Mazda Hakaze concept to bow in Geneva

New concept seeks to combine roadster driving qualities with extracurricular activity practicality.

Car makers are known for unveiling innovative and curvy concepts at auto shows. Mazda is no different. Over the last few years auto show turntables have been graced with the Senku, Kabura, Nagare and Ryuga; cars that made the press and public drool but will likely never see production – let alone a dealer forecourt. Let’s hope the latest Hakaze concept will.

The Mazda Hakaze is what the automaker calls “a compact crossover coupe with a roadster feel”. That assertion remains to be proven, but the overall size of the concept is good indication that the company will effectuate its claim. Measurements for the concept mean that it will fit somewhere between the now iconic MX-5 roadster and the larger Mazda5 people carrier, roughly the same size as the Mazda3 but wider and taller.

Like the automakers’ previous concepts shown in Los Angeles and Detroit, the Hakaze incorporates Nagare design language (meaning “flow” and “the embodiment of movement” in Japanese) developed by Mazda’s global design director, Laurens van den Acker. The Hakaze design is meant to convey a sense of agility while retaining a practical aspect for those who pursue active lifestyles.

Clothed in futuristic body work sans door handles or mirrors, the flowing lines and textures along the flanks create a muscular and purposeful stance accentuated by large 20x9 wheels wrapped in 255/50 R20 tyres. The steeply raked windscreen extends behind the front passenger compartment and encompasses the entire roof, the rear two-thirds of which can be taken off and stored in a slide-out compartment in the rear bumper.

The Hakaze is no less impressive inside. Its two pop-up doors (incorporating a wireless, multi-functional “data shell” capability) unlock and open automatically to provide access into a cabin fitted with an asymmetrical wraparound dash design. Instrumentation sits on either side of the steering column to give the driver an impression of depth while the “data shell” doubles as an ignition key and gear shift lever.

Steering is accomplished by turning the rim of the fixed hub wheel, the centre of which contains an LCD screen with navigation information, images from the car’s rear view and side cameras, and warning indicators. Its four bucket seats – mounted high on the centre tunnel – are finished in “high-tech” leather with a surface coating similar to the material used for wet suits, and the floor is made of natural leather for enhanced comfort.

Power for the Hakaze concept comes from a turbocharged 2.3-litre direct ignition spark injection (DISI) petrol, but could also be provided by a diesel engine. It is coupled to Mazda’s active torque-split all-wheel drive transmission with 6 automatically summoned forward gears. A MacPherson front strut and multi-link rear suspension is said to ensure agile driving while retaining sufficient ground clearance for off-road excursions. Zoom-zoom.