2020 Mazda Cx-5 Signature on 2040-cars

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Premium design and diesels: Mazda may be the next VW

At the Chicago Auto Show, we had a chance to sit down with Jacob Brown, a Mazda PR representative, and Jacques Flynn, a lead exterior designer at the company, to talk about design and where the company is going. One of the themes of our discussion was the company's desire to move its lineup toward a more premium, upscale feel and image – both in terms of vehicle design and powertrains. We realized the company may be looking to take a page from Volkswagen's American playbook, positioning itself as a prime purveyor of affordable, upscale – and most importantly, fun to drive – automobiles. In the case of design, Flynn talked about how Mazda's KODO design language is going to evolve; that the goal is to simplify and refine the look. We discussed the CX-5 as an example of this evolution. Flynn pointed out that the goal was to add more refinement and simplicity, and showed how Mazda achieved this on the CX-5 by straightening the curves from the previous model to give it more visual length and a more taut shape. The grille also was given more depth and detailing, which isn't simplified per se, but does provide a more premium look. View 9 Photos Mazda's upcoming diesel engines are another piece to Mazda's premium puzzle. The company will finally offer a diesel on the CX-5. While Mazda planned not to use urea-injection, it finally resorted to the system so the engine could both meet performance benchmarks and emissions standards. In addition to the efficiency of the engine, Brown said that diesel engines have a premium nature for buyers. This is due in part to the luxury automakers that mainly offer them in the US, such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and to the fact that the technology will add some cost to the product. If all of this sounds familiar, it's because you know these characteristics used to describe Volkswagen: a company known for upscale, affordable cars, providing great driving dynamics – and formerly, for efficient and fun-to-drive TDI diesel engines. While we didn't touch on the driving experience of modern Mazdas in our interview, you can simply look at any of our reviews to see that we generally like what the company builds. The only downside is that we may have to wait a while for some models, and others may never show up here. Brown and Flynn both said that the Mazda2 is unlikely to be offered in the US as anything other than the Toyota Yaris iA, since it's hard to convince people that a subcompact is premium. No surprise there.

Mazda revamping dealers with 'Retail Evolution'

Mazda introduced its Retail Revolution dealership design language 12 years ago, which focused on open-plan spaces, multimedia areas, and allowing customers to interact with the brand before needing to interact with a salesperson. Two years ago the carmaker started work on the next step in its dealership design, and the new language, called Retail Evolution, was unveiled at Mazda of Everett in Seattle, Washington. Aiming to make the Mazda brand feel more premium and increase dealer profits, it goes even further on the open-plan to create "a new level of business transparency." It's all done with a lot of black, white, raw wood, metal finishes, and a lot of glass. Mazda Lounges will offer free wi-fi, and digital displays will replace static photographs. So as not to hurt showrooms still recouping their investment in Retail Revolution, Mazda will work with dealers to figure out how best to update facilities, and the Retail Evolution has three tiers that can be adapted to particular locations. The press release is below, a couple of renderings are above. MAZDA ANNOUNCES ALL-NEW RETAIL EVOLUTION DEALERSHIP DESIGN Mazda of Everett Showcases First Ground-Up Retail Evolution Design IRVINE, Calif. (August 27, 2015) – Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced its all-new dealership design, dubbed "Retail Evolution", featuring an open concept floorplan that offers a new level of business transparency, and a look and feel enhanced through the use of natural materials that results in an even more upscale decor than the company's current popular Retail Revolution design. The first Retail Evolution dealership built from the ground up to this exacting standard will be Mazda of Everett in Seattle, Wash., opening today. "Thanks to our KODO design philosophy and suite of SKYACTIV technologies, our vehicle lineup has never been stronger. We are now able to take that groundbreaking design language and translate it into our dealership experience," said Jim O'Sullivan, president & CEO, MNAO. "Retail Evolution embodies the spirit and direction of the Mazda brand, while offering an upscale experience our customers expect and deserve." Clad in premium black, clean white, and featuring new chrome Mazda signage, the new Retail Evolution Mazda dealerships will provide dealers with strong curb appeal. New materials throughout the building give dealers an upscale look and feel with warm raw-material tones of wood and metal in the showroom.

Mazda 767B crashes during Goodwood, suffers heavy damage [UPDATE]

Update: Autoblog has learned that the Mazda 767B wrecked at Goodwood was being driven by Seniji Hoshino. He was not seriously harmed and was able to walk away from the crash. Hoshino's car was chassis 001 and scored a win in the GTP class of the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans. A Mazda 767B Group C racer suffered a crash the Goodwood Festival of Speed that tore off the rear wing and did some fairly serious looking front end damage. According to Jalopnik, the racer was taking a timed run during the event's famous hillclimb when it went into the hay bales. The driver is reportedly okay, though. We've reached out to Mazda and Goodwood sources to identify the pilot in question, with no luck so far. Look for an updated post later in the day if we get any answers on that front. Images of the sad wreck seem to be populating on Twitter feeds as we write this. The racing Mazda clearly suffered a big hit today; painful to look at even after the fact. But we're not sure if the damage is beyond the abilities of skilled factory workmen to fix. Our collective fingers are crossed. Mazda has a major presence at Goodwood this year, including the event's art installation. Among all of its vehicles, there are two privately owned 767Bs. These racers have a four-rotor engine, said to be good for more than 600 horsepower in racing trim, and are predecessors to the famous 787B that scored an overall win in the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.