New concepts and green tech for Mazda

• Sporty new 6 at Tokyo motor show
• Taiki concept sports car, too
• Eco-technology also on show

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Mazda will unveil a new concept sports car at the Tokyo motor show at the end of this month, as well as a sporty version of its 6 family car, and a host of new green technologies.

The Taiki - Japanese for atmosphere - is a development of the Nagare concept car, first seen at the Los Angeles motor show last December.

It's meant to show Mazda's design direction as far ahead as 2020, and features a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout that could use the next version of Mazda's rotary engine.

The two-seat concept car also has an all-glass canopy, part of an ultra-smooth aerodynamic profile that Mazda is trying to develop.

New Mazda 6
Making its home debut will be the Mazda 6, known as the Atenza in Japan, following its unveiling at the Frankfurt motor show last month.

The car features a system called CF-Net (Cross Functional Network), which integrates the controls for the stereo, climate control and car computer into a single system that minimises diversion from the driver's line of sight.

It will also have a rear vehicle-monitoring system, which uses radar to detect a car approaching from the rear or in the blind spots behind the B-pillars. The system is active above 36mph.

The 6 will be available in hatch, saloon and estate variants.

Host of eco-technologies
Mazda is exhibiting a number of cars and technologies aimed at cutting carbon dioxide emissions:

1. Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid
A hydrogen/electric hybrid version of the Premacy (sold as the 5 in the UK) will be unveiled at the show.

Compared with the RX-8 Hydrogen RE, the Premacy has 40% more power and, at 124 miles, double the range when running on hydrogen.

Seating capacity has also been increased to seat five adults, and there's greater luggage space as well.

The interior's plastics and seat fabrics have all been derived from plants, too.

2. More efficient engines
There will be three engines on view at the show. First is a new 2.0-litre petrol engine. Direct-injection, variable valve timing and emission purification systems are all designed to make it more efficient.

It also has a new kind of catalytic converter, which improves efficiency and reduces the amount of precious metal needed in its manufacture.

Second is Mazda's next-generation diesel engine. Every moving part, as well as the aluminium cylinder block, has been reduced in size and weight to make the engine more efficient.

A two-stage turbo has been fitted to give greater pulling power and better acceleration, while a more efficient particulate filter cuts harmful particle emissions.

Finally, there's the next version of Mazda's rotary engine. It has been made more efficient and gives extra pull thanks to a variety of measures, including a direct-injection system.

3. Smart Idle Stop System
A number of car makers, including Citroen and BMW, are using start-stop technology to lower carbon dioxide emissions, and now Mazda has developed its own.

Mazda's system differs from others, however, because it doesn't use the starter motor to fire up the engine.

Called Smart Idle Stop System (SISS), it injects fuel directly into the cylinders while the engine is stopped, and then ignites it. The downward force starts the engine, and Mazda says this gives fuel savings of about 10%, as well as being quieter and smoother than electric-start versions.