a continuously variable transmission to achieve top class fuel economy of 23.0 km/L in 10-15 fuel mode.

The Mazda CX-7, the recipient of the 2008 RJC special award for Best SUV, is a crossover SUV with sporty, cosmopolitan styling. The Mazda CX-7 was highly evaluated by the RJC for its powerful and responsive driving dynamics thanks to its eco-friendly 2.3-liter direct injection turbocharged engine which is complemented by a six-speed Activematic transmission and the stable, comfortable ride quality provided by its suspension.

Mazda’s Representative Director, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, Hisakazu Imaki, said, “We are delighted to receive these prestigious awards from the RJC. Under our product-led growth strategy, we launched the Mazda Atenza as the first of our next-generation models in 2002 and it won the RJC Car of the Year award. We’re pleased to be chosen again by the RJC for the Mazda Demio, the first new model we introduced after announcing our Sustainable Zoom-Zoom long-term technical development vision this year. We appreciate these accolades as a validation of where we are going with our products. Looking ahead, we will continue to strive to make cars infused with the Mazda spirit.”

The Automotive Researchers’ & Journalists’ Conference of Japan, a nonprofit organization (NPO), was established in April 1990 to contribute to the robust development of Japan’s automotive industry through open research and criticism. The RJC is comprised of researchers who study automotive engineering and automotive journalists. One of the organization’s activities is the annual selection of the RJC Car of the Year, Import Car of the Year, Technology of the Year and other awards.

Models eligible for the 2008 RJC Car of the Year competition came from a field of 22 vehicles launched for sale in Japan between November 1, 2006, and October 31, 2007, with an annual production volume exceeding 5,000 units. Four years have passed since Mazda last won the RJC Car of the Year for the RX-8 in 2003. This is the fifth time that Mazda has won the RJC Car of the Year award since it was established in 1991.

VIDEO 2007 Tokyo Motor Show: Mazda Taiki Unveiled

The Mazda Taiki made its debut appearance at the Tokyo Motor Show. The fourth concept car in the Nagare design theme series, Taiki continues the evolution from the Mazda Nagare, Mazda Ryuga, and Mazda Hakaze.

Mazda Taiki unveiled

You're not telling me that Mazda is about to launch a car with out-riggers and a freaky body, are you?
Yes. And no. Mazda has played with its 'nagare' design concept over the course of 2007, with a steady stream of concept cars inspired by the natural rhythms of nature. Waves, winds, that sort of thing. And the latest, the gracefully swooping Taiki, is indeed named after a Japanese wind. CAR Online has been assured that this is a very serious design direction. Senior designers have confirmed to us that a new, small production car will appear with this nagare-inspired look by 2009. Will that be a new Mazda 3 small hatchback? Or a new, standalone coupe to take up where the MX-3 left off? We're not sure yet, but the news heralds the most important change in Mazda's styling since the arrival of the Mk1 MX-5. This Taiki looks absolutely outrageous! It's stunning in the metal - a proper old-school concept car, whose graceful length impress and inspire, yet it all makes sense in the context of the Nagare, Ryuga and Hakaze concepts shown earlier this year. This series of concepts previews a definite movement and Mazda is deadly serious about introducing the look to a showroom near you. Expect the body surfacing, and the adventurous new grille details, to make the journey from motor show stand to high-street dealership. You'll have to wait a while longer for the Taiki's 1.6-litre rotary engine running on hydrogen, but it's working hard at this technology as well. Trials start in 2008 in Japan.

Mazda Furai Concept and New Mazda RX-8 to Make World Debut at 2008 North American International Auto Show

Mazda Motor Corporation will showcase the world premieres of the Mazda Furai concept vehicle and the heavily revised new Mazda RX-8 sports car at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), to be held in Detroit from Sunday, January 13 through Sunday, January 27, 2008. On the heels of its show-stopping debut at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show in October, the Mazda Taiki concept vehicle also will make its North American debut, the first time it has been shown outside Japan. Additionally, Mazda will have a special display of racecars on its stand during the press days, and the full lineup of production cars for consumers to sample on the public days.


All attending media are invited to the company’s formal unveiling on the Mazda show stand, scheduled at 13:45 p.m. on Monday, January 14, 2008.
Mazda Furai –‘Sound of the wind’

Inspired by the fact that, on any given weekend, there are more Mazdas and Mazda-powered cars road-raced in the United States than any other brand, the Mazda Furai 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 ethanol (E100) produced by BP.



Furai takes Mazda’s unique Nagare (Japanese for “flow”) design language a step further as it is translated into a concept car based on an American Le Mans Series (ALMS) racing car. The car utilizes the Courage C65 chassis the company campaigned in the ALMS series only two seasons ago, and the 450-hp three-rotor rotary engine that distinguishes it from anything else on the track.



Says Franz von Holzhausen, Mazda’s North American director of design, “Furai purposely blurs boundaries that have traditionally distinguished street cars from track cars. Historically, there has been a gap between single-purpose racecars and street-legal models — commonly called supercars — that emulate the real racers on the road. Furai bridges that gap like no car has ever done before.”



Mazda’s critically acclaimed Nagare design language describes the flow of water, air, people or things moving in one direction. Mazda Nagare is flow, with an insightful and spirited styling, which, in Mazda Furai, invokes a raw, unfettered desire to possess everything this car represents.

Mazda Releases "Stylish V" Special Edition Model Verisa in Japan

Mazda Motor Corporation has announced the launch of the Mazda Verisa “Stylish V” special edition model in Japan. Mazda’s high quality and fashionable compact car has been updated with a stylish and distinctive-looking black and red interior. It goes on sale today at all Mazda, Mazda Anfini and Mazda Autozam dealerships nationwide.
The Special Edition Stylish V is based on the “C” grade Verisa that offers high quality fabric seat covers. It is equipped with stylish and unique features such as exclusive black and red leather and flat-weave fabric seat covers and an exclusive leather-wrapped steering wheel with red stitching. The Verisa Stylish V also features the popular ‘Dress-up package’ as standard equipment to enhance the high quality exterior appearance. This package includes bright molding (front bumper/rear bumper/front grille/door sills/rear gate), front fog lights (with bright bezels) and an exhaust pipe finisher.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the Stylish V special edition is 1,640,000 yen for the front-wheel drive (FWD) version and 1,829,000 for the electronically controlled four-wheel drive (e-4WD) version (both prices include consumption tax).

Main features of the Verisa Stylish V
Base model

Verisa C (Available as the FWD version or the e-4WD version, both equipped with the 1.5-liter DOHC engine and four-speed automatic transmission)

Special equipment
Interior

-	Exclusive leather and flat-weave seat covers (black/red) Stylish and individual design with black leather and red fabric
-	Exclusive leather-wrapped steering wheel (black leather and red stitching) Exclusive black leather steering wheel highlighted with red stitching
-	Exclusive door trim, upper glove box lid and dashboard In line with the red theme color of the exclusive seats, red garnish is used effectively throughout the interior to emphasize the stylish and individualized impression.
-	Audio-less specification To best match each driver’s needs, the Stylish V is equipped with two speakers and a space for a head unit in the center panel. The steering wheel is also free of remote control switches. The Audio-less spec allows for maximum variety of terrestrial digital GPS and digital audio systems that are available as dealer installed options.

Exterior

-	Dress-up package Currently available as a factory installed option for the standard Verisa model, the Dress-up package is standard on the Stylish V (see above for details).

Body colors

A choice of four body colors is available: the exclusive Metropolitan Gray Mica and the standard Velocity Red Mica, Radiant Ebony Mica and Moist Silver Metallic.

Factory-installed options

-	15-inch alloy wheels with 185/55R15 tires
-	The S package [high intensity discharge headlights and Autolight system (which switches the headlights on automatically), rain-sensing wipers (front), water repellant coating (windshield, front door windows and door mirrors), immobilizer]

New Mazda 3

The current Mazda3 model was unveiled in late 2003. With its attractive sporty looks, Mazda sold over 1 million vehicles world wide. This leaked picure is from a spyshot and from Mag-x magazine. The all new Mazda3 or a.k.a Axela for Japanese market with J86C development codename will be available to the public in the third quareter of 2008.

Mazda Ryuga Concept Car from NAIAS

The Mazda Ryuga (Japanese for 'gracious flow') concept was shown at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Gull-winged Ryuga is the second of three concept cars following Mazda's new design language of 'flow', a style first seen on the Mazda Nagare concept shown at the 2006 LA Auto Show. "But we wanted to take the idea further," Laurens van den Acker, Design Division General Manager for Hiroshima, Japan's Mazda Motor Corporation, said "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 pr�t-a-porter (ready-to-wear, not one of a kind)." Large 21 inch wheels are placed at the far corners of the Mazda Ryuga concept's exterior and lend the car 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. The front bucket seats of the Mazda Ryuga concept 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 multifunction 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.