Mazda Furai to debut at Detroit show

Mazda has announced it will unveil its new Furai concept car at the Detroit motor show in January next year.

The vehicle will be revealed alongside a radically redesigned version of the Mazda RX-8 on press day, January 13th 2008, at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).

Following its debut at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show in October, the Mazda Taiki concept vehicle will also make its North American debut - the first time it has been shown outside Japan.

"Furai purposely blurs boundaries that have traditionally distinguished street cars from racing cars," said Franz von Holzhausen, Mazda's North American director of design.

"Historically, there has been a gap between single-purpose racecars and the sportiest of street-legal production models - commonly called supercars - that emulate the real racers on the road. Furai bridges that gap like no car has ever done before."

Mazda has been inspired by its racing heritage, attempting to create a drivable, modern race car, capable of operating on everyday streets.

"Mazda's critically acclaimed 'Nagare' design language describes the flow of water, air, people or things moving in one direction. Mazda Nagare is flow, with an insightful and spirited styling, which, in Mazda Furai, invokes a raw, unfettered desire to possess everything this car represents," concluded Mr von Holzhausen.