The Mazda VISION COUPE has won “Most Beautiful Concept Car of the Year” at the 33rd Festival Automobile International. Ikuo Maeda, Mazda’s global design director, accepted the prize at a ceremony yesterday evening in Paris together with his team of designers.
The VISION COUPE which was unveiled in October in Tokyo, was awarded the title by automobile and motor sport experts as well as
renowned architects and fashion designers. Over nine other models nominated for
the coveted honour this year included: the Audi Aicon, BMW i Vision Dynamics, Kia
Proceed Concept, Lamborghini Terzo Millennio, Mercedes-Benz AMG GT
Concept, Mercedes-AMG Project One, Vision Mercedes Maybach 6 Cabriolet,
Nissan Vmotion and Peugeot Instinct. Mazda captured the same award two
years ago for its stunning RX-VISION concept.
As the name suggests, the VISION COUPE, like the RX-VISION, embodies Mazda’s next-generation design vision. The proportions of the flowing four-door, with the cabin positioned toward the rear, are characteristic of a classic coupé design while conveying the powerful forward momentum of a high-performance sports car.
Ikuo Maeda (managing executive officer in charge of design and brand style) believes that the use of reflections on the VISION COUPE expresses a sense of vitality which is the
next step for KODO design. “This
car embodies a delicate Japanese aesthetic, and to be recognized here in
the ‘City of Art’ two years after the RX-VISION was awarded the same
honour is very gratifying. We want to retain our identity as a Japanese
brand as we continue making cars with global appeal.”
The exterior’s simple “one-motion” form expresses a incredible sense of
speed. Meanwhile, the interior borrows a concept from traditional
Japanese architecture to create a degree of three-dimensional depth
conducive to a relaxed space. The name pays homage to the
company’s 50-plus year tradition of elegant coupés like the Mazda Luce
Rotary, also known as the Mazda R130.
The VISION COUPE will be on display until 4 February in Paris’s Hôtel National des Invalides at the Festival Automobile International’s concept car exhibition. The annual Festival attracts some 35,000 visitors.