The (pronounced “nah-gah-reh”) was a
concept car
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle or show vehicle) is a car made to showcase new styling or new technology. Concept cars are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not ...
that was introduced by
Mazda
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima (town), Fuchū, Hiroshima Prefecture, Hiroshima, Japan. The company was founded on January 30, 1920, as Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd. ...
at the
2006 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Nagare was considered to be an exercise in natural and organic car design to explore the future of Mazda automobiles. Its name “Nagare” translates into English as “flow” and the designers specifically studied motion and the effect it has on natural surroundings when creating this vehicle.
It was designed by
Laurens van den Acker, Mazda's global design director at the time (since replaced by Ikuo Maeda), and his advanced design studio team in
Irvine, California. As head of the international Nagare design team, Laurens’ main task from Mazda was to design first and engineering later.
“The Nagare is a celebration of proportions and surface language that will evolve into subsequent designs planned for presentation at future international auto shows. Nagare examines light and shadow, and begins to reveal the global design cues for the next generation of Mazda vehicles,” said Laurens. “We’re looking well down the road with Nagare. We want to suggest where Mazda design will be in 2020. To do that, we redefined basic proportions and the idea of driving without losing the emotional involvement. Mazda’s driving spirit will be enhanced and intensified by Nagare.”
Design
The Mazda Nagare was a celebration of proportions and surface language according to its designers. Its bodylines flowed like liquid across its smooth seamless design and there were no distinguishing marks that detracted from the overall theme of the car. It had a large windshield that raked at a very steep angle molding itself into the glass roof of the car. Its large and aggressive wheels were wrapped into the wheel wells, incorporating them as a part of the body.
Two double-length doors hinged forward when opened and spread from the cabin like the wings of a butterfly. Inside, you could find the driver's seat centrally located in the front of the cabin and three passenger rear seats arranged in a "wrap-around lounge" in the back. The interior continued the Nagare's organic themes with futuristic elliptical controls and dials relating information to the driver.
Mazda aimed to maintain the soul of a
sports car
A sports car is a type of automobile that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as Automobile handling, handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and Auto racing, racing capability. Sports cars originated in ...
with the design of the Nagare. The body work was designed with both form and function in mind, aiming to decrease drag. The wheels of the Nagare were also positioned at the far corners of the envelope for quick steering response and agile maneuverability.
Engine
Powertrain details were largely speculated at the time. Mazda has never released any information on the specifics of the engine and its performance because they wanted to focus on the design elements of the car.
Gallery
File:Nagare quarter.jpg, 2006 Los Angeles International Auto Show
File:Nagare rear.jpg, Rear view
References
LA Auto Show: Concept Cars"autos.yahoo." Jon Alain Guzik, December 2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-15.
LA Auto Show: Mazda Nagare Concept wedges into the spotlight"autoblog." John Neff, Nov 29th 2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-15.
LA Auto Show"LA Auto Show." Retrieved on 2007-01-15.
"Mazda Nagare Concept Gallery." Retrieved on 2010-01-20.
External links
Mazda Nagare- Official Mazda Site
Nagare Press Release- Official Mazda press release
{{Mazda vehicles
Nagare