Mazda has unveiled its dramatic Kazamai concept at the Moscow Motor Show, revealing a dramatic new look for the brand – and previewing its forthcoming Ford Kuga rival, the CX-5.Mazda is developing a whole new line-up of lighter and more fuel-efficient cars that will start to appear by 2011. The goal, the firm says, is to improve the average fuel efficiency of its models by 30 per cent and reduce CO2 emissions by 23 per cent by 2015.
The all-new CX-5, set to arrive in 2011 and heavily based on the Kazamai, is one of the first models being developed with this new philosophy.Mazda claims that the final production version will be at least 100kg lighter than its rivals. Like the Kazamai, it will be powered by a new generation of direct-injection petrol engines, with drive delivered to the road through new lightweight transmissions.According to Mazda's design boss Laurens van den Acker the CX-5 will keep a lot of the concept's looks too. “This is the most realistic of the concepts we've done so far” he told Autocar. “We want to keep it as sporty as possible and there are now so many rivals that we have to move away from the practical.”He also hinted that Mazda is also thinking of following the example of the Land Rover LRX by producing three and five-door versions. It will also keep some plenty of the current concept car flourishes, such as the extravagant side creases which “can definitely make production” according to van den Acker.
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