Brian Joss – Mazda constantly endeavors to create an emotional connection between the driver and the car with the aim to invigorate both body and spirit through the joy of driving. This connection is called Jinba-Ittai.
Jinba-Ittai or “rider and horse as one body” is the Japanese term which describes the harmony between a horse and rider. It underpins the core of the brand and is at the heart of Mazda’s human-centric philosophy. The philosophy starts with the driver and develops every aspect of the vehicle to deliver the best possible experience to the driver and occupants.” This quest to deliver Jinba-Ittai in every model is what makes Mazda unique,” the car-maker said.
“Our objective when building vehicles is to eliminate all non-essential elements to create a vehicle with deliberate and functional components focusing on the purity of simple form. The result is beautifully designed vehicles that showcase Mazda’s KODO – Soul of Motion’ design language which expresses a strong sense of vitality and agility,” Mazda said. KODO is inspired by efficient yet beautiful muscle movements that radiate great energy to push the vehicle appearance to new levels of design.
The brand’s never-ending pursuit of enhancement has brought Skyactiv Technology, a series of technologies that integrate control of the engine, transmission, chassis and body to improve performance and fuel efficiency for an exceptional ride that feels like it’s been crafted just for the driver.
Mazda Southern Africa’s model range is represented by the Mazda2 supermini, the popular Mazda3, the crossover CX-3, the best-selling CX-5 SUV as well as the retractable fastback MX-5 RF along with the BT-50 bakkie.
Available in both automatic and manual transmissions; all models are dressed in Mazda’s award-winning KODO designs, conveying strength, stability and good times behind the wheel. The current vehicle generation line-up of powertrains and platforms take a decidedly unconventional approach to enhancing performance with the latest version of the SKYACTIV-G 1.5L, 2.0L and 2.5L engines as well as SKYACTIV-D 1.5L and 2.2L engines. While the renowned 1.6 MZR engine on the Mazda3 as well as the 2.2L and 3.2L on the BT-50 continue to deliver exceptional response in performance.
CAPTION: The retractable fastback MX-5 RF: emotional connection between driver and car. Picture: Quickpic