New Mazda Shinari concept - sensational or a Tesla Model S redux?

[Wimbledon]

This is the new Mazda Shinari Concept. Certainly beautiful, striking, stunning, etc. and also certainly a huge step forward over Mazda's current "smiling" Nagare design language.

I just find the design a tad derivative of others including the Fisker Karma, Tesla Model S, and Infiniti Essence. Perhaps there are only so many ways to design a seductive-looking car, but surely the Shinari could be a bit more original? Or is its form not-so-groundbreaking in an attempt to show what the production-ready next Mazda 6 will look like? Hmmm...

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticl...rs/252473/

Autocar Wrote:Mazda has revealed the first glimpse of its new design language: the Shinari concept.

The Japanese manufacturer wheeled out the four-door coupe show car at a design event in Milan, but official 'studio' renderings and outdoor shots of the car have also leaked out onto the web.

See the pics of the new Mazda Shinari

The new design language is called Kodo, which means 'soul of motion' in Japanese. It's designed to replace the nature-influenced Nagare language.

The firm's global design chief, Ikeo Maeda, told journalists at the Milan event that the car "will lead to the next generation of Mazda design".

Read Hilton Holloway's blog about Mazda's future

The future of the Shinari concept is less clear. It could be a close preview of the next-generation Mazda 6, test mules of which were unveiled at last week's Mazda engineering showcase.

Alternatively, a modified version of the Shinari could become an indirect successor to the RX-8, which has become a victim of Euro5 emissions regulations.

The Shinari's key styling cues include a prominent, gaping-mouth grille that does away with Nagare's 'smiling face', ultra-slim headlights and an Aston Martin-esque side vent just behind the front wheels. Inside, the concept is a strict four-seater.

Hopefully the new face of Mazda:





















I hope this turns into a next-gen RX-8, complete with modern rotary.

[VAGuy]

wow. that is quite good looking!

[grethi]

Gorgeous car. I think, with 4 doors, there's only so much you can do to make a car's lines sleek. Unlike some of the cars I've talked about in the past, this one doesn't look like it was smacked into a wall as the last step of the nose design. A relatively bulky grille has sufficient character lines to make it look clean and nice. The winglets/exhaust seems a little jarring on an otherwise sleek rear end.