The Mazda Shinari is one of the more striking concepts shown on the auto-show circuit in recent memory. With bulging wheel arches and long, stretched-out front fenders, it looks like a Mazda--but more lithe and athletic. The front end is bolder and more pronounced.
But will any of this ever happen, especially since the Shinari doesn't even have an engine?
Absolutely, says Derek Jenkins, Mazda's design director for the Americas.
Now, that doesn't mean that a Shinari will be rolling down Sunset Boulevard or Woodward Avenue anytime soon. But the concept is more than simply vaporware. Look for those stretched-out fenders to be cues on future Mazdas, as well as the proportions of the three-dimensional grille.
Picture the lines on the side of a Mazda 3 or RX8, and then imagine them longer.
“It's that tension that I think is going to translate really well into future products,” Jenkins said.
There's also a snazzy outline around the grille and headlights that would make a sporty future styling cue, he said.
Inside, the Shinari, which Jenkins worked on, has a tight cocoon layout. The center console is angled toward the driver, and there are wood, aluminum and leather elements. The familiar three-gauge cluster is there, but the dash looks a bit wider across.
“It's a balance of more things getting fluid elements and technical details,” Jenkins said.
The Shinari is the next iteration of Mazda design, called kodo. It follows Nagare, Mazda's flowing look, and advances it.
“I look at this as a Mazda design story,” Jenkins said.
Enthusiasts will be watching closely.