Antoine
10-19-2005, 10:19 PM
MAZDA SASSOU/MAZDA ALIVE
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Antoine/sassou3%20(Large).jpg
<TABLE align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><CAPTION align=bottom>Mazda Sassou
http://media.ford.com/images/large/concept/Mazda_SASSOU.jpg
</FONT>
</CAPTION></TABLE>
Source: MAZDA
Taking centre stage at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show is Mazda’s latest design concept, Mazda Sassou. Conceived and designed at Mazda’s European Design Centre in Frankfurt, Germany, it is a lightweight, urban vehicle for young, first car customers that makes every day city driving fun, highly practical and economical. A sleek, three-door hatchback, it employs evolved Zoom-Zoom exterior design language with youthful lightness and surprising hidden features. The use of translucent plastic that disguises the head and rear lamps, advanced interior systems using a USB stick key and an ingenious rear seat morphing system, hint at where Mazda might be heading with a future B-segment vehicle.
Mazda Sassou is the first design concept from a unique approach to show cars for Mazda Motor Corporation this year. At three major motor shows – this year’s IAA, the Tokyo Motor Show in October and the 2006 North American International Automobile Show next January.
“This is the first of a number of concept cars to be designed consecutively at our regional design centres, namely: Frankfurt ( Germany ), Yokohama ( Japan ) and Irvine ( California ),” says Moray Callum, Executive Officer in charge of Design at Mazda Motor Corporation. “However, despite the design environment in which it may be conceived, you will intuitively identify that this is a car from Mazda. Its characteristics being uniquely Mazda; reflecting the essence of Zoom-Zoom, something we have communicated throughout the World”.
“Mazda Sassou was designed to appeal to young, first car-buyers” said Peter Birtwhistle, Chief Designer at Mazda Motor Europe GmbH. “It is a look over the Mazda horizon and what it proposes is new and exciting. It is the result of asking ourselves what stimulates young Europeans today. We feel that they would ideally prefer a vehicle that supports and expresses their lifestyle and at the same time would meet the changing demands of the growing European B-segment. Sassou, then, not only evolves Mazda small car design in a lightweight, fun-looking B-car package, it also represents a new way to express some traditional automotive attributes and provides a first Zoom-Zoom driving experience for young buyers.”
The name “Sassou” is a Japanese term that was chosen because it means having a positive state of mind, of looking to the future with optimism. On the horizon, then, is something positive and exciting. Mazda Sassou is not only an advanced evolution of Mazda’s Zoom-Zoom design language, but is a symbol of the forward-thinking optimism of the entire organization as communicated by its recently announced Mazda Momentum business plan.
Note the British spelling/specs ;)
Powertrain and Environment – Targeting Low Emissions (Flexible, Fun and Friendly)
The Mazda Sassou design concept has been developed to support either a petrol or diesel powertrain of relatively small displacement. For this concept, knowing that the target customer is likely to choose petrol over diesel and would be most interested in a high-performance engine that is also environmentally friendly, Mazda’s engineers have envisioned an all-new, small displacement, three-cylinder engine. Further, the engineers believe the Sassou concept should benefit from Mazda’s all-new direct-injection, spark-ignition (DISI) technology.
With that in mind, Mazda’s engineers believe a turbocharged, three-cylinder, 1.0-liter DISI MZR powertrain would ideally match the spirited and sporty nature of the Sassou concept. Flexibility, smooth acceleration and plenty of torque are hallmarks Mazda’s DISI turbo engines. And when combined with the Sassou’s advanced aerodynamic shape and small, lightweight body, a three-cylinder, 1.0-liter DISI turbo with idle-stop technology could conceivably contribute to a further reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 as well as achieve class-leading driving dynamics that are characteristic of the Mazda brand and its expression of Zoom-Zoom . The powertrain would be finished off with a dry-typed twin-clutch 6-speed powershift transmission that is shifted using paddles on the steering wheel, making it both fun and easy to drive in city traffic.
The Sassou’s suspension features MacPherson struts in the front and a torsion beam rear suspension system, along with Pilot Exalto 2 Michelin tyres that achieve both responsive handling and improved fuel consumption.
Mazda Sassou Design Concept Specifications
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=139 rowSpan=5>
Dimensions
</TD><TD width=115>
overall length
</TD><TD width=266>
3,890 mm
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=115>
overall width
</TD><TD width=266>
1,740 mm
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=115>
overall height
</TD><TD width=266>
1,370 mm
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=115>
wheelbase
</TD><TD width=266>
2,490 mm
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=115>
seating capacity
</TD><TD width=266>
4
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=139>
Engine
</TD><TD width=115>
type
</TD><TD width=266>
MZR I-3 1.0L DISI turbo
With Mazda Idling Stop System
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=139>
Transmission
</TD><TD width=115>
type
</TD><TD width=266>
Dry-typed Twin-clutch 6-speed Powershift Transmission
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=139>
Tyres
</TD><TD width=115>
type
</TD><TD width=266>
225 40 R18 Michelin Pilot Exalto 2
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Antoine/sassou3%20(Large).jpg
<TABLE align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><CAPTION align=bottom>Mazda Sassou
http://media.ford.com/images/large/concept/Mazda_SASSOU.jpg
</FONT>
</CAPTION></TABLE>
Source: MAZDA
Taking centre stage at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show is Mazda’s latest design concept, Mazda Sassou. Conceived and designed at Mazda’s European Design Centre in Frankfurt, Germany, it is a lightweight, urban vehicle for young, first car customers that makes every day city driving fun, highly practical and economical. A sleek, three-door hatchback, it employs evolved Zoom-Zoom exterior design language with youthful lightness and surprising hidden features. The use of translucent plastic that disguises the head and rear lamps, advanced interior systems using a USB stick key and an ingenious rear seat morphing system, hint at where Mazda might be heading with a future B-segment vehicle.
Mazda Sassou is the first design concept from a unique approach to show cars for Mazda Motor Corporation this year. At three major motor shows – this year’s IAA, the Tokyo Motor Show in October and the 2006 North American International Automobile Show next January.
“This is the first of a number of concept cars to be designed consecutively at our regional design centres, namely: Frankfurt ( Germany ), Yokohama ( Japan ) and Irvine ( California ),” says Moray Callum, Executive Officer in charge of Design at Mazda Motor Corporation. “However, despite the design environment in which it may be conceived, you will intuitively identify that this is a car from Mazda. Its characteristics being uniquely Mazda; reflecting the essence of Zoom-Zoom, something we have communicated throughout the World”.
“Mazda Sassou was designed to appeal to young, first car-buyers” said Peter Birtwhistle, Chief Designer at Mazda Motor Europe GmbH. “It is a look over the Mazda horizon and what it proposes is new and exciting. It is the result of asking ourselves what stimulates young Europeans today. We feel that they would ideally prefer a vehicle that supports and expresses their lifestyle and at the same time would meet the changing demands of the growing European B-segment. Sassou, then, not only evolves Mazda small car design in a lightweight, fun-looking B-car package, it also represents a new way to express some traditional automotive attributes and provides a first Zoom-Zoom driving experience for young buyers.”
The name “Sassou” is a Japanese term that was chosen because it means having a positive state of mind, of looking to the future with optimism. On the horizon, then, is something positive and exciting. Mazda Sassou is not only an advanced evolution of Mazda’s Zoom-Zoom design language, but is a symbol of the forward-thinking optimism of the entire organization as communicated by its recently announced Mazda Momentum business plan.
Note the British spelling/specs ;)
Powertrain and Environment – Targeting Low Emissions (Flexible, Fun and Friendly)
The Mazda Sassou design concept has been developed to support either a petrol or diesel powertrain of relatively small displacement. For this concept, knowing that the target customer is likely to choose petrol over diesel and would be most interested in a high-performance engine that is also environmentally friendly, Mazda’s engineers have envisioned an all-new, small displacement, three-cylinder engine. Further, the engineers believe the Sassou concept should benefit from Mazda’s all-new direct-injection, spark-ignition (DISI) technology.
With that in mind, Mazda’s engineers believe a turbocharged, three-cylinder, 1.0-liter DISI MZR powertrain would ideally match the spirited and sporty nature of the Sassou concept. Flexibility, smooth acceleration and plenty of torque are hallmarks Mazda’s DISI turbo engines. And when combined with the Sassou’s advanced aerodynamic shape and small, lightweight body, a three-cylinder, 1.0-liter DISI turbo with idle-stop technology could conceivably contribute to a further reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 as well as achieve class-leading driving dynamics that are characteristic of the Mazda brand and its expression of Zoom-Zoom . The powertrain would be finished off with a dry-typed twin-clutch 6-speed powershift transmission that is shifted using paddles on the steering wheel, making it both fun and easy to drive in city traffic.
The Sassou’s suspension features MacPherson struts in the front and a torsion beam rear suspension system, along with Pilot Exalto 2 Michelin tyres that achieve both responsive handling and improved fuel consumption.
Mazda Sassou Design Concept Specifications
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=139 rowSpan=5>
Dimensions
</TD><TD width=115>
overall length
</TD><TD width=266>
3,890 mm
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=115>
overall width
</TD><TD width=266>
1,740 mm
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=115>
overall height
</TD><TD width=266>
1,370 mm
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=115>
wheelbase
</TD><TD width=266>
2,490 mm
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=115>
seating capacity
</TD><TD width=266>
4
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=139>
Engine
</TD><TD width=115>
type
</TD><TD width=266>
MZR I-3 1.0L DISI turbo
With Mazda Idling Stop System
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=139>
Transmission
</TD><TD width=115>
type
</TD><TD width=266>
Dry-typed Twin-clutch 6-speed Powershift Transmission
</TD></TR><TR><TD width=139>
Tyres
</TD><TD width=115>
type
</TD><TD width=266>
225 40 R18 Michelin Pilot Exalto 2
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>