Ferrari reveals 458 Challenge

Ferrari has taken the wraps off its new 458 Challenge race car at today’s Bologna motor show, a lighter and faster version of its mid-engined supercar that will join the grids in one-make race series from 2011.

The 458 Challenge has the same direct-injection, 4.5-litre V8 powerplant as the regular car, producing 562bhp at 9000rpm.

The gains for track use come through revised gear ratios and recalibration of the 458's F1 gearbox, plus a major push to save weight.

See the official pics of the new Ferrari 458 Challenge race car

Ferrari has reduced the thickness of the 458's body panels, and made greater use of lightweight materials such as carbonfibre and Lexan. The firm has declined to quote a weight figure for the new car, however.

The Challenge's chassis set-up features stiffer springs, single-rate dampers, 19in racing wheels, larger Pirelli slick tyres and a lower ride height (down by 50mm). It also has Brembo CCM2 brakes, as seen on the 599XX.

The new model also gets Ferrari's E-Diff electronic differential and F1-Trac, its traction control system, the first time these set-ups have been offered on one of the firm's track cars.

Read Autocar's full road test of the Ferrari 458 Italia

Ferrari claims that the 458 Challenge can generate lateral forces of up to 1.6g, and that it laps the firm's Fiorano test circuit in 1m 16.5sec; that's two seconds faster than the F430 Challenge car. That’s also 8.5sec quicker than the 458 road car, although its time was set on slick tyres.

The 458 Challenge will be the fifth car to compete in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli; it will take on F430s, 360s, F355s and 348s.

BREAKING NEWS : Jag vows to improve XF safety

Jaguar has promised to act upon the disappointing four-star score awarded to its XF saloon in the most recent round of Euro NCAP safety tests.

Euro NCAP said the XF’s surprise score was limited by its adult and child occupant protection, and in the side pole impact test it found chest protection to be “weak and the car’s seat and head restraint provided marginal whiplash protection”.

Read more on the latest Euro NCAP scores

Responding to Euro NCAP’s findings, a Jaguar spokesman said the firm was taking the issue “very seriously”. A facelift for the XF is due in 2012, and it’s highly likely the necessary revisions will be made to ensure it becomes a five star car for safety like its key rivals the Mercedes E-class and BMW 5-series.

“We’re looking at the safety results and how we can incorporate changes into future models,” the spokesman said. The spokesman also insisted the Jaguar XF “offered a high level of safety” and all of the firm’s in-house tests had recorded satisfactory results.

Lamborghini

The doors still haven't quite opened up at the Paris Motor Show and already the leakage has begun in full force. Yesterday we got a sneak peek at the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept, but the lone photo was small and grainy. Thankfully, the wait for real images is now over mere minutes before the car is officially unveiled at an evening event held by the Volkswagen Group in Paris as we speak. A total of five shots of the carbon-intensive supercar have just hit the interwebs, and they didn't come from Lamborghini.

To put it mildly, we like what we see. As could be seen in the series of teasers officially let loose by the boys from Lamborghini, every single bit of the car has been fashioned from carbon fiber. Suitable, then, that the car has been named after the sixth element of the periodic table – Sesto Elemento literally means sixth element in Italian. Even the tailpipes have been fashioned from a sort of composite called Pyrosic that is able to withstand extremely high temperatures.

Those high exhaust temperatures will be exhaled by a V10 engine that's putting out a stonkin' 570 horsepower. With just 2,200 pounds of weight to move, the run to 60 will take less than 2.5 seconds.

Hyundai Azera Limited

Even five years ago, Hyundai was widely considered to be a bargain-basement marque. After all, anyone interested in checking out the brand's lineup could visit a rental company within five miles of any major airport. But why dwell on the past when the Korean automaker is kicking butt and taking names in the here and now? Hyundai has been on a roll these past few years, with hits like the Genesis, Genesis Coupe and 2011 Sonata. With those successful entries, Hyundai has clearly established itself as a prime player in the U.S. market, but the company's improved standing has also substantially raised the public's levels of expectation. Where qualifiers like "for a Hyundai" were once the norm, we're now measuring each and every new entry donning the italic H against the best from Toyota, Ford, General Motors and Honda.

Hyundai's most recently refreshed product is the 2011 Azera. When the Azera first arrived on U.S. shores as a 2006 model, it came came close to nixing the "for a Hyundai" stigma with an impressive level of standard equipment and a lower price tag than its competition. But even with a strong value equation and plethora of amenities, that original Azera still wasn't as refined as the current crop of winners coming out of South Korea. Can the freshly redesigned 2011 Azera, with an improved powertrain and increased level of luxury equipment, truly succeed like its all-star siblings?

The Azera has received more than a mild refresh for 2011, with a pair of upgraded powertrains, new headlamps, taillamps, fog lights and a host of tweaks and tucks to the front and rear fascias. Our Midnight Blue Limited tester included the only available option, a $1,750 navigation system, nudging the Azera's MSRP to $32,620. That's still about $5,000 fewer greenbacks than a similarly equipped Toyota Avalon or Ford Taurus. A good deal? Perhaps, but competing in the full-size sedan segment means measuring up on more than just price.

When looking over the Azera from the outside, the large sedan's newest features shine brightest, and not just because we're talking head- and taillamps. The Azera's headlights are pretty special, with the LED-encrusted, Audi-like elements begging for attention. The taillamps are pretty snazzy as well, as Hyundai has gone a bit nuts with the light-emitting diodes. The chiseled front grill also impresses, borrowing its basic shape from the Genesis Sedan while going all-in with chrome in a decidedly American manner. We're also fans of the rich, sparkly Midnight Blue paint job, which gives the Azera a welcome touch of class.

While the Azera's updated exterior elements add a touch of freshness, there are still more than enough throwbacks to push it towards the back of the pack visually. Exhibit A: a tall and somewhat awkward greenhouse. Compared to the steeply-raked, coupe-like roofline of the Sonata, the Azera looks as if it were penned by a fan of Oldsmobiles from the 1990s, and it doesn't fare much better against sleek-looking competitors like the Nissan Maxima or Buick LaCrosse.

Given that the Azera underwent just a refresh and not full redesign, we expected the tweaked exterior to fall short of game-changing. But the interior is another matter altogether. Since it's easier to swap out cabin components than re-engineer sheetmetal, refreshed vehicles often receive fairly substantial interior upgrades. Sadly, not so with the Azera. The interior looks essentially unchanged from the outgoing model, save for some aluminum graining on the center console and a low-tech eco indicator that's about as interesting as a check engine light. The Azera's interior wasn't terrible before with a muted cabin, comfortable seats and reasonably high quality materials on the dash, seats and doors. Unfortunately, "good enough" just doesn't cut it in a segment where MSRPs regularly exceed $30,000. The Avalon, LaCrosse and Taurus far outshine the Azera in this regard with better materials, cushier armrests (the Azera's is as soft as diorite) and superior aesthetics all around.

Park a new Sonata next to an Azera and even the optically challenged can see the larger Hyundai offers a far less compelling cabin while commanding a starting price that's several thousand dollars lower. On the high end of the company showroom is the Genesis Sedan – a fair comparison given our tester was within $1,000 of the starting price of Hyundai's Lexus-fighter. The base Genesis and uplevel Azera also share the same basic powertrain and both offer near identical levels of interior volume. The difference, besides the Genesis being driven by its rear wheels and the Azera its fronts, is that the Genesis comes packed to the sunroof with amenities and interior refinement, while the Azera struggles even against the not-long-for-this-world Buick Lucerne. For instance, the sat-nav on the Genesis – a massive, modern-looking system – dwarfs the Azera's seven-inch unit in both size and design.

So the Azera's interior is many meters short of segment leading, but there is some good news under the hood. Remember the part about the Azera and Genesis Sedan sharing the same engine? The Azera Limited's new 3.8-liter V6 churns out 283 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 263 pound-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm. (Lesser GLS models make do with a 3.3-liter V6 producing 260 hp and 233 lb-ft.). If you're thinking that the 3.8-liter provides a lot of pop for a sedan driven by its front wheels, you're right – particularly if you're slamming the go pedal from a dead stop. While bull riders would love that level of torque steer, we're less inclined to saddle up. But when you're already in motion, the extra punch is very welcome, and as an added bonus sounds damn good from the driver's seat.

When mated to its new, smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission, the revised Lambda 3.8-liter V6 proves is very competent and impressively smooth – easily the best attribute the Azera has to offer. And all that power doesn't kill you at the pump, as the EPA rates the 3.8-liter V6-powered Azera at 27 miles per gallon on the highway and 19 mpg around town. We managed to average just under 22 mpg, mostly because we were "fully experiencing" the 3.8-liter engine.

Dynamically, the Azera is competent for a vehicle that tips the scales at 3,585 pounds. Beyond its torque steer problem, Hyundai has managed to tie down the chassis to the extent that it doesn't offend an elderly buyer looking for a smooth ride. Body roll stays within an acceptable range, though our tester's 235/55VR17 Michelin rubber emitted predictably high levels of tire squeal when pushed. Steering was a bit heavier than we found at the helm of the similarly sized Avalon – generally a good thing – though any semblance of feel went undetected by our paws. Overall, the Azera feels just about how we'd expect a large family sedan to drive – not as tight as the Maxima and not as loose as the Avalon.

So we've established that the Azera shouldn't waste the application fee for any beauty contests, its interior could use some love and its powertrain is a strong suit. Is that enough to propel Hyundai's updated sedan past the "for a Hyundai" designation? In a word, no. Truth is, the competition from Toyota, Buick, Nissan and Ford has it all over the Azera in most every way. The closest the Azera comes to sniffing the winner's circle is with the Limited's excellent V6 engine, but this segment is chock-full of competent powertrains. And we'd argue that "for a Hyundai" isn't even fair to the marque's other products. Is it as good as a Sonata? The Genesis? No.

So why has Hyundai decided to let it hang around? Even though it's been a slow seller, we hear that Hyundai has kept the Azera in its lineup for buyers who come in to sample the Sonata, only to walk away because its styling is too avant-garde. If that's the strategy at work, it also neatly explains the visual conservatization brought about with the car's 2011 facelift. Said another way, the Azera remains as a hedge bet for keeping elderly and more traditionally minded customers in the fold who are looking for comfortable full-size transportation with a good warranty. By that yardstick, it succeeds – but only just. In 2006, we would have called the Azera competent, affordable and perhaps even a bit surprising, but it's 2010, and these days we expect more.

The Production 2012 Range Rover Evoque

Here's the production 2012 Range Rover Evoque in all its glory, and the LRX-inspired CUV is lighter, meaner and greener than anything to come from the Range Rover arsenal.

Buyers can opt for three exterior design themes: Pure, a minimalistic take with 19-inch wheels and natural colors complemented by brushed metal trim adorning the insides; Prestige, a "bespoke exterior" treatment with exclusive 19-inch wheels paired "an indulgent interior;" or Dynamic, with 19- or 20-inch wheels a reworked bodykit, and a sportier cabin complete with perforated leather seats and a bit more bling.

Inside, the interior is influenced not only by the Range Rover Sport, but by Jaguar as well. Seriously bolstered seats straddle a center tunnel where a rotary gear transmission selector rises to hand. The four-setting Terrain Response System dial has been replaced with buttons attending an illuminated menu and controls are mainly managed through an eight-inch touchscreen. Aural enjoyment is provided by the 825-watt, 17-speaker Meridian sound system with additional inputs for other peripherals.

Underneath the Evoque's hood is a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine that, naturally, is not called EcoBoost. Referred to as the Si4, it's been developed for North American audiences and produces 240 horsepower that runs through a six-speed automatic transmission. Electric power steering is standard, a regenerative electrical system captures energy when things get hauled down and everything is kept on an even keel thanks to a MagneRide adaptive dynamics suspension.

The Dodge Challenger SRT10

I went to the SEMA show in Las Vegas back in 2008 and one of the first cars I noticed there was a new Dodge Challenger dubbed the SRT10 concept. Obviously the SRT10 denotes that this particular Challenger packed the same 600 hp V10 hammer under the hood that came standard in Dodge’s Viper, but up until now actual production of this car has been just a rumor. Now, according to OntarioStreetCar.com we’re hearing that this V10 monster may actually see the light of day. We just posted that the new 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8′s 6.4-liter HEMI will pump out 475 hp, and while an impressive number it still falls short of Ford’s Shelby GT500 Mustang’s 550 hp. Combine this with news of a new high horsepower Chevrolet Camaro Z28 and Dodge has every reason to produce a car such as the Challenger SRT10.

As of right now there is no word if the car will be produced by Dodge or shipped off to a subcontractor like Roush Performance. Either way we really hope that Dodge has the stones to step up to the plate with this thing and give the boys of the blue oval and the Chevy bow-tie a real run for their money. Let’s just hope that pricing isn’t too far out of whack in comparison to the competition, because if that happens then all this hoopla and the car itself will just be an exercise in futility.

Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale

There are pros and cons to two erstwhile rivals sharing the same roof. On the one hand, they can share resources, but on the other, they have to be careful not to step on each-other's toes. Sharing corporate space with Aston Martin meant that Jaguar had to clip its own wings when it came to the XKR for years, as evidenced by the more powerful versions that have come out since the two split.

There's no doubt that Maserati has benefited tremendously from its association with Ferrari, but that has consequently meant that the Trident marque has had to adopt a different approach, catering to a more luxury-oriented market than the raw performance of its big brother on the Prancing Horse. But that doesn't mean they can't push the envelop just a little, and that's what you're looking at here.

Called the MC Stradale, this ultimate version of the GranTurismo bridges the gap between road and race models in the same way the revolutionary Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale did in its day – and as the all-conquering 430 Scuderia did subsequently. To get there, Maserati's tuned the chassis, aero and engine to more closely resemble the levels attained on racing versions like the MC Trofeo spec racer and the GT4 competition model.

Modena claims increased downforce without a commensurate increase in drag, while the engine has been boosted to 450 horsepower as compared to the 430 in the existing GranTurismo S. That's about all the Italians have released at this point, but you're cordially invited to read the brief press release after the jump and check out the images in the gallery below as Maserati prepares the GranTurismo MC Stradale for its debut at the Paris Motor Show next week.

[Source: Maserati]

2014 Lotus Elite concept

Lotus’ plan of reinventing its brand after years of mediocrity is looking less and less like wishful thinking after the company officially released initial details of their future hybrid supercar, the 2014 Elite.

It’s been widely known that the British sports car maker is aggressively pushing to remake their entire portfolio to cater to a more upper echelon consumer base and if everything goes according to plan, the 2014 Elite should be the first of many aggressively designed sports cars the company is looking to introduce to the market.

Word has it that the Elite will be powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine that produces around 500-plus horsepower with a 0-60 mph time of around 3.5 seconds and a top speed of just under 200 mph at 196 mph. If these numbers are anywhere close to what the production version of the Elite will be capable of, then you can expect the supercar, with the aggressive backing of the company, to be a player in a market long dominated by the likes of Aston Martin, Audi and Porsche. Even the car’s expected price tag - £115,000 – is right up there with the Porsches of the world.

As for the new – and aggressive – design of the car, the man behind it, designer Donato Coco, left no stones unturned in giving the Elite a more aggressive approach by adding some depth to the car’s front fascia. As somebody who noted the two-dimensional looks of prior Lotus vehicles, Coco’s design of the Elite is about as good as it can get for a brand looking to be edgier and more upscale that what its previous reputation suggests.

BMW Concept

BMW will preview the next generation 6-Series with a special concept car that will make its world debut at the Paris Auto Show at the end of September. The concept features a new design language that will be used in lots of future BMW models.

The 6-Series Concept is defined by stretched bonnet, the short front overhang, a passenger compartment set well to the rear, and a low silhouette incorporating a dynamically flowing roofline. There are also new LED headlights, which combine the typical BMW twin round headlight format with innovative lighting technology.

The interior is defined by functionality, elegance and exclusiveness. There is a new 10.2-inch iDrive Control Display in the centre of the instrument panel, Head-Up Display system and a hi-fi system designed specially for the concept.

BMW revealed no details on the concept’s specifications, but we presume we will get more details closer to the official unveil.

2012 Dodge Viper

The last model for the current generation Dodge Viper has already rolled off the assembly line, but instead of crying about it, we can take comfort in knowing that the next generation has already been confirmed for production. News of this came when the future sports car was shown at a private Chrysler dealer conference this week.

Insiders at the event said that the next Viper will come with a more aggressive design, featuring all-new bodywork painted 25 times in candy-apple red. They also said the car’s look had moved away from its race-car roots and evolved into a more traditional sports car.

It is rumored that Chrysler will place an 8.4-liter V10 engine incorporating Fiat’s innovative Multiair technology under the hood. Rumors are also circulating that an entry-level V8 engine is also under consideration.

The next generation Viper should be a force to be reckoned with considering Dodge has asked for Ferrari’s assistance in the development of the new sports car. Ralph Gilles, Dodge CEO said that we should be seeing the next Dodge Viper in 2012. We can’t wait!

[Source:Autocar]

Audi UK

The Euro-spec Audi R8 Spyder will soon be available with a more powerful version of the automaker's 4.2-liter V8 engine. The EU5-approved FSI unit gets ten more horses, going from 420 to 430 horsepower. It also gets an energy recuperation system that comes into effect during coasting and braking. The run from zero to 62 miles per hour takes 4.8 seconds, and a 186-mph top speed is possible "in the appropriate circumstances" (i.e., out on the Autobahn).

For the six-speed manual you'll need £95,545 ($147,759 USD based on current exchange rates), while the not-so-great R-Tronic will require £100,855 ($155,966 USD). The hardtop R8 will also be getting this upgraded engine, and both will be available in January of next year. Don't worry – the new engine will be coming to the U.S., as well.

[Source: Audi]

Mastretta MXT

The Mastretta MXT has been a work in progress since the sports coupe concept was first shown back in 2007. This year’s Paris Auto Show will see the debut of the production Mastretta MXT, billed as a competitor to the Lotus Elise. The company plans production of some 150 cars per year, 70% of which will be exported to the US or the UK.

The production MXT will use a bonded aluminum chassis and a composite body to minimize weight. Power comes from a turbocharged Ford Duratec motor, good for an estimated 238 horsepower. The car will feature a mid-engine, rear drive layout for optimized handling.

Ferrari Enzo

When it comes to the successor for the Ferrari Enzo we’ve heard all kinds of rumors. However, we can now clear some of those up as Ferrari S.p.A. Chairman, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, himself not only talks about the future car, but also about the company’s future.

The next Enzo will be revealed in 2012 and it "will incorporate the state of the art of our knowledge in terms of increasing performances while reducing fuel consumption and emissions. It will then influence all Ferraris that appear after it." Under the hood there will be the same gasoline-hybrid technology that is found in the Vettura Laboratorio HY-KERS concept that was unveiled in March at the Geneva Auto Show. As for the car’s design language, it was previewed in 2007 by the Millechili concept.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo also confirmed that Ferrari will be about "fast cars and fast trains – and no politics", and that despite his 63 years of experience in life, he will continue working for Ferrari: "I want to shape the next product cycle at Ferrari to assure a bright future at a company that has been inextricably intertwined with my life."

Ferrari

Ferrari has plenty in the pipeline, and not just off in the distant future, either. There's a 599 roadster that was shown in secret during this year's Pebble Beach festivities, as well as a handful of 458 derivatives on their way. And that's just the start. Now comes word that the automaker has something big planned for this year's Paris Motor Show.

According to reports coming in from Italy, Ferrari is preparing to unveil another environmentally friendly prototype, similar in concept to the 599 HY-KERS displayed in Geneva earlier this year. This time, though, it'll be a different car and won't use hybrid technology.

Early speculation indicates we'll be seeing a prototype based on the California, but how it differs from the model currently on sale remains to be seen. Instead of a hybrid or start-stop system, reports suggest that Ferrari could be tinkering with such innovations as reducing internal engine friction, cylinder deactivation, streamlined aerodynamics for lower drag and the further use of advanced composites to reduce weight.

Whatever Maranello has in store, we'll find out soon enough when the show opens at the Porte de Versailles later this month.

2011 Bentley Continental GT

The 2011 Bentley Continental GT is just the second generation of the blockbuster coupe that rumbled ashore eight years ago. And frankly, this new one looks a lot like that ancient one, but Bentley would have us believe that this is actually a completely new car. Outside, the bodywork gets all kinds of massaging: prominent front fender lines that roll over the headlights and into the more-upright grille, a more pronounced grille treatment that asserts itself into the lower intake, LED running lamps surrounding the main headlight elements, a double-horseshoe rear-end treatment inspired by the Mulsanne and taillights that curl into the rear fenders. For a start...

More substantively, the 2011 Conti gets a boost in horsepower from its 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine, hitting 567 horsepower and 516 pound-feet. The engine swipes a page from the Continental Supersports playbook and gains flex-fuel capability, accepting any combination of gasoline and E85. To keep you in touch with that power, Bentley's six-speed Quickshift transmission swaps cogs more quickly and does double downshifts. To keep that power in the right place, the rear track is wider, front-to-rear bias of the all-wheel-drive system is now 40/60 front-to-rear, and the coefficient of drag has been reduced to 0.33. 0-60 mph? 4.4 seconds? Top speed? 198 mph.

As of next year, the nominally eco-conscious will be able to get their Continental GT with a 4.0-liter V8. Numbers haven't been released yet, but you can expect it to register high on the horse and torque while getting significantly better gas mileage than its big brother.

Perhaps the best upgrade of all: the interior accoutrements that now boast an eight-inch touchscreen interface, dynamic navigation and Google Maps. Joining that are a sleeker dash, climate-controlled "Cobra" seats sculpted to provide more rear legroom, and leather-lined door pouches with water bottle holders. It's everything the current Continental GT is.

[Source: Bentley]

BMW announces end of M6 production

Like it or not, it's officially time to say auf wiedersehen to the potent M6. BMW has just announced that it has ceased production of both the M6 coupe and convertible. The uniquely styled GT cars primarily found favor here in the U.S., with a total of 3,528 of the hardtops and 3,247 convertibles sold on American soil. In total, the company managed to sell 14,152 of the cars since production of the M6 started in 2005. As you may recall, the drophead version didn't hit the assembly line until 2006.

We're sure the loss of the M6 is a heartbreak to some out there, but we know that there's a replacement model on the horizon, and we're more morose over the news that BMW is also sending the muscular V10 at the heart of the car to pasture at the same time. That's right, kids. BMW is no longer planning to shoehorn a 10-pot into any vehicle it makes, opting instead for forced induction and eight cylinders. The 5.0-liter engine with its astronomical 8,250 rpm redline is the stuff of mechanical daydreams. Or at least it was.

[Source: BMW]

Mazda Shinari Concept

When Mazda invited us to Milan to see its new concept car, we knew it must be something important. Normally concept cars get their 15 minutes of fame at an auto show, and then it's off to the next press conference to see what the following automaker will introduce. Not so with Mazda's latest styling endeavor. The Japanese automaker wanted our full and undivided attention, with the center of international design and fashion in Italy as a fitting backdrop.

The Shinari concept, which roughly translates to "resistance to being bent," will serve as a the basis for Mazda's new design language, and many of the styling cues will make it to future production vehicles. That means that the Shinari will essentially affect the design of every vehicle coming from the Japanese automaker for the next several years. An important car for Mazda? You bet.

The Shinari was officially unveiled earlier today, and we spent several hours talking with Mazda's artists about the design and how it will affect the automaker's forthcoming vehicles.

The creation of the Shinari Concept starts with Ikuo Maeda, Mazda's global head of design. Maeda was the chief designer of the RX-8 and the Mazda2 and has been with the company for nearly 30 years, but his connection with the brand goes back even further than that. His father, Matasaburo Maeda, headed the design of the first generation RX-7 back in the 1970s. Mazda runs in the Maeda family's blood and there's no one more qualified to define the look of Mazda's next generation vehicles.

While Maeda has had an influence on Mazda design in the past, 2010 is the first year in which he's had full control. The Shinari Concept represents the first styling concept under his new design theme, KODO, which replaces the controversial Nagare them from the past several years. While the Nagare-styled cars were represented by wavy, flowing lines, a trait that looked great on concepts but was tough to implement on production cars (see Mazda3), KODO is more of an organic style that still takes cues from the natural world, but in a much more solidified and powerful sense. Maeda describes KODO as form with a soul, or bringing form to life, with the three key terms defining the theme being speed, tension and alluring. "There are few products of industrial design that can be compared to living entities which convey energetic motion and which invite affection," he says. "It is this intrinsically emotional appeal of the car that I wish to express when creating Mazda cars."

While Maeda created the theme for the new stylistic direction, the development of the Shinari Concept was actually a collaboration between three of Mazda's design centers in Japan, Germany and the United States. The goal was to make the exterior a product of Japan, while the interior was left to the automaker's Irvine studio. However, each team had input on the final product.

Looking at the exterior, it's easy to tell that the Shinari shares little in common with Mazda's recent designs, although like almost every sedan built today, it has similarities to vehicles from other brands. It's almost as if the Aston Martin Rapide and a Mazda RX-8 cued up some Barry White, enjoyed a romantic evening and the Shinari came out nine months later. That's obviously a compliment, as the Rapide is a stunningly beautiful car and the RX-8 – even this far into its lifecycle – is still a looker. However, the Shinari has a much more complicated design, with more intersecting lines and a surface area that's constantly moving and changing depending on the lighting.

Those who dislike the smiling face of the current Mazda lineup will be glad to know it won't be a feature in future models (Huzzah! – Ed.). The Shinari front end features a "signature wing" that will become a new styling cue for the brand. The wing is formed by a thin aluminum band that starts from the bottom of the grille and goes out and up through the headlamps and continues with a bold fender line moving out onto the sides.

The most impressive aspect of the exterior design was the devotion to the theme in nearly every inch of the concept. The various aluminum pieces found on the exterior have a "twisted tension", and even the slots in the disc brakes follow the same theme. In addition, items like the headlights were designed to have a more natural look and fashioned to mimic the iris of an animal's eye. We're also big fans of the stylish rear view cameras in place of the standard mirrors as well as the trick door handles (although "button" might be a more appropriate description) that require only a simple press to open.

While the exterior is certainly a departure from previous designs, the interior is perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Shinari. Easily the most attractive and stylish interior we've seen in a Mazda (concept or not), it's swathed in authentic aluminum trim, leather-covered surfaces and double stitching at nearly every turn and twist. We're again drawn to the Aston Martin Rapide comparison, especially with the design of the deep rear bucket seats. The gauges, modeled after popular watch designs, up the class quotient and the massive glass roof helps make the interior feel open and airy.

We know many of these elements won't make it into a production car, but Mazda's North American director of design, Derek Jenkins, who oversaw the development of the Shinari's interior, says it's Mazda's goal to add sophistication to future models. "Mazda is really an aspirational type of brand," he says. "Even though we are a mainstream brand we have a customer that wants a little bit more. We monitor premium segments, we monitor premium trends, and the question is ultimately how can get some of that feeling into a more affordable vehicle. We think our customer wants a little bit more sophistication."

One thing that can definitely be seen in future Mazda interiors is a driver-focused cockpit. A close look at the Shinari's interior reveals an asymmetric design that snugly surrounds the driver's seat while leaving the passenger seat more open and relaxed. Jenkins says this will be theme of upcoming Mazda vehicles and help set the brand apart.

Finally, the Shinari also features quite a bit of technology that looks forward to the new applications of driver-automobile interactions. The Human Machine Interface (HMI) is split up into three modes: Business, Pleasure and Sport. Potential uses range from looking up bios of a business contact before a meeting to a rally-style co-pilot feature that could alert the driver of the characteristics of upcoming turns. It's nothing too far-fetched given the current levels of technology, and we wouldn't be surprised to see some of it implemented in the near future.

But more than the tech and the attention to detail, it's the Shinari's overall cohesion that impresses the most. Unlike other pie-in-the-sky concepts, the Sinari is a smart, well executed styling exercise that should be a solid design platform for future models. The muscular lines should translate well into a production car, and customers will always appreciate a more sophisticated interior. And what about the potential of a four-door sports coupe like the Shinari making it to production? Mazda wouldn't tell us whether one is in the works, but they did mention that the "business side of it" was considered when the Shinari was under development. That definitely means there's a chance, and we sure like the sound of a Mazda RX-9.