Mazda's new design theme: ‘KODO – Soul Of Motion’
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Mazda Shinari concept car
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Mazda
7th September, 2010
Mazda has announced its new design theme, ‘KODO – Soul
of Motion’, and the design concept model, Mazda Shinari, an expression of this new theme.
Since launching its first passenger car, the Mazda R360 Coupe, some 50 years ago, Mazda has spent
some years exploring the concept of ‘motion,’ offering customers designs that are meant to be
expressive. In particular, since the launch of the "Zoom-Zoom" brand message, Mazda has pursued the
concept of more athletic and sporty motion, and has adopted dynamic designs for all Mazda models
starting with the Mazda 6 and followed by the RX-8 and the Mazda 2. In recent years, this motion-based
design has been further extended to incorporate the theme of ‘motion inspired by nature’, embodied in
the Mazda NAGARE concept car series and the all-new Mazda 5.
Ikuo Maeda, the head of Mazda’s Design Division, explains the new design theme in this way: “In
our work to further evolve the expression of motion, Mazda Design has focused on the strength, beauty
and tension found in the instantaneous movement seen in animals. This motion that is so full of
vitality that it stirs the emotions of those who see it. We have named it ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’, and
our aim is to express movement with forceful vitality and speed as the design theme for Mazda’s
upcoming models.”
Maeda continues, “Mazda’s four design studios located in Japan (Hiroshima and Yokohama), Europe
(Frankfurt, Germany) and North America (Irvine, USA) are currently combining to take up the challenge
to achieve a breakthrough in the expression of motion in car design, and incorporate this expression
into our future products.”
Mazda Shinari
Mazda Shinari is a 4-door, 4-seat, sports coupe and an expression of the new design theme, ‘KODO –
Soul of Motion’, in its idealised form. Mazda Shinari showcases several new design elements that will
carry forward into production, and represents the first initiative by Mazda Design to express ‘KODO –
Soul of Motion’.
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The Japanese word shinari describes the powerful yet supple appearance of great resilient force
when objects of high tensile strength, such as steel or bamboo, are twisted or bent. It also refers to
the appearance of a person or animal as it flexes its body in preparation for a fast movement, and it
is these images that form the basis for the name of this concept car.
With images of strength flowing across every panel and part, the Mazda Shinari looks ready to leap
at any second. This form incorporates the expression of a strong backbone running through the body,
the sudden release of pent-up energy, and the interplay of beautiful, supple movements. The distinctive
front guards represent the further evolution of the prominent guards introduced on the RX-8. They
highlight the dynamic movement expressed in the sides of Shinari, in a style that is both sporty and
elegant. Together with the further three-dimensional sculpting of the front grille, the design proudly
emphasises the Mazda lineage. There is a powerful line of movement originating at the grille and
continuing through the bonnet, mudguard, front lamp modules and bumper. Finally, an aluminium floating
bar linking the grille with the headlights enhances the three-dimensional expression of speed. In the
interior, Mazda Design has provided the ‘ultimate athletic space’ focused on linking ergonomics with
basic mechanical functions. We have designed the optimum space for both the driver cockpit, to enable
the driver to focus on the task of driving, as well as the passenger environment, offering a sense of
openness. In this model, Mazda offers new ideas for the human-machine interface in cockpit design,
enabling the driver to switch at will between three modes: Business, Pleasure and Sport, to enjoy
driving in line with the situation at the time.
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