TOKYO – Mazda Motor Corp. will unveil an SUV/crossover concept at next month's Frankfurt auto show that may preview a variant of an existing nameplate or an update of the aging CX-9 crossover.

Dubbed the Koeru, the concept showcases the latest embodiment of the Mazda brand’s muscular Kodo design language.

The design aims to impart “the power and vitality of a wild animal while maintaining a sense of refined dignity,” Mazda said in a statement today.

The name Koeru comes from the Japanese word for “exceed” or “go beyond.” It references Mazda’s ambition to exceed “existing category standards and stereotypes” with the vehicle.

The concept gets the sculpted fenders of the CX-3 compact crossover. The CX-3 is already on sale in Japan and Europe and launches in the U.S. this summer.

Mazda did not give specifications or dimensions for the Koeru.

A spokesman said the Koeru would be a close-to-production concept hinting strongly at the market-ready design.

The Koeru could be a preview of a sporty Mazdaspeed version of the existing subcompact CX-3 or compact CX-5 crossovers, which already exhibit Kodo styling, or a refresh of the CX-5.

It may also foreshadow the looks of a CX-9 replacement. An update of the midsize crossover is expected to debut at the Los Angeles show and go on sale early next year.

The arrival of a new crossover option would help Mazda tap booming demand for crossovers and SUVs.

Despite lower sales of the long-in-the-tooth CX-9, Mazda’s U.S. truck sales rose 1.9 percent through July and its two trucks accounted for 43 percent of the brand’s total sales. Mazda’s car sales, by contrast, declined 0.9 percent in the period.