Saturday, July 9, 2011

The Mazda Concept



'Kusabi' means 'a bond or connection that ties two things together,' and the concept does just this. It integrates the drive excitement of a sports car with the versatility and economy of a modern compact car.


'It's a sports car you can use for shopping,' says Tohru Furusawa of Mazda's Product Innovation Department.


The Kusabi's minimal weight, compact size and highly rigid body lend the superior handling and maneuverability that are characteristic of a sports car. It is planted on 17-inch wheels, with a substantially long wheelbase and a wide, low-to-the-ground stance for aggressive and confident road presence. The Kusabi's aluminum frame supports linear and responsive braking. Combined with a new and spirited 1.6-liter diesel engine and a six-speed automatic shift manual transmission, the concept achieves stable and predictable driving dynamics that can only be described as 'zoom zoom.'