WickedExotics.info

When Mazda invited us to Milan to see its new concept car, we knew it must be something important. Normally concept cars get their 15 minutes of fame at an auto show, and then it's off to the next press conference to see what the following automaker will introduce. Not so with Mazda's latest styling endeavor. The Japanese automaker wanted our full and undivided attention, with the center of international design and fashion in Italy as a fitting backdrop.

The Shinari concept, which roughly translates to "resistance to being bent," will serve as a the basis for Mazda's new design language, and many of the styling cues will make it to future production vehicles. That means that the Shinari will essentially affect the design of every vehicle coming from the Japanese automaker for the next several years. An important car for Mazda? You bet.

The Shinari was officially unveiled earlier today, and we spent several hours talking with Mazda's artists about the design and how it will affect the automaker's forthcoming vehicles.

The creation of the Shinari Concept starts with Ikuo Maeda, Mazda's global head of design. Maeda was the chief designer of the RX-8 and the Mazda2 and has been with the company for nearly 30 years, but his connection with the brand goes back even further than that. His father, Matasaburo Maeda, headed the design of the first generation RX-7 back in the 1970s. Mazda runs in the Maeda family's blood and there's no one more qualified to define the look of Mazda's next generation vehicles.

While Maeda has had an influence on Mazda design in the past, 2010 is the first year in which he's had full control. The Shinari Concept represents the first styling concept under his new design theme, KODO, which replaces the controversial Nagare them from the past several years. While the Nagare-styled cars were represented by wavy, flowing lines, a trait that looked great on concepts but was tough to implement on production cars (see Mazda3), KODO is more of an organic style that still takes cues from the natural world, but in a much more solidified and powerful sense. Maeda describes KODO as form with a soul, or bringing form to life, with the three key terms defining the theme being speed, tension and alluring. "There are few products of industrial design that can be compared to living entities which convey energetic motion and which invite affection," he says. "It is this intrinsically emotional appeal of the car that I wish to express when creating Mazda cars."



While Maeda created the theme for the new stylistic direction, the development of the Shinari Concept was actually a collaboration between three of Mazda's design centers in Japan, Germany and the United States. The goal was to make the exterior a product of Japan, while the interior was left to the automaker's Irvine studio. However, each team had input on the final product.

Looking at the exterior, it's easy to tell that the Shinari shares little in common with Mazda's recent designs, although like almost every sedan built today, it has similarities to vehicles from other brands. It's almost as if the Aston Martin Rapide and a Mazda RX-8 cued up some Barry White, enjoyed a romantic evening and the Shinari came out nine months later. That's obviously a compliment, as the Rapide is a stunningly beautiful car and the RX-8 – even this far into its lifecycle – is still a looker. However, the Shinari has a much more complicated design, with more intersecting lines and a surface area that's constantly moving and changing depending on the lighting.



Those who dislike the smiling face of the current Mazda lineup will be glad to know it won't be a feature in future models (Huzzah! – Ed.). The Shinari front end features a "signature wing" that will become a new styling cue for the brand. The wing is formed by a thin aluminum band that starts from the bottom of the grille and goes out and up through the headlamps and continues with a bold fender line moving out onto the sides.

The most impressive aspect of the exterior design was the devotion to the theme in nearly every inch of the concept. The various aluminum pieces found on the exterior have a "twisted tension", and even the slots in the disc brakes follow the same theme. In addition, items like the headlights were designed to have a more natural look and fashioned to mimic the iris of an animal's eye. We're also big fans of the stylish rear view cameras in place of the standard mirrors as well as the trick door handles (although "button" might be a more appropriate description) that require only a simple press to open.



While the exterior is certainly a departure from previous designs, the interior is perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Shinari. Easily the most attractive and stylish interior we've seen in a Mazda (concept or not), it's swathed in authentic aluminum trim, leather-covered surfaces and double stitching at nearly every turn and twist. We're again drawn to the Aston Martin Rapide comparison, especially with the design of the deep rear bucket seats. The gauges, modeled after popular watch designs, up the class quotient and the massive glass roof helps make the interior feel open and airy.

We know many of these elements won't make it into a production car, but Mazda's North American director of design, Derek Jenkins, who oversaw the development of the Shinari's interior, says it's Mazda's goal to add sophistication to future models. "Mazda is really an aspirational type of brand," he says. "Even though we are a mainstream brand we have a customer that wants a little bit more. We monitor premium segments, we monitor premium trends, and the question is ultimately how can get some of that feeling into a more affordable vehicle. We think our customer wants a little bit more sophistication."


One thing that can definitely be seen in future Mazda interiors is a driver-focused cockpit. A close look at the Shinari's interior reveals an asymmetric design that snugly surrounds the driver's seat while leaving the passenger seat more open and relaxed. Jenkins says this will be theme of upcoming Mazda vehicles and help set the brand apart.

Finally, the Shinari also features quite a bit of technology that looks forward to the new applications of driver-automobile interactions. The Human Machine Interface (HMI) is split up into three modes: Business, Pleasure and Sport. Potential uses range from looking up bios of a business contact before a meeting to a rally-style co-pilot feature that could alert the driver of the characteristics of upcoming turns. It's nothing too far-fetched given the current levels of technology, and we wouldn't be surprised to see some of it implemented in the near future.



But more than the tech and the attention to detail, it's the Shinari's overall cohesion that impresses the most. Unlike other pie-in-the-sky concepts, the Sinari is a smart, well executed styling exercise that should be a solid design platform for future models. The muscular lines should translate well into a production car, and customers will always appreciate a more sophisticated interior. And what about the potential of a four-door sports coupe like the Shinari making it to production? Mazda wouldn't tell us whether one is in the works, but they did mention that the "business side of it" was considered when the Shinari was under development. That definitely means there's a chance, and we sure like the sound of a Mazda RX-9.

Whoops! The men and women in Stuttgart weren't planning to unveil the new Mercedes-Benz CLS just yet, but the crew from eMercedesBenz snagged these leaked images showing the new four-door coupe in all its production-ready glory.

As expected, the new CLS takes a lot of its styling cues from Benz's Shooting Break concept (they're name, not ours) notably the upright grille and more aggressive front fascia. The sectioned-off headlamp design has also remained intact, and from these photo-realistic renderings, it looks like someone shot the CLS in the eyes with lemon juice. Still, we're eager to see how this mix of LEDs looks out on the road at dusk. The CLS also uses the more shapely rear hips of the Shooting Break concept, rounding out the revised rear end. It's certainly more stylish than the outgoing CLS, which says a lot.

Inside, the CLS continues to use its four-seat arrangement with a center console that extends the full length of the cabin, and we fully expect the overall refinement to fall somewhere between the E-Class and S-Class sedans. Plush stuff, we're sure.

When the CLS launches, eMercedesBenz reports that a new 3.5-liter direct-injected V6 will be offered, as well as a twin-turbocharged 4.6-liter V8 good for around 430 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. Of course, an AMG version won't be far behind with the all-new 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 underhood.

Now that these leaked shots have hit the web, don't be surprised if the official images and details are published in the very near future

[Source: eMercedesBenz]

We've been expecting this announcement to come sooner or later, though we didn't exactly count on it coming from the LA Auto Show's own Twitter page. But there it is anyway, straight from the horse's mouth: "Saab has confirmed that the 9-4X Crossover will make its world debut at the LA Auto Show this Nov."

We're also expecting some sort of official word that the new crossover 'ute, which will share its Theta Premium underpinnings with the Cadillac SRX, should hit the market sometime in the spring of 2011... perhaps around April.

While we're on the subject of expectations, we'd also imagine that Saab will offer its premium crossover with the same powerplants as the recently released 9-5, which means we could see a 2.0-liter turbocharged four and a 2.8-liter turbocharged six, both likely mated with a six-speed automatic transmission and available all-wheel drive. We'll apparently find out for sure soon enough.


[Source: LA Auto Show's Twitter]

What do you get if you cross Italian styling with American V8 power and South African manufacturing? Unless you’ve got a punch line, Answer is the Perana Z-One, which will go on sale in the U.S. through Superformance after its Concorso Italiano debut in August. American buyers will get an allocation of just 99 units, so you probably won’t be seeing one parked outside of your local trattoria any time soon.

Designed by Zagato, the Perana Z-One debuted as a concept at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show. It’s lines are Italian, but I’m seeing influences from both the C6 Corvette and the Dodge Viper Coupe; somehow, the styling just works without being garish. At a starting price below $100,000, Z-One buyers will get to spec their cars with either the LS3 motor (good for 436 horsepower) or the LS7 motor for the Corvette Z06 (good for 505 horsepower). No floppy paddle shifters are planned, so buyers can look forward to rowing their own gears. As you’d expect from a limited production car that closes in on six figures, the interior will feature plenty of leather, Alcantara and technology, including a standard equipment navigation / infotainment system.

I can’t vouch for the South African manufacturing, although both BMW and Superformance have used South African labor for years. I love the idea of Italian style combined with the Corvette V8’s ease of maintenance, so I give this one a win.

If ever there was a premium brand with an identity crisis, it’s Infiniti. Originally, they were conceived as Nissan’s answer to Lexus. A few years of working this angle produced some disappointing cars (does anyone remember the G20 or the J30?) and even more disappointing sales results. Cars that really did rock (the Q45, for example, or later, the M45) didn’t sell particularly well despite Infitniti’s attempts to reposition themselves as a performance and luxury brand. We Americans didn’t seem to understand the marque until Infiniti finally hit their stride with the G35 series of sedans and coupes, which offered a good blend of performance, luxury and affordability.

Now it seems they’re out to confuse us again, this time by announcing a front wheel drive coupe to compete against Audi’s A3. Past Infiniti models such as the G20 or the I30 were FWD, but that was before Infiniti reinvented themselves as a performance oriented luxury brand. Of course they sell the occasional SUV, too, so maybe we need to think of them as a full line manufacturer who offers performance, luxury and versatility in their product mix. I’d just like some direction on what order those adjectives should be in.

In any case, the new FWD coupe will be designed for the Euopean market, so we may not even see it on this side of the pond. It will be smaller than their current G series, and MotorAuthority tells us it will take styling cues from last year’s Essence concept car. I’d expect the new FWD Infiniti to focus more on luxury and technology than on outright performance, but it’s far too early to tell what direction the automaker will go in. This time.

According to a report out of Italy, Audi boss Rupert Stadler has said that the Audi A1 e-tron concept will not see production. Apparently the house of Audi believes that the conventional A1 will be sufficiently frugal and kind enough on the environment with its stop/start and brake energy recovery system. Additionally, there seems to be some issues with the A1's platform and its ability to house all the necessary EV components. If true, 'tis a shame – that cargo-floor-mounted Wankel engine paired with lithium-ion batteries was supposed to be good for 154 mpg, and the A1 e-tron is a package we would have enjoyed by being so green we made grass jealous.

It's been awhile since we've heard anything on the tasty little Toyota FT-86 Concept, but it looks like we may finally have an idea of what the car will be called when it hits showrooms. If the rumors buzzing around the Toyobaru forums are to be believed, the Japanese manufacturer won't resurrect any of its fabled names from the company's past. Instead, it's possible that the sportscar may carry an FR-S badge. Toyota just filed a trademark application for the name, so there's a good chance that this particular internet whisper may have some meat to it.

We haven't completely decided where we stand on the FR-S name, partly because we had become so accustomed to calling the front-engine, rear-wheel drive heathen the FT-86. In the end, though, we don't really care what's on the car's badges so long as it makes it to production as an affordable, strong-performing coupe. Toyota could use something with a pulse in a big way, and a spiritual successor to the AE-86 Corolla would be just the ticket.

[Source: Toyobaru.net]

Smaller cars may be taking over from larger SUVs around the world, but that hardly means that the go-anywhere, rough-and-tumble image of the sport-ute has disappeared from buyers' minds. That's where softroaders come in. Vehicles like the Volkswagen CrossPolo blend off-road styling with a small form factor.

VW gave us a sneak peek at the new CrossPolo back in Geneva, but is only officially revealing the full range now. Based on the new Polo hatchback, the CrossPolo gets a boost in ride height and some tasteful body cladding to give it that backcountry appeal. A new front end – treated in dark gray and blending into the wheel arches, quarter panels and rear bumper – plus 17-inch alloys and roof rails complete the package, which can be ordered by non-U.S. types with six engine options – three gasoline and three diesels – in any of six exterior shades, including two colors unique to the CrossPolo.

The very first car designed and built in Saudi Arabia is officially a reality. King Abdullah unveiled the production Gazal 1 at a special ceremony yesterday and congratulated everyone who participated in the vehicle's development on a job well done. As you may recall, the Gazal 1 was a special project created by the students at King Saud University. Though built off the bones of a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the KSU kids penned the exterior and reworked the interior to accommodate Saudi Arabia's notoriously brutal climate and demanding terrain.

When we saw the original Gazal 1 design study at this year's Geneva Motor Show, we thought the vehicle looked pretty good, especially considering how little experience the SUV's designers had in bringing a full-scale vehicle to life. From what we can tell, it looks like the production version has stuck fairly close to the big green model we saw back in March. That means the Toyota FJ Cruiser-style roof has made its way into reality along with the very International grille.

It works for us, especially considering the go-anywhere Mercedes-Benz components bolted underneath. No one's said what's under the hood of the Gazal 1, but we're guessing the same 382-horsepower 5.5-liter V8 from the standard G550 is a good bet.

[Source: Arab News]

So you think you've got what it takes to design an electric car? If so, Audi is interested in hearing from you. The company just kicked off an electric car competition that challenges people to try their hand at designing the cars of tomorrow. The competition is open to anyone with an eye for design who also knows a thing or two about electric cars. Audi officially calls the competition "The Production of Electric Automobiles," and concept ideas are currently being accepted. Unfortunately, the site is in German, making entry a wee bit more difficult, but this translated Google page will help English-only speakers out.

There are a few guidelines that must be followed in order to have chance at winning the contest, but it's pretty simple stuff. Of those who do enter before the July 31st deadline, Audi will select eight finalists to attend a workshop to perfect and resubmit their ideas. The company will then choose an overall winner in November. Bernd Griesbach, an Audi spokesperson for the event, hints at what the company expects from entrants:

We are convinced that we will receive many innovative and creative entries because the competition is a unique opportunity for young employees and potential employees. It is important that the concept can be easily implemented and demonstrates clear progress over the state of the art.

Interested? Give it a try, as there's certainly nothing to lose. If you do well enough, your design might even be implemented in future Audi products and could even land you a spot at the company. How's that for forward momentum? Follow the jump to learn more about the contest. Hat tip to Larzen!

[Source: Audi]