Mazda has baby in the making

Mazda's Kusabi concept points to what a small Mazda2 sports coupe might look like - and not the expected MX-5 replacement at the Tokyo motor show this month.

The carmaker's design executives at Frankfurt pretty much confirmed that the all-new MX-5 would be unveiled in Japan.

Product planning head Joe Bakai said: "The Kusabi won't be the only concept we'll test the waters with this year."

Design chief Moray Callum - brother of Jaguar designer Ian Callum - told motoring writers: "You might have more of an idea about the next MX-5 after Tokyo."

The carmaker remains tight-lipped about the successor to one of the world's most successful cars.

Said Callum: "The MX-5 will keep its own character that is identifiable with the current car." The new model is expected to be larger in response to tighter international safety standards. There was talk in Frankfurt that it would have a folding metal roof. But Callum and company wouldn't be drawn on details. The front-drive Kusabi concept - Kusabi means "wedge" or "the way forward" in Japanese - is based on the Mazda2 platform and could go into production if public response is positive.

"It's a concept car, so we're looking for a reaction," said Bakai. "Not necessarily to go into production straight off, it's just one possible derivative of Mazda2 - potentially a low-priced sports coupe."

Callum described the Kusabi - powered by a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox - as a pocket-rocket version of the RX-8 to sit below the MX-5 and the rival Opel Tigra from Europe.

"Kusabi hints at the future of compact Mazda sportscars and also how Mazda could look in the future," he said.

It is also a vehicle to preview Mazda's push into diesel technology, especially in Europe. "We are going into the diesel market so we wanted to point out it can be exciting," said Callum.