Mazda is on a high at the moment, with its small baby the Mazda2 flying off the showroom floors like the proverbial hot cakes and winning multiple international awards. The countryside bumpkin of Japanese auto manufacturing is producing exceptional products across its entire range. Now Mazda is getting ready to go even lower down the market road with a Mazda1 concept. The vehicle will be shown in Paris in September and is meant to be a small city car.

Interpreted through the eyes of concept Nagare, which first made its public showing in 2006, Mazda1 will be provocative, but not as daring as a Chris Bangle or Adrian Van Hooydonk creation. Mazda design chief Laurens van der Acker, a fan of Bangle, says his company is not yet strong enough to go wild like that, but Mazda can be revitalized even further through exciting design. From around 2010 these concepts will begin to show up on the streets as part of other vehicles.

To widen its reach Mazda will also start showing and producing a small concept crossover 4x4 which will be debuted in Moscow. Russia is considered by Mazda as the next market powerhouse in Europe, set to even overtake Germany as leader. Countries like the UK, which did not receive the bigger CX-9, could also benefit from a downsize exercise by Mazda.