Mazda will unveil a new small car in October at the Paris Motor Show. First to be unveiled in a concept form, the future Mazda1 will go on sale in late 2009, and will compete with the Volkswagen up! and Toyota’s iQ.

As you can see from these drawings, it’s the first model to bring the design themes showcased by the company’s Nagare concept to reality. The sporty look of the 2 supermini is evolved with a taller roofline to boost headroom, but key details including dramatic slashes in the bodywork and short overhangs are retained.

The city car concept is likely to feature Perspex panels, plus sliding side doors and seats, which will increase practicality, too.

The concept is likely to be powered by a combination of fuel cells and batteries. The firm will also reveal a new 4x4 at the Moscow Motor Show in August, based on Ford’s Kuga, which could make its way here. And it is working on an RX-7 replacement that also follows the Nagare design theme.

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