Car News Articles 
 Alternative Fuel Vehicles
 Automotive Articles
  Automotive Information (46)
  Careers (13)
  Car Donations (12)
 Car Makes And Models (225)
  Car Rentals (35)
  Child Safety (14)
  Gifts (22)
  Lemon Laws (47)
  Regulations (20)
  Technology (111)
 Car Buying Tips
 Car Insurance Articles
 Car Maintenance
 Car News
 Car Racing
 Car Repair
 Car Safety
 
 Driving Economically
 Environmental Issues
 Exterior Car Care
 Garage Know How
 
 How Car Stuff Works
 Motorcycle Articles
 Road Trips
 Traveling with Kids
 Younger - Older Drivers
 
 Amsoil Synthetic Oil
 Article Archives




spacer
spacer
Automotive Articles >> Car Makes And Models

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.







Related Articles:
The i: BMW's New Electric Brand
The Honda Accord Coupe Concept
Who Needs a Steering Wheel? Not the Honda EV-STER Concept!
2012 BMW 650i
The Ford Vertrek Concept
Ready - Set - H2Go!
GMC Sierra All Terrain HD Concept
Cadillac Urban Luxury Concept
The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
2012 De Tomaso Pantera
The Mazda 2012 CX-5 Small Crossover
The Top 10 Coolest Low Cost Cars
Scion FR-S Concept Car
The Flying iCar Concept
2011 Vs. 2013 - the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

spacer
sdg
make image
model image
zip code


Stay Updated!


Car Makes And Models
Related Articles
Best New Vehicles To Fit
The 5 Best Cars From
Ford's New Police Interceptors
Aston Martin V12 Zagato For
Pagani Huayra Carbon Edition Wows
The i: BMW's New Electric
The Honda Accord Coupe Concept
Who Needs a Steering Wheel?
2012 BMW 650i
The Ford Vertrek Concept
Ready - Set - H2Go!
GMC Sierra All Terrain HD
Cadillac Urban Luxury Concept
The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
2012 De Tomaso Pantera
The Mazda 2012 CX-5 Small
The Top 10 Coolest Low
Scion FR-S Concept Car
The Flying iCar Concept
2011 Vs. 2013 - the
spacer

Feed Button



Car Insurance Info | Newsletter | Car Classifieds | Online Car Rentals
Auto Pictures | Link To Carjunky.com



Complete List of Article RSS News Feeds


Copyright © 1999 - 2024. CarJunky® All Rights Reserved.