The word “flow” is becoming quite synonymous with the 2006 Mazda Nagare Concept. Her extraordinary unique design definitely sweeps the eyes from one end of the car to the other, screaming out “aerodynamic,” and “fast even when standing still.” One can feel the heat of the speed created by this concept car just from looking at its photograph on an internet page.
The Los Angeles International Auto show certainly got an eye full with the groundbreaking design known as Nagare. Nothing quite enhances the company’s zoom-zoom slogan quite like the Nagare.
Nagare is just one of a long line of concept cars recently introduced by Mazda, and some are certainly inching closer to production than this interesting new creation. Mazda will bring these concepts to full light for this season’s global auto show circuit.
The word Nagare is literally translated, flow. The Japanese word, which is actually pronounced nah-gah-rey, was coined for the unique “sci-fi” shape of the car. The design team was given the challenge of creating a vehicle that represented motion regardless of movement, or the lack thereof. Their response to the challenge was the Nagare.
They set about the task wanting to represent Mazda vehicles in the year 2020 and beyond. They wanted to incorporate as many enhancements as possible without losing the personal touch involved in driving. Regardless of technological advancement, Mazda feels that driving should continue to be an experience in which one participates rather than experiences. Despite the technology nearly available to allow cars to drive themselves, Mazda’s goal will be to produce cars that require hands on driving and result in the hands on driving effect.
The wheels were placed as far out as physically possible to ensure quick response and a high level of maneuverability. The wide, low stance of the car pulsates with durable excitement. To simply look at her, you can feel the speeds she would be capable of without ever reading a single spec sheet.
They crafted the doors to allow access for four normal sized humans through a butterfly like effect. The doors are hinged at the base and fly upward and slightly out to elude to the wings they are representing. The driver seat, however, has been centrally located to offer an optimum position for all aspects of driving. The central location naturally allows for ample headroom, and without full passengers, allows for ample recline of the driver’s seat.
Mazda has always been creative in their passenger seat construction. In fact they pulled out a four passenger sports car and about to deliver a seven passenger sport utility vehicle. Creative thinking is definitely one of Mazda’s strong suits.
The rear compartment of the Nagare is based more on a wrap around lounge effect than basic passenger seating. While this cuts out on storage space, it certainly provides an interesting ride for those who are lounging in the backseat. The interior has been quoted as “surprisingly roomy” and the entry system allows passengers easy access to the rear compartment.
There is a great hope that Mazda will be able to deliver a solidly designed forward thinking hydrogen-gas fuelled rotaries, as is already in use in the RX-8 in Japan. The use of shadowing and light creates the visual stimulation needed to completely accept whatever Mazda puts out there to complete the design. With the hopes of semi alternative fuel, wrap around lounge seating, and high level technology, the Mazda Nagare has the potential to become the first conceivable car of the future. This is the car that we were promised as children, delivered only seven years behind schedule. The imaginations of those growing up in the eighties were told that cars would look like this and fly without hesitation when we reached the year 2000.
Hints of fluid flow are throughout the entire body structure of the Mazda Nagare. The fluid flow design is of course intentional, and littered throughout the car to impact the feeling of motion, as was the designers’ original challenge.
In order to create the Nagare with global possibilities, the designers are tri continental. The design team is created by designers from California, Germany, and Japan. This brilliant interface is hopefully going to facilitate a well structured design that enables Mazda to release the premier vehicles globally.
There are numerous future projects planned that follow in the Nagare’s footsteps. Mazda is quickly winning the race to become the first internationally recognized leader in futuristic design. Their features in science fiction magazines were bittersweet. They had achieved their goal of creating a remarkably futuristic car, but they were unable to convince the public that this was more than a mere concept car. The concept car is designed as the test model, to warm the public to future acceptance and to hype the crowds just prior to releasing the vehicle for sale. There is o current price tag attached to these plans, at least not one that Mazda is prepared to release.
If Mazda is actually able to bring these concept cars into full production, they could very well dominate the car industry while daring other car companies to catch up. While motor vehicle companies have been impressively laying it think on the electronics, the Mazda Nagare is so revolutionary it makes these cars look like antiquated equipment prior to distribution.
Mazda is naturally sticking to its modern theory that their vehicles all come with the soul of a sports car, and their concept cars are not any different. The nagare has the soul of a sports car, designed just as much for speed, performance, and handling as any other Mazda. However, it may be a hard sell if they don’t warm the public to the idea prior to release.
The Mazda Nagare holds a lot of promise and ample potential for the future of performance cars. While it may take years for the general public to catch up, nobody can deny that Mazda has created a concept car that revolutionizes the car industry.
© 2007 Kiersten Stetser and Ken Leonard for www.sport-cars.org
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