Lamborghini Estoque Concept

Lamborghini Estoque Concept

Lamborghini's all-new 4-door Estoque concept refers to the Spanish term for the final stroke a matador makes when he rams his sword between the shoulder blades of an exhausted bull. Could Lamborghini be hinting what this car will do to Porsche's upcoming Panamera?



The cutting-edge graphics of the Estoque were developed in-house by Lamborghini Centro Stile. The Estoque exhibits Lamborghini's new DNA, following the path set by the Reventón, the Murciélago LP640 and the Gallardo. Produced out of aluminum and carbon fiber, the Estoque's bodywork is captivating. The roofline, long wheelbase and an overall length of 203 in. promise a princely cabin, while the tall rear deck offers a huge trunk — the obligatory golf bags will fit with ease.



Other Estoque features include artistically arranged LEDs, several air vents and angular side mirrors, while the spokes of the 22-in. front and 23-in. rear wheels somehow give the car a certain lightness. The dual fuel-filler caps, on the other hand, are gimmicky.

The interior does not disappoint, clearly devoted to long-distance touring, and fitted with acres of Nappa leather, four separate seats and all the expected comfort and infotainment features. The driver can choose between classic or futuristic instrument layouts on an LCD display.



Lamborghini says the Estoque is more than just a roomy Maserati Quattroporte. The Estoque's front/mid-engine layout, all-wheel drive and low center of gravity virtually guarantee superb handling and ideal traction — they would be needed, given the car's 560-bhp Gallardo-based V-10, which makes for a top speed of 190 mph. There could be a turbocharged V-8 option, as well as a turbodiesel. Lamborghini chief engineer Maurizio Reggiani points out: "Diesel and downsizing are very interesting topics. A mild hybrid could be possible, as well."



Will there be series production? Lamborghini calls the Estoque "a realistic idea, with exciting alternatives in both styling and powertrain." A decision will need to be made by Lamborghini's Audi/VW owners. Of note, Porsche is a major VW shareholder — would the Estoque be too much competition for the upcoming Panamera? Is the world's economy strong enough to support the sale of a car with an estimated price of $400,000 - $450,000? Good questions, but for sure the Estoque looks to be a more dynamic choice than the Panamera, Quattroporte and Aston Martin's Rapide.

Source: yahoo.com

Audi A3 TT Clubsport Concept

Audi A3 TT Clubsport Concept

Audi likes to use the Lake Worther Tour, held annually in southern Austria at the end of May, as a place to show off some fresh ideas. Last year, the automaker brought out the radically styled TT Clubsport Concept. Bowing this year is the A3 Clubsport Concept, a rehash of the not-for-U.S. A3 three-door that would drive any Eurotuner green, or perhaps red, with envy.

First up is the business end. Under the hood is a clean, Euro 5-compliant 2.0L four-cylinder turbodiesel pumping out 224 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, which propels the hatch to 62 mph in 6.6 seconds on to a top speed of 149 mph. The gearbox is a six-speed manual, and power is sent to all four wheels via Audi's famous quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Stopping power at the front comes courtesy of potent six-piston calipers gripping lightweight, carbon-carbide 14-inch discs. Strangely enough, however, Audi couldn't be bothered to upgrade the rear brakes, which are straight from the production model. At least the brakes aren't drums.

Audi also equipped with A3 Clubsport with a stiff sport suspension that reduces the ride height by 1.42 inches and fitted it with the automaker's drive select driving dynamics system and magnetic ride adaptive damper control to maximize handling when necessary and ride comfort when not.

Visually, the car's goal is simple: Get attention. This it accomplishes well, for better or worse. The white-and-red paint scheme is eye catching, especially the No. 8 on the side. It's also hard to miss the giant front grille that brings memories of the Q7 V12 TDI Concept from the 2007 Detroit Auto Show or the massive honeycombs in the lower fascia. The rear fascia features two giant exhaust pipes that Audi says generate a "sonorous soundtrack," and there's a DTM-style spoiler mounted on the rear window. Rounding out the exterior changes are flared doors and quarter panels, Xenon headlights with LED running lights, bolt-on wheelarch extensions, and 20-inch, 10-spoke wheels.

The interior didn't undergo the same radical transformation as the exterior. The most notable changes over the standard A3 are the racing-style sport bucket seats, TDI Power-badged illuminated door sills, aluminum shiftgate, and a flat-bottomed steering wheel. The door panels and floormats also have been redesigned.

The result is that the A3 Clubsport weighs in at 3252 lb, is 0.63 in. longer than a standard 166.85-in.-long three-door A3, sits 1.42 in. lower with a height of 54.53 in., and boasts a wider track -- 61.73/61.14 in. front/rear, increases of 1.34 and 1.81 in., respectively. And it would fit in perfectly parked at a funny angle at a late-night enthusiast meet.

Source: www.motortrend.com

Nissan Mixim Concept

Nissan Mixim Concept Car

The 62nd annual Frankfurt Motor Show is the launching pad for hundreds of new models, from concept cars to brand new production cars. It's always a busy time for everyone in the auto industry, including revitalised Japanese brand Nissan.

The Asian car maker used this year's Frankfurt Motor Show to preview an all new concept car, a one-off show car based on an existing model and a heavily revised production car.

The Mixim Concept Car, explains Nissan, is a compact vehicle for young drivers who are mostly engaged by their computer and the world via the Internet. The driver sits centrally, with two seats either side, while the steering wheel and controls are inspired by the interfaces so familiar to computer gamers.

By shifting its focus to younger drivers with specific models, Nissan hopes to set in motion the next few decades of prosperity. Though the Mixim isn't destined for production, many of the innovations pioneered may be integrated into future production models.

The Mixim is also an environmentally friendly vehicle, powered by Nissan’s "Super Motor" electric motor/generator and using compact lithium-ion batteries. Nissan says it has unusually rapid performance combined with a "usefully" extended range. Sitting on a 2530mm wheelbase, Mixim is 3.7m long, 1.8m wide and 1.4m tall, making it shorter and lower than Micra.

It weighs just 950kg, very light, and two of Nissan's "Super Motor" powertrains are used on the Mixim: one powers the front axle and a second drives the rear axle, allowing for all-wheel drive.

While the technology located under the Mixim Concept Car's skin is imaginative, the styling too cannot be dismissed as dull. The exterior design has a bulbous coupé shape, one that ensures it will not be easily ignored in Frankfurt.

With a wraparound windscreen, said to be inspired by the visor of a crash helmet, the middle of the car rises sharply and features a sharply truncated rear. The doors are also a design highlight, opening upwards and outwards in an exotic fashion.

The interior of the car is just as conceptual as the exterior, with a truly futuristic motif. The steering wheel, for example, looks like it was inspired by the controls of an aircraft, and even the seats feature an ergonomically futuristic design.

The second compact model that Nissan has confirmed for its Frankfurt Motor Show exhibit is the Micra Colour + Concept show car. As Nissan explains, this vehicle was designed and conceived at Nissan Design Europe, in London, to showcase the latest colour and paint technology and to highlight the changes that have been made to the entire Micra range.

It has been given a two-tone treatment with a Liquid Metal gold paint effect running over the top of the car and contrasting with the three coat pearlescent white finish on the car's flanks.

Nissan says that inside the Colour + Concept theme continues with a high contrast between the upper and lower portions of the interior. Re-upholstered in sumptuous white leather, the seats have accented detailing and stitching. Carpets and lower internal panels are a darker acid yellow to contrast with the pale upper portion of the dashboard.

Nissan will also debut a "more mature Micra", expected to be a mid-life update. As the company states, the new Micra will feature subtle changes to the exterior and interior.

Source : http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/nissan-mixim-concept-new-micra.htm

Nissan Pivo 2 Concept

Nissan Pivo 2 Concept car

Tokyo, Japan — One of the many concept cars being readied for the Tokyo Motor Show in Japan is this iPod-inspired vehicle. With a design that's best described as odd and/or bulbous, it features accelerator and brake pedals embossed withaudio player symbols: fast-forward and stop.

According to Nissan, the Pivo 2 is an advanced electric concept car that builds on the popularity of the first Pivo, which was shown at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show. Power comes from environmentally friendly compact lithium-ion batteries.

More of an entertaining way of transport than a traditional car, it even features a "highly innovative Robotic Agent". Drivers will never be lonely again, as the robotic companion can converse in both Japanese and English dialects, and was created to make journeys less stressful. The robotic agent is also instrumental in operating the cars functions, from heating and cooling to navigation.



The entire front end of the car opens up via a large door to allow the driver and his two passengers access, and because it features a rotating cabin (the entire cabin can swivel 360 degrees) there is no need for a reverse gear.

The vehicle is made even more nimble thanks to four wheels. Each of the four wheels are powered by advanced electric in-wheel '3D Motors', which can then swivel 90 degrees allowing the Pivo 2 to drive sideways as well as forward.



Nissan's new Pivo 2 concept will be exhibited alongside with four other production and concept vehicles at the Tokyo Motor Show, which starts on October 27th.

Source: http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/nissan-pivo-2.htm

Nissan Pivo Concept

Nissan Pivo concept car

October 24, 2005 One of the stars of the 2005 Tokyo Show, the Nissan Nissan Motors Pivo concept car is an electric car Innovation-At-Big-Companies Dec-07 with unique revolving cabin, compact packaging, multiple drive-by-wire systems and excellent visibility. The Pivo concept car examines the potential of future electric vehicles. The Pivo's most distinctive feature is its cabin that revolves 360 degrees, eliminating the need to reverse. A compact body also makes the car exceptionally easy to maneuver. Excellent visibility is enhanced by Nissan’s Around View technology, which helps reduce dangerous blind spots http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_spot . The navigation and audio systems are simple to operate while driving. These features are supported by Nissan’s innovative environment-friendly technologies such as the Compact Lithium-ion Battery.

Easy-to-drive and user friendly

Outstanding maneuverability: Pivo is ideal for urban driving. It can easily pass oncoming traffic even on the narrowest streets and is a cinch to park in the tightest of spots. Pivo seats three passengers comfortably despite an overall length of just 2,700 mm. The driver sits front and center while two passengers sit side-by-side in the rear. Tall, electrically-powered sliding doors http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sliding_Doors make it easy to get in and out without hitting your head.

There’s no going back: Parking in a tight spot invariably requires backing in inch-by-inch. But with Pivo there’s no going back; you simply pivot the entire cabin – hence the concept’s name. This ability to park while always looking forward is enabled by Nissan's advanced drive-by-wire technologies that preclude the need for mechanical connections between cabin and chassis.

Easy to operate with no hidden dangers: Today’s urbanites are deluged with information from all sides. But Pivo manages the flow with a host of telematics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telematics features that deliver the right information at the right time. The driver can control the information flow without taking the eyes off the road. What’s more, visibility is enhanced by see-through pillars, Nissan's Around View Monitor and other innovations that reduce blind spots.

Futuristic exterior and interior Inside and out, Pivo’s state-of-the-art innovations are showcased by a design that is futuristic yet friendly. Front and rear lamps feature a clear, clean-looking design. And the exterior even features oval recesses both front and rear that are covered with soft materials – comfy places to sit outside when Pivo is parked. You find the same thoughtfulness in a soft, organic interior that extends from the center of the revolving egg-shaped cabin, which is the Pivo's most unique feature. Because the platform has a longitudinally symmetrical design, the driver's perception of the car's corners does not change even when the cabin is rotated 180 degrees.

Advanced technologies enhance driving experience Pivo is powered by a Nissan-developed high-performance Compact Lithium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium -ion Battery and Nissan’s unique Super Motor. The result is zero emissions. Beyond this outstanding environmental performance, the electric powertrain enables a highly compact body. Designers made the most of Nissan’s Compact Lithium-ion Battery – which, being flat, require much less space than conventional cylindrical cells – to achieve remarkable packaging efficiency. Even more space and weight savings are achieved with Nissan’s Super Motor. One Super Motor on each axle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axle delivers power to two shafts, each of which can be controlled independently. This allows efficient distribution of torque to all four wheels with two (not four) electric motors.

Pivo's unique revolving cabin is just one of the myriad possibilities enabled by Nissan’s multiple drive-by-wire technologies. These include steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire and shift-by-wire systems that replace mechanical linkages with electronic signals. By eliminating the need for mechanical links between cabin and chassis, designers were able to create the unique pivoting passenger compartment. Drive-by-wire technologies afford even more flexibility inside the cabin as the layout of steering, braking and other functions is no longer governed by mechanical linkages. Even better, drive-by-wire systems mean less weight and fewer mechanical parts.

See-through pillars and Nissan’s Around View Monitor helps to reduce dangerous blind spots. Cameras mounted on the outside of each A-pillar feed an accurate image of the surroundings to screens mounted on the inside of the pillar. The net effect is pillars that become virtual windows. The Around View Monitor meanwhile generates a 360-degree view of the car’s surroundings on a dashboard monitor. Cameras positioned front and rear on both sides of the car capture images of the surroundings. An innovative image processing technique synthesizes these images into a single bird’s-eye view.

A dash-mounted infrared (IR) commander allows drivers to operate the navigation system and audio system without taking an eye off the road or fumbling around for controls. It’s a new type of human-machine interface (HMI) that uses an infrared camera and Nissan’s "Magic 4" concept. You simply point fingers at the infared commander to choose from any of four items on a menu. If you want item number three, hold up three fingers. Or, for example, if you want the music louder, just motion upwards with your hand.

Thanks to Nissan's Horizontal Display there is even less need to take an eye off the road – because information is displayed along the bottom of the windshield. This system, first featured in the Serenity concept shown at the Tokyo Motor Show two years ago, displays information in the manner of movie subtitles. This innovative display system supports Nissan's future telematics interface concept. For example, in “City Browsing mode,” the system can display information transmitted live from nearby locations. What’s that building up ahead? City Browsing labels it.

Source: www.gizmag.com

Mazda "Furai" Concept

“Furai,” simply translated, means "sound of the wind"

Is the fifth iteration or evolution of Mazda's new design language exemplified in its initial Nagare concept, which you may recall meant “flow.” Far from just a piece of artwork on wheels, this working concept actually began life as one of Mazda's 2006 season ALMS P2 race cars.

Built on a Courage C65 chassis and powered by a 450-bhp 3-rotor rotary engine, this ethanol (E100)-powered concept car is an exercise in reverse homologation: It represents an ideal within the Mazda philosophy, and that is to bridge the gap between single-purpose race cars (ALMS) and street-legal models (Ferrari Enzo, Lotus Elise), according to Mazda's Director of Design, Franz von Holzhausen.

The complex outer shell of the Furai clearly follows its predecessor's design trends, but through the guidance and expertise of Swift Engineering also functions aerodynamically. Front-fascia channels direct air to the brake ducts as strategically placed louvers on top of the front wheel fenders aid heat evacuation and help suck the front end closer to the ground. Its sculpted flanks create turbulence which draws air to the side ducts that help keep the engine cool in conjunction with the radiators mounted in the car's sidepods. Aft of the gullwing doors, flow-directing details continue to guide air over the car's rear haunches toward a large, functioning, adjustable-element spoiler. The sharp element you see protruding from the roof is called an Air Fang, and was designed by the guys at Swift to optimize ram air induction. The air split by the Air Fang creates vortices which force air down into the intake

HIROSHIMA, Japan, Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda Motor Corporation will showcase the world premieres of the Mazda Furai concept vehicle and the heavily revised 2009 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.

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 (Japanese for "sound of the wind" and pronounced "fu-rye") 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 100% ethanol produced in partnership with British Petroleum (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.

Chevy Camaro concept

Chevy Camaro concept

The new Camaro features design elements from the '69 Camaro and other Chevy performance cars are given a modern adaptation to the Camaro concept. The linear Proportions, short front overhang, longer rear overhang and powerful fender shapes all speak to its athletic prowess. Functional design is apparent with the front opening port, hood bulge and brake port all serving a performance function. This concept car places the powerful heart into a form-fitting angular package and gives it a forward-thrusting aspect. Just the thought of it gets your heart racing.

Chevy is pleased to announce that the day you've been waiting for has arrived – you can submit an order for a 2010 Chevy Camaro (scheduled to be available spring 2009) starting Monday, October 13, 2008.(1)

Chevy dealers across the country will be able to submit customers' orders for the new 2010 Chevy Camaro Coupe, with its outstanding performance and efficiency, sleek styling and unexpected array of features, including:

- Price starting at $22,995(2)

- Choice of six-speed transmissions: manual or TAPshift automatic

- Projected 300 hp DOHC V6 engine that gets an estimated 27 MPG hwy with automatic transmission(3)

- Projected 400 hp V8 engine with automatic transmission and Active Fuel Management for added fuel savings

- Projected 422 hp V8 engine with manual transmission

- 4.5-link independent rear suspension

- Six air bags(4)

- Bluetooth® wireless technology available for select compatible phones(5)

- USB connectivity available on select models

- Standard one-year OnStar Safe & Sound plan(6)

The 2010 Camaro Coupe is scheduled to start production in spring 2009. So be one of the first to take the wheel of the new Camaro. Open the PDF link above; choose your trim level, options and color, then visit your local Chevy dealer to get complete pricing details and order your 2010 Camaro Coupe today.

Source: http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro/

Peugeot MoVille Concept

Peugeot MoVille
Peugeot MoVille Concept Takes Teardrop Styling To New Level

It looks like something you'd expect to see at the Tokyo Auto Show, but this Peugeot MoVille concept rendering is actually Woo-Ram Lee's entry in a design contest put on by Peugeot. The competition pits designers from all over the world against each other, with the winner having his or her car (or whatever you want to call it) built in full-scale form. Last year's winner, the Flux, is now even available as a download to drive around in Project Gotham Racing 4. As for this MoVille, we're not so sure we'd want to race it online against taurine-saturated gamers, but the teardrop shape sure does put an elegantly French spin on the trendy omnidirectional future-pod shape.

BRB EVOLUTION

BRB EVOLUTION

This is the BRB Evolution —a unique sports car concept, designed by 22-year-old British engineer Daniel Bailey, that folds itself in half lengthwise to fit into tight parking spots. The concept car would fold itself into half its length by jacking itself up on its nose and tucking its rear wheels beneath. Bailey claims he was inspired by the Lamborghini Murcielago and Peugeot 908, but given the car’s appearance and Mr. Bailey’s youthful 22 years, we suspect reefer, Mountain Dew and repeated playings of Transformers may have also been involved.

"ITS A FOLDING CAR"

MAGNET CARS

Mazda 2009 RX8

Mazda 2009 RX8

RX-8 was designed with an athletically sculpted exterior that provides a sense of originality unrivaled in the marketplace today. The 2009 RX-8 received design enhancements that freshen the styling and give the RX-8 a new look, while maintaining the basic design theme. Refinements include restyled front and rear bumpers and front fascia; sporty, high-quality finish front and rear headlamps; and larger exhaust pipes (now measuring 90 mm across) and a new 5-spoke wheel design.

STYLING INNOVATION

The RX-8's interior boasts a comfortable and intelligently designed cabin. Minor enhancements were made for the 2009 RX-8 to provide a simple and functional interior design that supports driving pleasure. The center IP shape was redesigned to give a feeling of dynamic movement and a new steering wheel, and redesigned front and rear seats were also added. The rotary design element is incorporated in the interior of the RX-8 in creative ways, appearing in the seats. Through the use of advanced ergonomic research, Mazda engineers built optimum support in the front seats to enhance the thoroughly enjoyable driving experience.

Through-and-through, the RX-8 is a pure sports car that gives the driver an exciting and dynamic experience. For 2009, engineers improved body rigidity on the RX-8 through the addition of structural reinforcements, via a newly added trapezoidal shock tower bar and enhancing the local rigidity of the front-suspension tower areas. Also, the rear-suspension geometry has been reconfigured for better handling and driveshaft rigidity, lowering NVH levels and improving performance. In addition, the differential gear ratio on manual transmission-equipped cars is lowered from 4.444 to 4.777 for improved off- the-line performance. These performance changes give the RX-8 increased acceleration and performance, as well as even greater responsiveness — always a rotary engine and RX-8
hallmark.

DYNAMIC DRIVING EXPERIENCE

The 2009 Mazda RX-8 is available as either a 232-horsepower* 6-speed manual transmission, or a 212-horsepower* 6-speed Sport automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for a Formula 1-style driving experience. The RENESIS engine is remarkably smooth and high revving — all the way to 9,000 rpm (7,500 rpm on Sport AT-equipped models). The RENESIS engine features side intake and exhaust ports with nearly 30 percent more intake port and twice as much exhaust port than its predecessors. The efficiencies gained through shortening the intake/exhaust overlapping period and using the larger intake and exhaust ports in delivering world-class performance. Through the incredible efficiencies of a rotary powerplant, an advanced three-stage intake system and an electronic throttle, the RENESIS engine delivers smooth, linear power on a grand scale.

ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE: RX-8 R3

The 2009 RX-8 will offer a new R3 trim level. Providing the very best in rotary-powered motoring, the R3 hearkens back to the R1 and R2 packages offered on the mighty third-generation RX-7, and adds a sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein® shock absorbers and front-suspension crossmembers filled with urethane foam for a smoother ride, minimized NVH and greater suspension control. On the visual side of the R3 trim level, a rear spoiler, side sills and sporty front bumper were added to give an aggressive appearance, along with 19-inch forged, aluminum-alloy wheels with high-performance tires. Inside, the R3 includes a 300-watt Bose® Centerpoint® Surround System with AudioPilot® noise compensation technology, Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, front Recaro sport seats with leather side bolsters, leather-wrapped parking-brake handle and Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry and Start System.

Source to all mazda cars: www.mazdausa.com

MAZDA TAIKI

Mazda Taiki

The Mazda Taiki, revealed at the 40^th Tokyo Motor Show in October 2007, culminated Mazda's theme for the show "Sustainable Zoom-Zoom – Mazda's showroom today and in the future." The Mazda Taiki sets a new ideal for the front-engine rear-drive sports car of the future and continues the evolution of the Nagare design theme, following in the footsteps of the Mazda Nagare, Mazda Ryuga, and Mazda Hakaze concept vehicles. The challenge to create "a design that visually expresses the flow of air" was inspired by the image of a pair of Hagoromo—the flowing robes that enable a celestial maiden to fly in Japanese legend—floating down from the sky. Inspired by Japanese koinobori—the decorative "climbing carp streamers"—the notion of creating an Air-tube became the concept word for the interior design. As the fourth in the series, Mazda Taiki further advances and refines the theme through a fusion of the Nagare (flow) design concept and real-world technologies, such as a next-generation rotary engine and enhanced aerodynamic performance.

In developing the next-generation RENESIS, Mazda made a thoroughgoing revision of engine dimensions including the trochoid rotor housing, adopting a longer stroke and larger displacement of 1600cc (800cc x 2) aimed to raise thermal efficiency and boost torque at all engine speeds. By employing the Hydrogen RE design policy of a direct injection system and aluminium side housing, as well as various other measures, we are further promoting the rotary engine’s merits of light weight and compact size.

MAZDA RYUGA

Mazda's provocative Nagare (pronounced "nah-gah-reh") - Japanese for "flow" - concept car, revealed at the LA Auto Show, introduced a new surface language that evokes the emotion of motion in a stationary automobile.


Evolving that idea further, Laurens van den Acker, Design Division General Manager for Hiroshima, Japan's Mazda Motor Corporation, revealeds the Ryuga (pronounced "ree-yoo-ga") - Japanese for "gracious flow" - concept, at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit.



"Ryuga celebrates refined and controlled motion," van den Acker said. "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," van den Acker continued. "In addition, 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."