Going Green in Geneva: The Mazda Minagi

Going Green in Geneva: The Mazda Minagi the latest crossover concept vehicle with Mazda's SkyActiv design plan.

A crossover may seem like an odd thing to debut your company's new look. What's even odder is previewing the future of that company with a vehicle that is neither electric nor a hybrid when even Bentley is packing lithium ion cells into their cars. Yet Mazda is doing just that in a bid to separate themselves from the rest of the auto world with the Minagi.

The concept uses Mazda's new Kodo design language which the press release says gives the car "the expression of energy pulsing throughout the vehicle with the keen agility to move about freely and nimbly."

That's not a statement you would normally associate with a crossover, but the design manages to come off as somewhat less bulbous than most vehicles in its segment, especially compared with the CX-7 and CX-9.

The vehicle is a preview of Mazda's SkyActiv design plan. While everyone else is moving toward hybrids and electric cars, Mazda is trying to squeeze as much as they can out of traditional technologies. The company has already announced the following technical improvements:

A gas engine that has a compression ratio of 14:1 on pump gas with an expected 15% increase in fuel economy and maximum torque over current engines.

A diesel engine that has a compression ratio of 14:1 that delivers 20% better fuel economy and doesn't require urea injection or other nitrogen-capturing technology to pass emissions requirements. (In diesel engines fuel ignites using compression instead of a spark. A typical compression ratio would be between 17 and 18:1.)

Advanced automatic and manual transmissions that reduce weight and internal friction.

Lightweight body and chassis components that use new design techniques and plenty of high-strength steel to reduce weight by 8% and 14% respectively.

How much of a change can we expect to see with these cars? When Mazda first announced their plan in 2008 they targeted a 30% increase in fuel economy across the board by 2015. It's rumored that the next MX-5 will weigh 2,200 lbs, 200 lbs. less than the current model.

Aside from the usual tiny mirror and giant wheels seen on concepts you can expect to see something very similar to the Minagi going into production, replacing the current CX-9 or Tribute. The first vehicle to use the technology will be next year's 3, which will receive the SkyActiv gas engine and SkyActiv transmissions. Chassis improvements will follow as models are redesigned.

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Going Green in Geneva: The Mazda Minagi

Going Green in Geneva: The Mazda Minagi the latest crossover concept vehicle with Mazda's SkyActiv design plan.

A crossover may seem like an odd thing to debut your company's new look. What's even odder is previewing the future of that company with a vehicle that is neither electric nor a hybrid when even Bentley is packing lithium ion cells into their cars. Yet Mazda is doing just that in a bid to separate themselves from the rest of the auto world with the Minagi.

The concept uses Mazda's new Kodo design language which the press release says gives the car "the expression of energy pulsing throughout the vehicle with the keen agility to move about freely and nimbly."

That's not a statement you would normally associate with a crossover, but the design manages to come off as somewhat less bulbous than most vehicles in its segment, especially compared with the CX-7 and CX-9.

The vehicle is a preview of Mazda's SkyActiv design plan. While everyone else is moving toward hybrids and electric cars, Mazda is trying to squeeze as much as they can out of traditional technologies. The company has already announced the following technical improvements:

A gas engine that has a compression ratio of 14:1 on pump gas with an expected 15% increase in fuel economy and maximum torque over current engines.

A diesel engine that has a compression ratio of 14:1 that delivers 20% better fuel economy and doesn't require urea injection or other nitrogen-capturing technology to pass emissions requirements. (In diesel engines fuel ignites using compression instead of a spark. A typical compression ratio would be between 17 and 18:1.)

Advanced automatic and manual transmissions that reduce weight and internal friction.

Lightweight body and chassis components that use new design techniques and plenty of high-strength steel to reduce weight by 8% and 14% respectively.

How much of a change can we expect to see with these cars? When Mazda first announced their plan in 2008 they targeted a 30% increase in fuel economy across the board by 2015. It's rumored that the next MX-5 will weigh 2,200 lbs, 200 lbs. less than the current model.

Aside from the usual tiny mirror and giant wheels seen on concepts you can expect to see something very similar to the Minagi going into production, replacing the current CX-9 or Tribute. The first vehicle to use the technology will be next year's 3, which will receive the SkyActiv gas engine and SkyActiv transmissions. Chassis improvements will follow as models are redesigned.

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Alfa Romeo green lights Dodge Viper-based TZ3 Zagato?

Thursday, Mar 31st, 2011 @ 10:41 a.m.

With the exception of the 8C, Alfa Romeo’s lineup over the last decade or so has hardly focused on high-end performance cars, but that could change soon if new reports out of Europe are to be believed.

A one-off shooting brake designed by design firm Zagato at the request of a wealthy German owner could make production – but not over the Italian running gear one might expect. Instead, according to AutoBild, a production version of the TZ3 might actually use the running gear and platform from the recently-discontinued Dodge Viper, including its 600 horsepower, 8.4-liter V10 engine.

It might sound like blasphemy, but Dodge is hard at work on a next-generation Viper, which is being co-engineered by teams from within Fiat’s portfolio – Maserati, Alfa Romeo and, of course, Ferrari. For Chrysler part-owner Fiat to green light a platform, CEO Sergio Marchionne wants to see global appeal under at least one other marque.

The original TZ3 debuted last year at the Villa d’Este Concours, where it was presented as a descendant of the racing-oriented TZ and TZ2 models from the 1960s.

The TZ3 Stradale, as German media reports it could be called, will be larger and heavier – by as much as 1,200 lbs. – than the current Viper. Reports also suggest that it might forgo the Alfa Romeo badge for a Zagato logo.

According to AutoBild, the TZ3 Stradale will debut in production-ready form later this year at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance before entering very limited production in 2012.

References
1.’Alfa TZ3 headed…’ view

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