DETROIT – At this week’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), Mazda North American Operations will unveil – for the first time ever – its Ryuga design concept and its all-new Tribute SUV Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). All attending media are invited to the formal unveiling on the Mazda show stand at 10:15 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 8, 2007.
Ryuga (pronounced: ree-yoo-ga) builds on Mazda’s concept of flow. Nagare – Japanese for “flow” – debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November and introduced the company’s new design future. Japanese for “gracious flow,” Ryuga will reflect a higher level of sophistication through the use of rich fabrics, engineered fits and hidden details. Ryuga is elegant and refined, but radiates spirit and edge while portraying unique Japanese beauty.
“The Ryuga concept is an exploratory design study that’s more realistic than Nagare and therefore more useful in gauging reactions from those who see it,” said Laurens van den Acker, design division general manager for Mazda Motor Corporation. “Ryuga adds definition by incorporating a working interior, chassis and propulsion detail that were purposely absent from Nagare.”
Offering another, although far more immediate and real, look into its future, Mazda also will debut the 2008 Tribute HEV. The heavily revised Tribute HEV will be the first advanced-technology vehicle dedicated to clean air that Mazda will sell to the public, when it becomes available later in the year.
The Tribute HEV is one of the least-polluting vehicles on the road, yet still delivers the performance required by SUV owners. With a combined power output of its gasoline engine and electric motor of 155 hp, the Tribute HEV provides plenty of power yet meets strict Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEVII) and Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) standards in California – the strictest emission regulations a gasoline-fueled vehicle can meet.
In addition to the Ryuga concept and Tribute HEV, Mazda will display the all-new seven-passenger CX-9 SUV, five-passenger CX-7 SUV and the balance of its 2007 product lineup.
Launched in May, 2006, the CX-7 is a highly styled crossover SUV with a decided soul of a sportscar. Produced entirely on Mazda-derived platform architecture, the five-passenger CX-7 embodies an astute blend of sports car verve and SUV practicality, resulting in a fun-to-drive SUV that represents everything a Mazda SUV should be. Designed and engineered specifically for North America, CX-7 is the first of a number of important all-new Mazda vehicles designed and engineered specifically for North America.
Set to arrive in North American Mazda dealerships in early 2007, the CX-9 is a three-row, seven-passenger crossover SUV offering an up-market interior with class-leading space and unmatched versatility. Available in three trim levels – Sport, Touring and Grand Touring – the CX-9 blends sporty driving spirit with seven-passenger SUV practicality.
The NAIAS is open to the public Jan. 13-21 at the COBO Conference/Exhibition Center in Detroit.
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.
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