Mazda does B-market, 'two'
Mazda says the all-new Mazda2 represents not just a model change from the current vehicle but the first of Mazda’s new-generation lineup to evolve to the next stage.
Introduced at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, Mazda says the new Mazda2 reflects not only the ubiquitous Zoom-Zoom passion but also a range of capabilities refined in a severely competitive environment using customer feedback from around the globe.
The manufacturer claims the aim was to further refine Mazda’s DNA — distinctive design, exceptional functionality, and responsive handling and performance — while enhancing driving quality in terms of attributes such as ride comfort and quietness and meeting global environmental and safety performance standards.
With the new Mazda2, Mazda aims at strengthening the Mazda brand and further expand its presence in the global B-car segment, especially in Europe, where the segment has grown by around 10 percent in the last six years and where more than one car in four is a B-car.
In developing the new car , Mazda took a fresh look at the global compact-car market environment, where there is intense competition among many diverse vehicles, and worked to identify the truly important attributes for a global B-car.
These attributes include superior fuel efficiency, easy-to-drive functionality and operability, dynamic performance, and a design that instantly grabs attention. The revolution came in overall size ... while many other carmakers have enlarged their small cars, Mazda reduced the size of its new Mazda2 and says it still met the mainstream demands of compact-car customers while enhancing safety.
With the look of the new Mazda2, Mazda wanted to embody its next-generation design directions in a way that would appeal to a wide range of people in global markets. Designers then refined the findings of the study into an exquisite and dynamic design with a distinctive Mazda identity, blending sharp contours with clear expressions of gentleness. Some of the design elements were first publicly seen in the Mazda SASSOU concept.
In line with an exterior design theme of ‘coordinated movement’, the design team realized forms that have natural-looking visual movements and convey subtle craftsmanship—the body has sharp lines but also conveys softness and gentleness, and it has flowing lines but also conveys a sense of solidity.
The interior design theme was ‘a space that communicates movement’. Whereas most B-car cabins have monotonous design treatments with flat surfaces, the interior design team used contoured forms that combine reassuring thickness with strong visual movement. The instrument panel helps to create a sense of space through a recess that runs from side to side between the instrument panel’s upper and lower sections. The contrast between silver accents on a black keynote colour adds further sportiness and individuality and distinctive circular details contribute to a fresh, emotionally appealing look and feel.
Most B-car customers want a day-to-day means of getting around, so it’s vital for a car of this size to be easy to drive and manoeuvre in tight spaces. Functionality and operability were improved in various ways, such as angling the shoulder line downward significantly toward the front. Complemented by low mounting points for the door mirrors, it affords the driver good visibility to make turning into and driving in narrow confines easier.
Inside the cabin, designers considered items young drivers might likely have in their cars and designed storage spaces around them. For example, the glove-box features a magazine rack that allows users to access travel guidebooks and road atlases without having to open the glove-box itself. Also, the front seat floor console has a large tray stable enough for storing handbags and other personal items. A 60/40-split rear seat adds versatility to the luggage space (250 litres in total volume).
On the performance front, the Mazda2 features agile but stable handling, high body rigidity, strong stopping power with a confidence-inspiring brake feel, comfort-enhancing quietness, and a powertrain lineup that combines superior fuel economy with enjoyment and driveability.
The new Mazda2 reflects close attention to minimizing weight as a means of increasing fuel economy (about 15 percent better than its predecessor). Through measures that included body-structure optimization and increased use of high-tensile steel, engineers not only made the new car about 100 kg lighter than its predecessor, they also achieved major improvements in terms of safety, body rigidity, and noise, vibration, and harshness—attributes that traditionally have added weight.
With the new Mazda2’s chassis, engineers pursued nimble handling, stability that inspires confidence at highway speeds, and a ride that’s quiet, steady and mild. The lightness and rigidity of the body played an important role in maximizing the handling and ride quality.
Toward nimble handling, engineers targeted manoeuvrability and agility on city streets, brisk, linear steering response and high grip on winding roads, and superior straight-line stability and confidence-inspiring lane-change behaviour on the highway. The suspension set-up is MacPherson struts up front and H-type torsion-beam in the rear.
The new Mazda2 will be launched initially with two 4-cylinder gasoline engines: the MZR 1.3 DOHC (standard and high-power derivatives depending on market) and MZR 1.5 DOHC. Both engines feature sequential valve timing and optimized exhaust-valve timing, and the 1.5 adds a variable induction system.
Available safety features includes dynamic stability control for some markets, front airbags, side impact airbags and side air-curtaing airbags.
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