Mazda's Furai concept at Detroit
A new concept from Mazda is based on a rotary-engined racing car from the ALMSMazda is continuing its 'Nagare' design study series with a new car, the Furai, which will be introduced at the North American International Motor Show in Detroit next month.
The newest concept is built on the same 'Courage C65' chassis that competed in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) two years ago. That car -- and the Furai -- are powered by a 450hp tri-rotor engine, but the concept runs on E100 (100 per cent ethanol fuel). Ethanol, being produced from crops, is a renewable resource and burns cleaner than fossil fuels.
'Furai' is Japanese, meaning the 'sound of the wind' and complements the Nagare ('flow') concepts previously built by Mazda, including the recent Taiki which will also be on display in Detroit (more here).
At the same venue, Mazda will launch the facelifted RX-8 (caught in action by the spy photographers at Carparazzi). According to Carparazzi, the new RX-8 looks to be a substantial facelift under the cladding, extending to the tail lights also. It's likely that the interior will be upgraded, but the engines may be carried over from the current model. The next major change RX-8 is said to be due around 2013.
Mazda will also display a Mazda5 Hydrogen hybrid vehicle -- the updated model of the car we know as the Premacy, but combining a hydrogen-fuelled rotary engine in a hybrid-drive system.
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