Mazda provided a glimpse into the future for the company's design direction with the world debut of the Nagare concept.
Laurens van den Acker, Mazda's new global design director, gave the challenge to his team to create a concept that shows motion whether the car is moving or not. The result is the Nagare. This concept is the first of several that Mazda will display this auto show season, with planned debuts of other concepts in Detroit, Geneva and Tokyo.
The name Nagare means "flow" in Japanese, which fits perfectly with this concept. Lines along the sides appear three-dimensional, like looking at miles of sand dunes. The lines curve up over the rear wheels and seem to be sprayed out via the LED taillights.
Wheels are integrated into the design with almost no space between wheel and fender. Positioned at the corners, they give the impression that this would be a fun car to drive. Tires and wheels are integrated into a single unit, and the center of each wheel, sporting a Mazda logo and LED light, do not turn with the wheel.
We didn't get to see it operate, but access to the interior is made via two double-length doors that hinge forward and open up like the wings of a butterfly. The driver sits in the center for optimum control and visibility. The rear seat is more like a wraparound couch, providing seating for three.
Franz von Holzhausen, Mazda North American Operations' (MNAO) director of design, explained, "We're looking well down the road with Nagare. We want to suggest where Mazda design will be in 2020. To do that, we redefined basic proportions and the idea of driving without losing the emotional involvement. Mazda's driving spirit will be enhanced and intensified by Nagare."
