Mazda, reported to be distancing itself from current partner Ford in the near future, is determined to continue its drive to make its products “stand-out” offerings, immediately distinguishable from other vehicles in the market.
Though company executives attending the firm’s 2010 Brand Forum in Hiroshima on October 20 refused to confirm or debunk the Ford reports, there can be no denying the effort to be different, perfectly illustrated by two vehicles presented to the media by the men who designed them.
The first, the company’s new BT-50 double-cab pickup, which, according to assistant manager Middle East and Africa Sales Masao Harada, is to be put into production in South Africa by the final quarter of 2010, is certainly a “bakkie” like no other in its segment. Designer Ryo Yanagisawa says it was inspired by a photo of a lion.
“We aimed at creating a ‘sophisticated beast’, a pick-up with the design characteristics of a sportscar, inside and out,” he said. “The outgoing model is functional but lacks ‘zoom-zoom’. This vehicle has more dynamism, like a lion leaping at its prey!”
The front end, with its aggressive grille, is inspired by the Shinari, a dramatic four-door coupe design study also shown at the Forum. The interior, too, carries design cues from the Shinari, making it more sporty car than pick-up inside.
Shinari’s creator is none other than Mazda’s general manager, Design, Ikuo Maeda, the man who styled the RX-8 (his father, incidentally, styled the RX-7, so he has “zoom-zoom” in his genes!). The sporty four-door was inspired by another African predator, the cheetah, said Maeda. He described the style as “kodo”, Japanese for “soul of motion”.
Mazda, he added, would be using this design language on its future models The first is the BT-50 that big, bold “bakkie with a difference” due in SA late next year.
