Wearing a production-car hat and heading towards the updated philosophy of “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom,” Mazda used Tokyo to unveil sedan and wagon versions of the car that first brought “Zoom-Zoom” to market in 2003.  Depending on the market, some know it as the Atenza while others know it as the Mazda6.

And a neat car it is, too, but not an exciting one — which is perhaps the opposite of the car that sits next to them on the stand, the Taiki concept. It makes its world debut here and continues an evolving line of sporting concepts that started with the Nagare itself in Los Angeles before progressing to the Ryuga and Hakaze to Taiki – all four of which sit side by side for the first time on this stand.

And talking about Taiki, it now represents just one possible direction for “a future generation of Mazda sports cars aimed at helping create a sustainable society.” Its technologies include next-generation RENESIS rotary power, a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive layout, unique staggered two-seat cabin configuration and extraordinary aerodynamics.

General Manager of Mazda’s Design Division Laurens van den Acker challenged his design team to build a car that “evokes a perception of motion, even when the car is standing still.” This created the Nagare design, which means flow or “the embodiment of movement.”

They also say the visual expression of the flow of air was inspired by ”a pair of Hagoromo, the flowing robes that enable a celestial maiden to fly in Japanese legend.” Designers even tried innovative techniques like soaking cloth in plaster then hanging it out to dry in whatever shape the wind created. The result of all of it is this spectacular shape, with a drag coefficient of only 0.25Cd and zero aerodynamic lift.