Mazda Kiyora to spawn Mazda1 city car

So who is it at Mazda that is designing cars now that their ‘golden boy’ Frans von Holzhausen left them to go work for Tesla Motors? Jo Stenuit, Mazda’s new chief of design – and he’s not doing a bad job with the whole ‘Nagare’ thing Holzhausen started.

With the help of Mickael Loyer and Gregory Vera, Stenuit and Mazda displayed a new small coupe concept called the Mazda Kiyora at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. According to Automotive News, the concept will spawn a Mazda1 city car that will go on sale in Europe and Japan. The idea of selling the car in North America is still a blur.

Of course the car will focus on green technologies. A 1.3L direct-injection engine with a new 6-speed automatic transmission powers the Kiyora. With the help of Mazda’s new Smart Idle Stop System (another word for stop/start), CO2 emissions are reduced by 90 g/km.

When will we see the Mazda1? As early as next year according to insiders.

 

Mazda Kiyora:

 

 

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)