The all-new Mazda CX-3 made its debut at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show->ke211 and now here it is dressed up in an assembly of cosmetic and aerodynamic goodness, ready to be presented at the 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon in January 2015. This just goes to show how important the CX-3 is for Mazda.->ke53 The crossover->ke288 is formally called the CX-3 Racing Concept and while it does use the word “concept” in the loosest way imaginable, it still offers a glimpse of what the crossover would look like if it was fitted with a bevy of aerodynamic enhancements.

The changes, while minimal, provide a dramatic change of pace from the standard CX-3. The lowered state of the Racing Concept is the most eye-catching difference between the two versions. The blacked-out alloy wheels aren’t shabby additions, either.

Mazda has given no indication on what it’s got planned for the CX-3 Racing Concept after it makes its debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon. But as is the case with “concepts” like this, a positive reaction from the public and the media usually means that we’ll see these enhancements in the CX-3’s options list in the near future.

Click past the jump to read more about the Mazda CX-3 Racing Concept.

Exterior

The overall look of the Mazda CX-3 remains largely the same, but the Racing Concept does offer a few upgrades on the outside. The most noticeable is the lowered height, which suggests that Mazda made some tweaks to the crossover’s suspension.

The lowered suspension is complemented by a fresh aerodynamic kit that includes a subtle update on the fenders, new side sills, and blacked-out alloy wheels. The CX-3 was also given splashes of red-and-black decals, most notably on the fender, behind the wheel arches, and the borders around the chrome grille.

Interior

We don't have any visuals on the CX-3 Racing Concept's interior so we're going to leave this section without a whole lot of details, except for the possibility that the cabin has its own red-and-black enhancements to match the body. Maybe black leather seats with red contrast stitching and some splashes of white? That would make sense given the look of the body.

Drivetrain

Don’t be misled by its “Racing Concept” designation, this Mazda CX-3 doesn’t appear to have any power upgrades, or at least not that I know of at this point. What I do know is that the new CX-3 is powered by a naturally aspirated, 2.0-liter, Skyactiv, four-cylinder engine. Mazda has yet to unveil the exact performance numbers of the CX-3, but it’s worth noting that the Mazda 3, which has a similar engine, comes with an output of 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque.

The crossover does have a six-speed automatic transmission that customers can pair with either a standard front-wheel-drive system or an optional all-wheel-drive system. The latter makes use of Mazda’s Active Torque Control technology and a front wheel slip warning system to help the CX-3 handle superbly even when road conditions aren’t at their best.

Prices

Given that the new Mazda CX-3 made its debut at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, it’s understandable that Mazda has yet to release the pricing details (as of 12/19/2014) for its new crossover. That said, a base price of around $20,000 isn’t out of the question. Throw in some options and expect to see the price go higher, possibly in the neighborhood of about $24,000.

Competition

Nissan Juke Nismo

If Mazda decides to offer all the aerodynamic goodies included with the CX-3 Racing Concept in the options list of the standard model, that would put it in the path of the Nissan Juke Nismo.

Granted, the amount of customization Mazda gave to the CX-3 pales in comparison to the comprehensive aerodynamic overhaul of the Juke Nismo, but if Mazda can build on what the CX-3 Racing Concept then we can totally see the CX-3 hold its own against Nissan’s quirky crossover. We know it’s contingent on a lot of “ifs,” but it would be nice to see the Juke Nismo to get some friendly competition.

As a refresher, the Nissan Juke Nismo is powered by a tuned version of Nissan’s 1.6-liter, turbo engine. With the modifications in tow, the Juke Nismo produces 197 horsepower to go with a 0-to-60-mph time of about 6.5 seconds.

Conclusion

Since it's a concept, it's still unclear on what Mazda has planned for the CX-3 Racing Concept. It would be cool to get these modifications as added options, but until Mazda confirms anything about its plans for the CX-3 Racing Concept after its Tokyo Auto Salon debut, we'll file this one in the "wait-and-see" folder for the time being.