Design review: Mazda Furai concept
By Sam Livingstone2015-05-05T23:44:00
The Mazda Furai concept was developed at the Mazda North American Operations design studio
The Furai was one of – if not the – most admired concept cars at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show. Arguably the Taiki, first shown in Japan in 2007 but making its North American show debut on an adjacent display, might have eclipsed its show car presence for those who weren’t in Tokyo.
Designed under the direction of Franz von Holzhausen, the then director of Mazda Design North America, and project manager Ken Saward in the California-based Mazda design studio, the Furai featured Mazda’s ‘flow’ design language that was first seen on the original Nagare displayed at the LA Auto Show in 2006. That concept was also designed by Franz and his team on the West Coast.