Are you a fan of the current Mazda look, with its curvy shapes, smiling mouth and eye-catching jewelry? It all started with the Nagare concept shown at the 2007 LA Motor Show, where the carmaker showed off a car that “flowed”. A couple of concepts later – Ryuga, Hakaze, Taiki and Furai – the Nagare design language was in full flow (pardon the pun), as Mazda tried to implement it onto its road car range.
They’ve finally managed to apply the Nagare design in full with the new Mazda5 (as shown in Geneva), before killing it. Yes, the Nagare design language is dead.
Creator of Nagare, Laurens van den Acker, left the company for Renault last year, and the brand’s European design boss Peter Birtwhistle was recently quoted as saying: “Nagare is done. After the 5, it’s highly unlikely that there will be another Nagare car. Mazda has moved on.” He adds that Mazda top guns in Japan aren’t fully convinced with the Nagare look, which the Brit describes as “particularly difficult to apply to a boxy people carrier shape.”
So what can we expect from them next? Birtwhistle told Auto Express that Mazda is aiming to become “more like a Japanese Alfa Romeo, producing cars which are great to drive, but crucially that also have the right premium feel, particularly inside.” Mazda’s global design chief Ikuo Maeda, who led the RX-8 and Mazda2 design teams, is the man in charge.
A number of concepts are being designed under the “thrusting motion” theme and Maeda will select a winner in September. The chosen design will debut at the Paris Motor Show along with the name of Mazda’s new design philosophy. Interestingly, Nagare creator van den Acker is set to show off his best for Renault in Paris, so the stage is set!
Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.
superb!
Nagare design language almost likely be copied by hyundai (Sonata, Elantra) Since evryone is crossing over soon we will see Renault (and maybe Nissan also) have mazda look. Just like Audi look in Forte by Peter.
Noting wrong with curent mazda design, big fan,very nice n creative compare to boring n predictable toyota designs, mazda should stay unique, it can b like alfa romeo only a million time more reliable !
should try new things in their next design..as sad mouth instead
Good riddance!!! I bet those Nagare design Mazdas are really troublesome to knock and fix after an accident!! How is our bodyshop guys supposed to knock a “flowing surface”? Of course they’ll have to use plenty of plaster and fiber filler to recreate those curves. Unreasonably troublesome..
whole heartedly agree with you. Looking at the new hyundai sonata i think our panel beaters will be scratching their heads how the heck to go and fix back those wavy crimps and lines. They’ll probably end up importing whole door panels to fix dents!
ask the panel bodyshop guy to design your car for you then.
Bro, they use putty to recreate the curvy edges. With putty, they can do wonders.
they dont beat the panels a lot nowadays.if the rear door is knocked, just replace the whole hatch got from halfcut
You leave my co, I deep six your hardwork.
i think in future will be no more knocking body for cars
,just replace the parts.
Yes, you are right, or just scrap the car after a heavy accident
well, it might not be the prettiest design language, but impressive nonetheless! Kudos to the creator of Nagare. Hopefully the next design language of both his and Mazda’s will be very unique and special. Hopefully Mazda will become like the Alfa Romeo of Japan, especially in terms of looks!
What Mazda badly needs right now is the sucessor to the RX-7!
sucessor to the rx 7 is rx 8 laaa..
maybe he wans a rx 9?
the rx8 is not worthy to be the successor of the great 7! where’s the turbochargers in the 8? where’s the strict 2 seater only configuration in the 8? where’s the 50:50 weight distribution in the 8? the 8 was never meant to be 7′s replacement. the only worthy successor to the 8 is the Furai which was forever in testing phase and will never be for sale.
Come one Mazda, put the Furai on sale! Do not blow off the Nagare design language!
Look at Mazda6 and the Mazda3, they are leaps n bounds above the Civic/Altis & Accord/Camry in terms of design!
Exactly, the RX-8 was never meant to be a hardcore sports car like the RX-7. Rumours was the next gen RX-7 is in the pipeline, but for how long we don’t know. Mazda is busy perfecting and revising the Rotary engine design to meet the more stringent Euro emission regulation.
Damn. no more smiley, then wat comes next? sadly?
Hate those busy nagare designs.
Must stop the rot before Mazda turns into a grinning twisted metal with chaotic wrinkled body like the recent Hoondey.
Bring back the former pleasant & charming shape of Mazda6 !
Hate those busy nagare concepts.
Must stop the rot before Mazda turns into a grinning twisted metal with chaotic wrinkled body like Hoondey.
Bring back the former gracious & charming shape of Mazda6 !
RX7 is FUGLY and old but maybe old man like it
new RX8 is nice and cool!