Beauty is subjective, up to a point. In the automotive sector there are various awards that value the aesthetic appearance of current vehicles. Many will defend that, for tastes, colors. It is true, but it is also true that many vehicles have conquered the general public with little resistance. The World Car Design award , presented within the framework of the World Car of the Year (WCA) awards, values this reception in the market and the evolution of the brand’s design language. Some guidelines that are somewhat abstract but that always end up hitting the spot, as has happened with the triumph of the Mazda3 . This victory is more than a credit to that particular model, it is recognition of the Kodo design philosophy. This concept, introduced in 2010, tries to give the machine soul through flowing and almost natural lines.
The appearance of Asian brands in the European market has been gradual. The first Mazda models were somewhat basic, with many compelling arguments but a packaging devoid of essence. Despite innovations, such as the RX8’s rotary engine , it was difficult to break the habit and break the geographical barrier. Ten years ago the brand took another course: it decided to show the world its heritage, tradition and provenance . He did so by developing various areas of work based on Japanese crafts and their culture, covering the field of design but also that of dynamics. Applying the Kodo design, based on pure and refined lines, has been the definitive impulse for an innovative yet conscious firm proud of its roots.
Award Design
Despite the exceptional global situation, with more than half the world locked in their homes to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , the organizers of the World Car of the Year (WCA) award continued on their way. The new Mazda3 won one of the most special accolades of these automotive Oscars: it won in the design category. It is not the first model of the firm to achieve it, in 2016 the MX-5 was also considered the most beautiful car of its year and recognized with the World Car Design of the Year.
The representative director, president and CEO of Mazda Motor Corporation, Akira Marumoto, had a few words of encouragement when collecting said award: “Before accepting this award, Mazda Motor Corporation wishes to express its solidarity towards all the people affected by the new coronavirus” . This 2020 is a special year for the firm, a hundred years ago this manufacturer started the production of cars in Hiroshima (Japan) . “We are very honored to have received this World Car Design of the Year award in such a special year as this, in which we celebrate the centenary of the founding of Mazda. We will continue to offer our customers distinctive products and designs, technologies and unique experiences, ”stated Marumoto.
Crafts and Kodo
The evolution of the Kodo concept is palpable but not transgressive. The Mazda3, launched in 2019, was the first model to showcase the latest advancements in this design philosophy. A few touches that seek to accentuate its elegance and prestige, emphasizing the minimalist and refined lines of Japanese art. To understand how sketches on paper become a Mazda model, we must delve into the Kodo process.
Unlike many brands, Mazda continues to turn to clay modeling to find the most harmonious shapes and silhouettes. The takumi are the artisans who sculpt this clay by hand , prioritizing the action of natural light on the vehicle. As it cannot be otherwise, the final result involves hundreds of hours of work in the clay and in the application of the colors, which should give the model a fluid vitality. A discipline and mastery that are rewarded with awards such as the World Car Design of the Year for the Mazda3. A recognition, by the 86 specialized journalists from 25 countries, who joins the Red Dot “Best of the Best” awards (2019), the Supreme Winner of the World’s Women’s Car of the Year awards (2019) and to the Smart Hatch of the Year of the Cars of the Year in the United Kingdom (2020).
