Tokyo: Mazda Vision Coupe

Mazda didn\'t stop with the Kai.

At the risk of upstaging itself, Mazda brought yet a second design concept to Tokyo. Meet the Mazda Vision Coupe. Don't worry; we'll give you a minute.

If there was any doubt as to whether Mazda's designers were back on track with there more recent vehicles, let this be the end of it. The Vision Coupe takes the previous RX-Vision concept to the next logical step, adding two doors and smoothing out the face a bit for a more mature, elegant look.

Appropriately, Mazda has dubbed this generation of its design "new elegance." If you look closely, you can find elements of British luxury and Italian supercar staples (the former in the rear deck design; the latter in the rear finisher and tail lamps). The nose is all modern Mazda, of course.

Inside, it features a minimalist interior (as is common with concepts) with an emphasis on organic elements. The dash and center console are wood and leather, interrupted only briefly for elements such as the gear selector and gauge cluster.

Perhaps the most significant revision from the RX-Vision concept, however, is the extra doors. Mazda teased the Vision Coupe as a "sedan" concept despite the name, and we can't help but think that this is intended to steer us toward the idea of a new Mazda6 rather than any potential revival of the RX coupe lineup.

We'd love to see a rear-wheel-drive Mazda coupe or sedan playing in the premium space, but with its largest RWD platform hiding under a 2,250-pound roadster, that seems unlikely. We'll keep hoping.