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Mazda will add a city car to its line-up based on this new concept, the Kiyora, which will be unveiled at the Paris show.
Due in 2010, it will be first Mazda to incorporate the firm's new green technology, including new small-capacity direct injection petrol engines.
Mazda Europe boss James Moir has said the car "is our number one priority," and Mazda admits that the company is missing out on city car sales at a time when small, economical cars are more popular than ever.
>> See more pics of the Mazda Kiyora
The new addition to the range, likely to be called the 1, will be built on a chopped down Mazda 2 platform and share many of its mechanicals.
Company insiders say that the eventual production car is likely to be a 2+2 'like a Smart with more flexibility.' The car will also use some of the new technology used in the Kiyora to increase efficiency; the concept features a turbocharged direct injection petrol engine, with stop/start, which will make production.
Mazda is also working on reducing the weight of its future models, and the engineers working on the small car project have a target weight of 900kg.
Mazda design boss Laurens van den Acker claims that the 1 will be one of the company's most extravagent designs and have a wilder look than any of Mazda's current line up, especially in the cabin. 'We need more dramatic interiors especially on small cars and the Paris concept will show that.'
Chas Hallett
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