The Mazda 929 from the '90s was a rear-wheel-drive technological marvel that was ultimately unsuccessful because of its hefty price tag and Americans' infatuation with the SUV. Times have changed and big cars are cool again, with just about everybody on the market offering a large sedan. Mazda, however, is an obvious exception. The artists over at CGI Automotive decided to render out a future Mazda9 just for fun, and while it looks a bit awkward, the overall idea is pretty solid.
Out front, the blue rendering holds true to the design of the upcoming Mazda6, but Audi-like jewelry has been added to the headlamps and the lower air dams look aggressive and sporty. The bulging wheel arches borrow from the Mazda6 and RX-8, and the roof-line is tapered to give it the four-door coupe look. The one thing that would have to change is the hatchback, which might be OK on smaller Mazdas, but is unattractive for a large flagship sedan. Would we like to see a Mazda9 flagship sedan? Hell yes, the more Zoom Zoom the better. But it would have to be more distinctive and less hatch-like, or it'd suffer the same fate as the 929 of years gone by.
[Source: CGI Automotive via Carscoop]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Louis @ Jun 12th 2008 5:07PM
Like the front, but totally not feeling the back.
Wait, was I talking about the car...
Mehdi Cheddadi @ Jun 12th 2008 5:11PM
too much free time with photoshop
styleguy @ Jun 12th 2008 5:17PM
Ya know, I was just thinking of that the other day. I actually made a sketch, but not one this accurate. LoL
But the idea is very sustainable. I would buy one over the Impala and Charger any day. Mazdas rock!
styleguy @ Jun 12th 2008 5:17PM
Ya know, I was just thinking of that the other day. I actually made a sketch, but not one this accurate. LoL
But the idea is very sustainable. I would buy one over the Impala and Charger any day. Mazdas rock!
mikomi @ Jun 12th 2008 5:17PM
I like it. It does follow up on the Mazda6, but it reminds me a lot of Audi and Lexus, not sure if that's a bad thing. I like it though.
Jimbo @ Jun 12th 2008 5:22PM
They should build it on the RX-9 platform complete with rotary. It would give them a distinctive RWD flagship as well as help distribute the cost investment on the RX-9. Plus it would be a perfect response to the Hyundai Genesis twins.
TheClassic @ Jun 12th 2008 5:25PM
The article says the image is of the next generation 6, and that the 9 will share styling cues. I'm mentioning it just in case nobody else caught that.
Torrent @ Jun 12th 2008 5:27PM
Not feeling it. It doesn't even look like a Mazda.
Luis @ Jun 12th 2008 5:30PM
I like the Audi-esque front end.
Kitko @ Jun 17th 2008 6:04PM
and Citroenesque rear....
TJ @ Jun 12th 2008 5:31PM
my '88 929 was one of the best car's I ever owned... god I miss that car! I am seriously considering picking up a '94 or '95 to drop a rotary or turbo4 into....
Benfolio @ Jun 12th 2008 6:05PM
Make sure you get one with the optional Zach Morris mobile phone.
Biggest piles ever. We don't see a single one in the dealer here that doesn't need a few grand in repairs. And it's not the car's fault, the parts are damn expensive.
James @ Jun 12th 2008 5:35PM
looks like someone copied the c pillar from the new big citroen sedan
anti-believer @ Jun 12th 2008 5:52PM
I don't like it. Horrible C-pillar.
srivendel @ Jun 12th 2008 5:52PM
Just bring us the Mazda2 instead. Now there's a car that captures the zeitgeist.
paulrandfan @ Jun 12th 2008 5:53PM
it's not the ugliest thing I've ever seen........
Kaptain75329 @ Jun 12th 2008 5:55PM
"The supplied image takes a glance at a large Mazda applying the Nagare (flow) styling." - cgiautomotive.com
Unless the Nagare theme is supposed to barrow the grill and bright work from Honda, blatantly rip off Audi's RS fascia queues, and singlehandedly bring back the forgotten ass of your garden-variety 1980's Porsche, it does nothing of the kind. C'mon guys.. Mazda already screwed up the 6 for the North American market, but at least it's still beautiful even with that retarded blackout panel on the C-pillar.
Uninspired, entirely too derivative, and devoid of the flow, symmetry, and harmony that has been the hallmark of Mazda design for the better part of the last decade. These guys come in with a cheap photochop sporting all the splendor of a copycat sophomoric art student's wet dream and call that "application" of a theme that's not even in the same universe. Whatever.
This is what happens when you take art and put it in the hands of people who don't know what they're doing.
Fail.
Benfolio @ Jun 12th 2008 6:07PM
I was just telling the guys the other day that Mazda needs to introduce a Mazda0
Because I want to combine all the current badges and have a Mazda 867-5309
pmiddle5 @ Jun 12th 2008 7:19PM
Just make the 6 RWD and scratch the idea of a 929 successor
Judy Zik @ Jun 12th 2008 8:46PM
LOL!
You could name it Jenny!