Mazda’s meticulous attention to detail is second to none, thanks to its design language, Kodo – Soul of Motion, a philosophy born out of the strong belief that creating an ultimate form of beauty via the seasoned hands of Takumi craftsmen will breathe life into the car. Craftmanship may be a term that is used a little too casually and frequently in marketing, but Mazda, throughout its history, has stayed true to the exact meaning of the word with the Mazda3 Sport the latest embodiment of it.
“The Mazda3 hatchback is based on the Kai concept model we unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2017,” says Yasutake Tsuchida, chief designer of the latest Mazda3. “Normally, making a mass production model from its concept means a series of compromises. But that’s not the way we work. “Craft is the key and we work closely with everyone involved from modellers to engineers to production members so as to achieve truly artful form. This is why the production model retains the same design ethos and emotional glamour as its original concept.”
While some concept cars are designed only to illuminate motor shows, the Kai was Mazda’s ideal vision of a hatchback, and the various divisions in the company were determined to make it happen together. Perhaps the key to achieving this was the aspiration to true craftsmanship and realising the ultimate beauty in the car. Speak to anyone in the factories, and they’ll confirm Mazda’s way. Kenji Anraku, a manager who led a team of master mould makers who worked on the car’s exterior panels, explains: “We discuss and sometimes even argue with designers, but that’s all for the sake of taking the design to the next level. The slightest of margins of error is not permitted here.”
Toshitaka Matsui, staff manager of the manufacturing engineering team in the Hofu plant in Japan, agrees. He says: “It was obvious that the transition from the concept to the production model would prove challenging as the former was designed free of [manufacturing] regulations and production requirements. But we fully supported the chief designer in realising his vision. If we don’t have skill and expertise to make it happen, we would just innovate to overcome the challenges.” Of all the Mazda3’s technological and aesthetic achievements, the side panels devoid of sharp character lines – a design cue popular in vehicle design – are an element of particular beauty. They’re a great example of the lengths Mazda went to to craft the car.
“Creating a simple yet strong, artful form is the next step forward for Kodo design,” says Tsuchida. “Before we reached this stage, we had continuously added design elements to try to give a more energetic form to the cars. But with this model, our focus shifted to ‘less is more’.” This was easier said than done. Once a clay model was made, the design team had it scanned in 3D to create its digital data and trialled making side panel prototypes. Yet, to Tsuchida’s astonishment, these were lacking all the artful elements the original clay model was equipped with. Tsuchida recalls: “It was just one smooth surface, but lacked a soul the modellers had meticulously put into the shapes.”
Investigations revealed that while scanning the clay model the computers would detect “inconsistencies” that human hands had made on the surfaces and opt to smooth the surfaces. But, Tsuchida says, it is these inconsistencies that give life, soul and energy to vehicle design. “Because it’s hand-made, it’s natural that a clay model has uneven surfaces and warped lines. They’re there with the intent of the modellers, but the computers can’t understand it,” Tsuchida says. “At that point, we went back to the clay model to see how different the prototypes are compared to the hand-made form. We went back and forth between the two so many times to recreate the Takumi quality of the clay model in the digital data, too.”
It was an intensive and time-consuming process, but Tsuchida and his team never cut corners. And more than a year and a half later, they arrived at the ideal form, which we can now appreciate first-hand. In recalling this, he smiles, saying: “We’re so old school!” But this is the exact reason Mazda can call its cars a product of true craftsmanship, and the end result is impressive. The wavy contours on the side panels give the appearance of a lean muscle waiting to unleash great power. At the same time, beautiful reflections on the panel ooze Zen-like tranquility.
“Normally, making a mass production model from its concept means a series of compromises. But that’s not the way we work.”
“Reflections change their shapes and colours depending on where the car is and what time it is during the day. The driver can appreciate the car more this way and their love of it deepens further,” Tsuchida says. And as with any craft, nothing tops long-lasting love. Mazda’s meticulous attention to detail is second to none, thanks to its design language, Kodo – Soul of Motion, a philosophy born out of the strong belief that creating an ultimate form of beauty via the seasoned hands of Takumi craftsmen will breathe life into the car.
Story Shogo Hagiwara