Mazda Taiki

The was a one-off concept car produced by Mazda, and was the fourth car in Mazda's 'Nagare' design series. Mazda said the Taiki "reflected one possible direction for a future generation of Mazda sports cars aimed at helping to create a sustainable society".

The car

Drivetrain

The Taiki used a front engine, rear-wheel drive layout and was powered by Mazda's next generation RENESIS rotary 16X engine, which was mated to a 7-speed, double-clutch gearbox. The 16X engine was said to replace the RX-8's 13B engine. The name Taiki means 'atmosphere' in Japanese.

Design

Exterior

The exterior design, created by Joseph Reeve under the direction of Atsuhiko Yamada, was inspired by flowing robes. The Taiki has butterfly doors and a very impressive drag coefficient of 0.25. Even the wheels and tires were designed with aerodynamics in mind.

Interior

The interior, designed by Troy Trinh, was influenced by 'koinobori' - Japanese carp streamers, and the black & white colour break was inspired by the symbol for Yin-Yang. The driver's side of the cabin was black, while the passenger side was white.