Mazda Vision Coupe (Mazda goes upscale)
#1
Mazda Vision Coupe (Mazda goes upscale)
Mazda has been making a lot of noise recently about not giving up on the rotary engine. Enough that we started to think it might show a new epitrochoid-engined concept at this year's Tokyo Motor Show. But the brand is nothing if not surprising. Have you driven a CX-5 or a CX-9? Have you noted the real-world fuel economy in a Mazda3? Have you looked at a Miata RF?
So instead of trotting out the latest in Wankel weirdness, today in its home market, the Mazda folks pulled the silk off of a stunning full-size four-door design concept, the somewhat inaptly named Vision Coupe.
Known mainly for sporty and affordable small(ish) vehicles, Mazda hasn't really had an entry in this category since ... ever. Well, save for the staid and short-lived 929 of the '90s (and the rotary-powered, 7/8-scale Olds Cutlass, JDM-only Roadpacer of the '70s.) As customers flock to crossovers, it's not exactly a category brimming with vitality, at least in the American market — sales of the existing Mazda 6 are down in the States by nearly 25 percent this year, double the market average for cars. And this thing is bigger than that.
But the decision is intentional and strategic in Mazda's mission to head upscale and focus on clean design — differentiators from its mass-market Japanese peers.
"A big sedan has always been the symbol of a brand going premium. It's the icon of a brand," says Julien Montousse, Mazda North America's director of design. "It tells that Mazda is becoming serious in reaching that goal."
Breaking even more conventions, while Mazdas generally are cohesive and well-rendered in their design, you would be hard-pressed to find one quite this sensuous. The Vision Coupe looks like an Aston Martin Rapide that has been placed in a sauna until its body-mass index has whittled down to marathoner levels, and then scalloped and stripped of any unnecessary ornamentation, save for a kind of fingerprinted whorl in its side cove. It is elemental, at once planar and burnished, with the lovely long-hood/short-deck proportions of a classic front-engine, rear-wheel-drive grand tourer.
Its interior is similarly edited, doing away with the proliferating screens of other vehicles in the category, utilizing instead a digital analog instrument panel and a sophisticated heads-up display that keeps a driver focused on the road and shows just what is deemed necessary, and nothing else.
"Outside and inside, it follows a Japanese aesthetic, moving away from an animalistic approach, away from too much dynamism, to become something more minimal," says Montousse. "But it is not mathematical or rigid. It is very fluid, meant to communicate a human trace behind it. It is a way to define and induce a specific feeling that connects a human energy to the product. To encourage pure love."
Mazda is big on this idea of automotive affection, especially in light of the recent industry-wide push into semi-autonomy, which seems intended to separate the car from its owner/user/mobility participant. The brand believes that the deep connection between humans and their machines should not be rendered invisible or discontinuous, but should be maintained, and even enhanced. Moreover, Mazda believes that this connection should be, and remain, both physical and emotional.
This makes sense for a driver-centric brand that privileges stick shifts, steering feel and zoom-zooming.
"Mazda has made it clear that it is not going to follow the autonomous trend," Montousse says. "Instead of the car acting as a cocoon, a personal assistant, to insulate and isolate, we believe it should be a copilot. To be there to enable bravery, and give you the tools to face the aggression."
So instead of trotting out the latest in Wankel weirdness, today in its home market, the Mazda folks pulled the silk off of a stunning full-size four-door design concept, the somewhat inaptly named Vision Coupe.
Known mainly for sporty and affordable small(ish) vehicles, Mazda hasn't really had an entry in this category since ... ever. Well, save for the staid and short-lived 929 of the '90s (and the rotary-powered, 7/8-scale Olds Cutlass, JDM-only Roadpacer of the '70s.) As customers flock to crossovers, it's not exactly a category brimming with vitality, at least in the American market — sales of the existing Mazda 6 are down in the States by nearly 25 percent this year, double the market average for cars. And this thing is bigger than that.
But the decision is intentional and strategic in Mazda's mission to head upscale and focus on clean design — differentiators from its mass-market Japanese peers.
"A big sedan has always been the symbol of a brand going premium. It's the icon of a brand," says Julien Montousse, Mazda North America's director of design. "It tells that Mazda is becoming serious in reaching that goal."
Breaking even more conventions, while Mazdas generally are cohesive and well-rendered in their design, you would be hard-pressed to find one quite this sensuous. The Vision Coupe looks like an Aston Martin Rapide that has been placed in a sauna until its body-mass index has whittled down to marathoner levels, and then scalloped and stripped of any unnecessary ornamentation, save for a kind of fingerprinted whorl in its side cove. It is elemental, at once planar and burnished, with the lovely long-hood/short-deck proportions of a classic front-engine, rear-wheel-drive grand tourer.
Its interior is similarly edited, doing away with the proliferating screens of other vehicles in the category, utilizing instead a digital analog instrument panel and a sophisticated heads-up display that keeps a driver focused on the road and shows just what is deemed necessary, and nothing else.
"Outside and inside, it follows a Japanese aesthetic, moving away from an animalistic approach, away from too much dynamism, to become something more minimal," says Montousse. "But it is not mathematical or rigid. It is very fluid, meant to communicate a human trace behind it. It is a way to define and induce a specific feeling that connects a human energy to the product. To encourage pure love."
Mazda is big on this idea of automotive affection, especially in light of the recent industry-wide push into semi-autonomy, which seems intended to separate the car from its owner/user/mobility participant. The brand believes that the deep connection between humans and their machines should not be rendered invisible or discontinuous, but should be maintained, and even enhanced. Moreover, Mazda believes that this connection should be, and remain, both physical and emotional.
This makes sense for a driver-centric brand that privileges stick shifts, steering feel and zoom-zooming.
"Mazda has made it clear that it is not going to follow the autonomous trend," Montousse says. "Instead of the car acting as a cocoon, a personal assistant, to insulate and isolate, we believe it should be a copilot. To be there to enable bravery, and give you the tools to face the aggression."
#2
Lexus Champion
That's one sexy beast.
#5
Pole Position
Very nice follow up to Mazda Shinari. Same design theme but with sharper lines and shoulders. No fender flares at the front this time. It's a preview of the upcoming new 6.
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#8
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
i really don't get 'concepts' because they're generally either a) ugly, or b) beautiful and get watered down to disappoint when launched.
#9
Lexus Champion
It's a nice clean design. Definitely channeling some Aston Martin and some Ferrari on the back end. Mazda has always had to struggle a little bit with mass market sales compared to the big Japanese guys and now the Koreans. But since the company doesn't have a luxury division (hi Amati, you could have been great), they've got a lot more money to make their existing vehicles nice in terms of styling and material quality.
This could be a signal from Mazda that they might want to play in the high end sedan flagship market. It's just a concept but I see clean elegant styling here. The long schnauzer nose can be toned down enough to resemble a more smoother interpretation of current "look at me, I'm a big mouth bass", designs. Mazda really has always shown restraint in how they approach styling other than taking risks with their RX-8.
This could be a signal from Mazda that they might want to play in the high end sedan flagship market. It's just a concept but I see clean elegant styling here. The long schnauzer nose can be toned down enough to resemble a more smoother interpretation of current "look at me, I'm a big mouth bass", designs. Mazda really has always shown restraint in how they approach styling other than taking risks with their RX-8.
#11
Lexus Champion
It's a nice clean design. Definitely channeling some Aston Martin and some Ferrari on the back end. Mazda has always had to struggle a little bit with mass market sales compared to the big Japanese guys and now the Koreans. But since the company doesn't have a luxury division (hi Amati, you could have been great), they've got a lot more money to make their existing vehicles nice in terms of styling and material quality.
This could be a signal from Mazda that they might want to play in the high end sedan flagship market. It's just a concept but I see clean elegant styling here. The long schnauzer nose can be toned down enough to resemble a more smoother interpretation of current "look at me, I'm a big mouth bass", designs. Mazda really has always shown restraint in how they approach styling other than taking risks with their RX-8.
This could be a signal from Mazda that they might want to play in the high end sedan flagship market. It's just a concept but I see clean elegant styling here. The long schnauzer nose can be toned down enough to resemble a more smoother interpretation of current "look at me, I'm a big mouth bass", designs. Mazda really has always shown restraint in how they approach styling other than taking risks with their RX-8.
To remain relevant, Mazda must differentiate itself (and find a niche) from other (small) Japanese automakers. Moving slightly upmarket, while maintaining mass-market prices, is what Mazda is trying. You can see the move to a more premium look in the current CX-9 and new CX-5.
#12
Lead Lap
Mazda is really coming along. My wife took over our RX350 so I had to look for a good lease deal to commute in and out of SF every day. Ended up leasing a 2017 Mazda3 for 140$ per month and I really enjoy the car. Very sorted driving dynamics that feels stiff yet compliant. It has really opened up my eyes to Mazda. I'm on here because I love Lexus just like everyone else here does. But I'm on a budget and at a lower price point, IMO Mazda are ruling the game. You can clearly see from the pics of this new faux coupe, they are onto something with their new design language "Kodo".
#13
Lexus Test Driver
Side profile is pretty plain. Rear also plain, save for the dated Ferrari lights. Mazda and BMW sure like overbites.
#14
Stunningly simple with that modern touch. Some design elements hearkening back to when it was more about the drive and being connected to the road. Hey Mazda here's an idea, partner with Yamaha and develop a low displacement high revving V8 teamed with three pedals
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