New Mazda5 breaks out of the boxy mould

The flowing style of Mazda’s Nagare design statement, seen on its concept cars over the past two-and-a-half years, debuts on a production model this autumn – not on a sporty model like the MX-5 or RX-8, but on the new generation Mazda5 people carrier.

This presented a challenge for chief designer Koji Tabata and his team. Applying the wave-like styling to what is traditionally a boxy shape.

Speaking to news agency, headlineauto at a preview of the new model in Vienna, Tabata said: "Once we had decided to employ Nagare design, we had to work out how to implement it on a minivan. We had design iterations from all our global design studios.

"The Design philosophy for this car was ‘seductive smartness’ – making the Mazda5 alluring and tempting. We wanted to create a head turner. The final design has also achieved better aerodynamics and generates more downforce for reduced noise and better handling."

In creating the flowing flutes along the side, the designers hit a number of stumbling blocks. Would it still be cost effective to stamp the more intricately-shaped panels? And what about repairability after an accident?

Tabata added: "We also found that the sculptured lines also created reflections that we did not expect and these changed as the car moved or the doors opened. Eventually we had to work with manufacturing experts, using actual steel panels to finalise the design."

The flowing lines running along the side panels actually look deeper than they are and are quite smooth to the touch. "We did a lot of experimenting with the depth of the fluting, the negative surfaces had to be kept shallow to prevent strange reflections," added Tabata.

While the front of the car takes on the new Mazda face first seen on the Mazda3, the rear lamps have been re-engineered. "Originally we gave the first generation Mazda5 an upright rear light cluster to accentuate the fact that it is a roomy MPV. Now the vehicle has become established, we have made the cluster horizontal for a more sporty look. The car looks lower and slimmer."

Inside, the new Mazda5, which goes on sale in the UK in late autumn, carries over the very flexible seating configuration that can accommodate up the seven passengers and luggage as well as the sliding rear doors.

Programme manager Hideki Matsuoka said that the new Mazda5 is aimed at young families in their 30s.

"So price is a priority," he added. "But the car also has to be practical, emotional and elegant. The USP is design and driving performance."

Price in the UK is likely to be between £17,500 and £21,500.

Jeffrey Guyton, president and managing executive officer, Mazda Motor Corp, said that since the first generation Mazda5 was launched in 2005, around 500,000 have been sold, 170,000 of them in Europe.

He added: "Biggest markets in the region are the UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It’s a tough market, there are 18 models in the C-MAV segment representing some 1.4 million sales annually – but ours will be the best looking and the best driving."

The car will be launched in the UK initially with two engine options, a 2-litre direct injection petrol with Mazda’s iStop, stop-start system, and a 1.8-litre petrol. A diesel will follow shortly after launch.

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iStop start-stop system will feature as standard on the 2-litre model and on the basis of a very short test drive, it appears very quick to restart. There are no current plans to make the system available on the older 1.8-litre engine although it will appear on an all-new diesel due at a later date. This will be smaller than the current 2.2-litre diesel according to Tetsuo Fujimoto, the deputy programme manager.

He added: "Our target for the new 2-litre engine was to be under 160g/km of CO2 to avoid tax penalties in various European markets. By using higher gearing and the stop start system we have been able to reduce emissions from the 150hp engine down to 159g/km from 187g/km in the previous engine."

Also helping to keep emissions down is a gear shift indicator which tells the driver when the change up. It also indicates when to shift down when accelerating hard above 1000 rpm to optimise engine performance, particularly when overtaking.

Fujimoto said that over a measured test route, fuel economy was improved by 12 per cent by following the guidance of the gear shift indicator.

Author: Faye Sunderland, June 24th, 2010
Filed under: Mazda | No Comments »