Mazda pioneers 'Kodo Soul of Motion' design style

The new Mazda Shinari concept car is the first road vehicle to embrace Mazda's new design style.

Mazda has revealed its Mazda Shinari concept car, a four-door sports coupe that embraces the company's new Kodo - Soul of Motion design style.

Expressing movement with "forceful vitality and speed", the Shinari is the first car to represent the Japanese car maker's new direction and picks up from the popular "Zoom-Zoom" brand message launched in 2000, with Mazda pursuing the concept of more athletic and sporty motion.

Ikuo Maeda, the head of Mazda's Design Division, explained that the company takes a lot from nature, particularly the movements of animals and the graceful manner in which they travel.

Maeda added: "Mazda's four design studios located in Japan, Europe and North America are currently combining to take up the challenge we have set them to achieve a breakthrough in the expression of motion in car design, and to incorporate this expression into our future products."

In August, the Mazda MX-5 won the Best Roadster crown in 2010 Auto Express New Car Awards, proving that the brand remains a popular one in the UK.