INSPIRE
A Vision of future mobility
Mazda is creating an exciting future fueled through a shared love of cars, and the Japan Mobility Show has proved the perfect platform to highlight this new approach…
From game-changing EVs to next-gen biofuels, auto shows have become the springboard from which manufacturers can launch their sustainable vision for the future. Yet to many, strolling through exhibition halls looking at car technology that almost never makes its way to mass production fails to convey the warmth and joy people associate with their cars on a day-to-day basis.
That’s exactly why the Japan Mobility Show (JMS) has come into being. A revision of what was formerly known as the Tokyo Motor Show—a must-go fixture on the automotive calendar over the past decades—it’s been overhauled to better address today’s needs and issues, while offering an amazing experiential journey to new audiences. As JMS announced, “[the new show is] fully immersive and interactive to showcase the future of mobility in Japan through the vibrant nature of the country.”
MAZDA’S NEW VISION
Echoing the JMS’s belief in creating an exciting future powered by mobility, Mazda set up its stand between the walls of the Tokyo Big Sight, the main venue of the show, with a deep-rooted vision and immersive exhibits that also reflect Mazda’s new approach to mobility.
Simply put, Mazda envisions that every person is capable of being moved by a life in motion. It’s the Japanese marque’s self-appointed task to uplift its customers and to further enhance their mobility experiences through the vehicles and technologies it creates. “We are committed to shaping the future, where everyone can proudly say, ‘we love cars,’” Masahiro Moro, Representative Director, President, and CEO of Mazda Motor Corporation, explains. “For us, the ‘joy of driving’ is synonymous with the ‘joy of living’. All of us at Mazda strive to enrich life in motion for those we serve.”
This underlying message manifests itself across the stand’s five sections—each equipped with informative and interactive features—for everyone to experience first-hand. “[Our] stand, which is based around the theme of ‘the future crafted by the love of cars,’ is designed to show Mazda’s continued commitment to the creation of products that satisfy customers’ love of driving and cars,” Mazda says.
TAKE A DRIVE IN A MINI MAZDA MX‑5
Of all the exhibits at the Mazda stand, one that surely brings a smile to everybody’s face is the family-friendly Mazda MX‑5 fun ride. By sitting in a half-scale model of the Mazda MX‑5 roadster—a world first—children can get behind the wheel and experience the thrill of the exhilarating Mazda MX‑5, thanks to the fully immersive features.
Facing the big, high-definition screen showing the road ahead, not only can the driver virtually control the car but also feel real wind rushing past their body as they accelerate the Mazda MX‑5. It’s designed to kindle a love for driving in the minds of would-be drivers and help foster a new community of future car lovers.
TOMORROW’S SPORTS CAR, TODAY
“We are presenting a new-generation, new-genre sports car for the coming age,” explains Moro. The concept, he says, will “remind people that cars are pure joy and an indispensable part of their life.”
While the world continues to move towards carbon-neutrality targets, Mazda remains passionate about delivering the joy of driving through every vehicle leaving the factory floor, electric or otherwise. It’s with this mindset that, exclusively at the JMS, Mazda has displayed its very latest next-gen sports car concept: the head-turning Mazda Iconic SP.
Not just a pretty sight, the Mazda Iconic SP has a battery that could be recharged by recyclable energy sources and uses a carbon-neutral fuel for the two-rotor rotary EV system. Unveiled as the world premiere, this two-seater concept reinforces Mazda’s human-centric design philosophy and is an exciting insight into the future of mobility. Similarly, the Mazda Iconic SP also embodies Mazda’s vision that, while the world pivots to driving sustainability efforts, the high-performance, two-seater sports vehicle will still have its place in years to come.
THE MAZDA MX‑5 SeDV
Mazda is also proud to be showing the Mazda MX‑5 SeDV. The vehicle can be controlled without the accelerator and brake pedals—instead, it only needs the driver’s hands. A move toward greater inclusivity and a wider community uplift, this car was developed to be disability-friendly, so that the joy of driving can be experienced by all—a significant step in the right direction to create a more diverse driving society.
ONE WALL, 4800 MINIATURE CARS
Another incredible sight at the JMS is Mazda’s miniature car wall. Instantly recognizable by the 4800 miniature cars displayed, the exhibition is testament to the lifelong enthrallment of driving, which, for many, has its genesis in a childhood spent playing with toys. “We asked all of our employees and their families and friends to contribute their own collections of miniature cars,” says Mazda, also describing how the stand plans to bring “fond memories” back to the installation’s visitors.
THE JOY OF LIVING
The message across the board is crystal clear: whether in the automotive industry or elsewhere, the inevitable shift in the world is ongoing. Yet Mazda will always be one of the first to respond and continuously pursue its engineering philosophy to achieve a future in which the joy of driving can still be felt—no matter the driver, no matter the journey.
Words Shogo Hagiwara / Images Dan Froude
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