The is a one-off
concept car
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...
produced by
Mazda
, commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan.
In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...
, and is the fourth car in Mazda's 'Nagare' design series. Mazda says the Taiki "reflects one possible direction for a future generation of Mazda sports cars aimed at helping to create a sustainable society".
The car
Drivetrain
The Taiki uses a front engine, rear-wheel drive layout and is powered by Mazda's next generation RENESIS rotary 16X engine, which is mated to a 7-speed, double-clutch gearbox. The 16X engine is said to replace the
RX-8's 13B engine. The name Taiki means 'atmosphere' in Japanese.
Design
Exterior
The exterior design, created by Joseph Reeve under the direction of Atsuhiko Yamada, is inspired by flowing robes. The Taiki has
butterfly doors
Butterfly doors are a type of car door sometimes seen on high-performance cars. They are slightly different from scissor doors. While scissor doors move straight up via hinge points at the bottom of a car's A-pillar, butterfly doors move up a ...
and a very impressive drag coefficient of 0.25. Even the wheels and tires were designed with aerodynamics in mind.
Interior
The interior, designed by Troy Trinh, is influenced by '
koinobori
, meaning "carp streamer" in Japanese, are carp-shaped windsocks traditionally flown in Japan to celebrate , a traditional calendrical event which is now designated as , a national holiday in Japan. are made by drawing carp patterns on pape ...
' - Japanese carp streamers, and the black & white colour break is inspired by the symbol for Yin-Yang. The driver's side of the cabin is black, while the passenger side is white.
External links
Mazda Taiki at Sydney Motor Show
References
www.drive.com.auwww.themotorreport.com.auhttp://www.cardesignnews.com/site/home/design_reviews/display/store4/item93943/
{{Mazda vehicles
Taiki
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
Cars powered by Wankel engines