Press Release:
Southern California Automotive Design Studios Envision the Ultimate Youthmobile in Year 2030
The winner of the 6th Annual Design Challenge will be announced Dec. 3rd at the LA Auto Show

The Design Challenge is part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers’ conference that is held every year during the Los Angeles Auto Show press days, Dec. 2 & 3, 2009. For the last six years a new Design Challenge theme is chosen and the major Southern California Automotive Design Studios battle against each other to showcase their talents and further explore new ideas in automotive design. The Design Los Angeles Conference also gives designers access to design industry leaders and provides the opportunity to address common industry issues.

via Jalopnik

Looks like Chinese Customs wanted an up close & personal peek at Mazda’s Taiki Concept. Taiki was on its way to the Beijing Auto show when it was stopped for a “totally random customs search” by border authorities. Which probably translates to “let’s see if Mazda is pulling a John Z. DeLorean on the way to China.” Of course, the vehicle and Mazda representatives all cleared the check point and were back on the road, or sea, in no time. Now how do you say “Papers? We don’t need no stinkin’ PAPERS!” in Cantonese?

2007 was a banner year for Mazda conceptual design with the introduction of the “Nagare” models (Japanese for ‘flow’). ‘08 looks to be shaping up positively as well for the motor corporation. The Mazda Senku (pictured above) was chosen “Most Beautiful Design Concept” by a panel at this year’s Grand Prix du Design at the 23rd Festival Automobile International in Paris. The annual festival honors “beauty, design and art,” focusing on submissions from both major car manufacturers along with small studio designs. Another “Flow” concept, the Mazda Ryuga, recently took home the Louis Vuitton Classic Concept Award 2007. This shows Mazda’s This shows Mazda’s dedication to not only producing safe, affordable vehicles which are fun to drive, but can grab attention on the highway. eye-catching Mazda designs being shown off at major auto events include the Mazda Furai and Taiki sport concepts.

Mazda Ryuga

However, this concept is not all automobile theory – the Taiki features “a next-generation rotary engine and enhanced aerodynamic performance.” Anything from air to wind to fog and rain will literally “flow” through the curves of this beast.

Taiki may look as if she has all her power in the front-end, but this newbie is a rear-wheel drive vehicle. It takes power from the bow’s 1.6L RENESIS 16X engine – the latest in Mazda’s RENESIS engine design.

These machines were built using the same ideas behind hydrogen rotary engines, except RENESIS is gasoline based as well as fuel efficient. Gas is injected at high pressure during intake, causing fuel to evaporate quickly. The fast air-fuel mixture stabilizes temperature in the chamber, raising the engine’s efficiency. It also gives any car wrapped around the 16X an increase in torque without the waste of emissions.

Translation – less gas and harmful emissions with more power and speed while blasting down the streets of Kobe, Japan.

To us, the Taiki is offspring of the Batmobile and Spinner from Blade Runner.

The canopy is wide opened, showing off the driver while the world around flashes by, easily missed at top speeds like tears in the rain. So don’t forget to stop at red lights; not for the threat of traffic violations, but for the purpose of gloating.

Taiki is so beautiful of a concept car it is almost worth not driving at all. Like a work of modern art, one should admire, pace around slowly, debate what the designers were feeling as they created. Of course, that would be no fun. You are forced by sheer attraction to touch, sit and accelerate the Taiki to its limits. One can only hope Mazda keeps Taiki’s grace and efficiency in the final model.