Two for Tokyo from Mazda

15 October 2003: Mazda will feature at the Tokyo Show next week the world premiere of the two-seat Ibuki concept, an open-top, lightweight sports car that hints at a possible design direction of a future Mazda Roadster.

Joining the Ibuki concept on the stand are key environmental technologies being developed by Mazda such as the unique RENESIS hydrogen rotary engine (also a world premiere) and the company's latest production models, including the all-new Mazda Axela (Mazda3).

The Ibuki concept (the name comes from a Japanese word that refers to "breathing new energy into" and "adding vigor") reaches back to the MX-5’s 1989 origins in is simple and clean design and hints towards one possible approach for a future Roadster/MX-5 model.

The car is powered by a MZR 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, and compared with the layout in the current Mazda Roadster/MX-5, the engine is positioned approximately 400mm further to the rear, while the air conditioner unit is located behind the seats.

The hydrogen version of the RENESIS rotary engine is one proposal for alternative-energy vehicle technologies aimed at a future hydrogen-based society.

In addition to direct hydrogen injection into the intake chambers via two electronically-controlled injectors per rotor, the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE features a dual-fuel system allowing one-touch switching between either hydrogen or gasoline, promoting the car's versatility as a hydrogen fuel infrastructure is developed.

©2003 irishcar.com