Mazda Takeri Sedan

This year's edition of the Tokyo Motor Show in December is gearing up to be one of the most exciting automotive events of the year as we're anticipating many important debuts including the Toyota FT-86 and Subaru BRZ twins, the new Honda CR-V and the reason why we're writing this article, the Mazda Takeri concept.

Even though Mazda's initial press release didn't disclose many details, the Takeri is believed to be a thinly disguised concept of the next generation of the Mazda6 sedan in the same way that the Minagi study previewed the CX-5 that was revealed in Frankfurt this September.

The Takeri introduces a far more expressive design than the current Mazda6 with its styling strongly inspired by the swoopy Shinari sports sedan study.

In the video that follows below, you can get a look at the Takeri while its spinning around during a photo session for a Japanese magazine.

Mazda models, Mazda6, PHOTO GALLERY

Mazda fans may be unhappy about the RX-8’s demise, but the Hiroshima-based automaker has a history of displaying well received concepts that eventually enter production, like the RX-Evolve and the Minagi.

The company's latest such concept is the Takeri and it will be unveiled at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show on November 30. The Takeri is a mid-size sedan that effectively gives us an early glimpse at the Mazda6's replacement, which is expected to arrive in the market in the first half of 2013.

Like all recent Mazda models, concept and production alike, the Takeri adopts the company’s new “KODO – Soul of Motion” design language.

If you get past the name, the Takeri has a very attractive design, both inside and out, with many styling cues borrowed directly from the Shinari sports sedan study.

Mazda hasn’t been very forthcoming with details, but the company did say that under the hood of the Takeri sits a Skyactive D diesel engine that gets several fuel-saving gizmos, including auto stop/start as well as Mazda’s first kinetic energy recovery system.

During braking, the system captures energy that would otherwise be dissipated as heat, converts it to electricity, stores it in capacitors and uses it to power the car’s ancillary electric systems, further reducing engine consumption.

PHOTO GALLERY

Mazda discontinue production of its Mazda6

Earlier in May, we told you about a report concerning Mazda’s plans to discontinue production of its Mazda6 mid-size model at its joint-venture plant with Ford in Michigan. Today, new reports from both Japan and the U.S. are claiming that Mazda Motors will dissolve its 50-50 joint venture with Ford and stop building cars in the USA by 2013, with the Japanese company already in talks with the Detroit automaker to sell its stake in their car production venture Auto Alliance International [AAI].

"Dissolving the joint venture is one measure that the two companies are discussing," a person familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal. The Nikkei business daily reported on its website that Mazda will discontinue U.S. production of the Mazda6 by 2013 with its successor to be imported to the States from Japan.

Responding to the reports, Mazda issued this press statement: "Mazda and Ford are jointly studying various possibilities for AAI, and we have nothing to announce at this time. We do not comment on speculation."

The Japanese company is currently working to restructure its global production system and the 50-50 joint venture production facility with Ford is proving to be a money-losing operation for Mazda. The annual production capacity of the Michigan assembly plant is 240,000 vehicles split between Ford and Mazda, but the Japanese automaker made only around 45,000 Mazda6s in the past year.