What is it?
Mazda's Sky concept is the idea that making engines and gearboxes lighter, and building them so as to reduce mechanical friction, will make the sky cleaner by reducing consumptions and emissions. So, while it's all very nice, it's something of a marketing effort from a maker with no real new metal on its stand.
Why's it here?
There's this massive bandwagon called 'the environment' that presumably has free cake, digestives and unlimited tea on it, because everyone wants to get on board. There is the warm inner glow of saving the planet, of course, which is what Mazda will tell you the Sky technology does. Basically, there's a petrol engine (SKY-G), a diesel (SKY-D) and a torque convertor automatic transmission (Sky-Drive). All three are lighter and more fuel efficient than equivalently sized non-Sky Mazda units, by 15, 20 and five percent respectively.
Show stopper or floor filler?
The Kiyora concept itself is old news now, although it still looks pretty stunning, and Mazda boasts astonishing 91.1mpg fuel economy thanks to its 1.3-litre SKY-G engine and Sky-Drive transmission. Apparently the Kiyora previews a future MPV, though we're not sure when that'll appear. We're promised new Mazda concepts in 2010.
Mark Nichol - 21 Oct 2009