Mazda has announced its line-up for the upcoming Tokyo motor show, headlined by two new concepts that will showcase its future technical and aesthetic directions. Both have been teased in shadowy new images, and are due to be revealed in full at the show’s opening on the 25th of October.
The first concept will be what Mazda calls a Product Concept 1, pointing towards the next generation Mazda 3. To be based on Mazda’s new modular platform called SKYACTIV-Vehicle architecture, the next generation hatch will also implement Mazda’s clever new SKYACTIV-X engine range, which combines compression spark ignition with a petrol engine for the first time. The concept itself looks fairly similar to the current Mazda 3; no bad thing considering it’s already a svelte looking thing, only with slimmer, more aggressive lighting units and a tauter surfacing structure.
The second vehicle is what Mazda is calling a Next Generation Design Vision concept, an aesthetic exercise showing where the brand intends on taking its Kodo design language. Taking the form of a four-door saloon, the design concept should give us a look at the more technical, muscular design language that Mazda intends to roll out across its future range. From the distorted highlights in the image we can see wide arches and a strong shoulder line emphasising the cars width. This concept will follow on from the RX-Evolution concept that wowed crowds at the 2015 Tokyo motor show.
Like the current Mazda 6, the saloon still does look very like a saloon, holding onto its three-box shape instead of falling into the four-door coupe cliché. Like the Model concept, the surfacing looks more technical and harder-edged than the current design language, although what specific production models we see this style applied to remains to be seen.
Mazda will also be bringing a special edition Mazda MX-5 to the show called the Red Top, featuring a cherry red roof and an auburn nappa leather interior, and a three-row version of the CX-5 SUV called the CX-8, although niether have not been confirmed for the UK market.
