Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedans/Saloons, China, Ford, Mazda, Misc. Auto Shows
Guangzhou 2007: Live shots of Mazda2 and Ford Verve sedans
click either image to view high-res galleries
The ever increasing importance of the Chinese auto market is on full display this week at the 2007 Guangzhou Motor Show, and fortunately we have the Autoblog Chinese crew pounding the show floor as we speak. You can check out their coverage here (translated courtesy of Google), although for those not fluent in Chinese (like us) you'll have settle for looking at all the pretty pictures. Yesterday we told you about the debut of both the Mazda2 sedan and Ford Verve Sedan Concept at the Guangzhou show, and today we have live shots from the show floor courtesy of Autoblog Chinese. Technically these two cars are very much related, as the Verve concept is expected to inspire a production car of the same name that will be sold in the U.S. and markets abroad. That new small car will be based on the same platform as the Mazda2, and after the strong showing of four-doors in China this week, we bet a sedan version of the production Verve is certainly being planned alongside a three-door hatch. Click any image below to view either gallery of high-res shots taken from the floor of the 2007 Guangzhou Motor Show.
Gallery: Mazda2 Sedan
Gallery: Ford Verve Sedan Concept
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Menice 1:10PM (11/20/2007)
they both look so damn awkward.
if i was made to drive one, based off the visual it would be the 'squeezed out' mazda.
that Grimas mobile has to go...
http://members.aol.com/grimaceisgreat/index_files/image006.gif
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Brett- BMW Advo 1:12PM (11/20/2007)
someone explain why the Ford has the door handles align with the body line running front to back and the Mazda's rear door handle off this line? it looks tacky!
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compy386 2:24PM (11/20/2007)
Now that you've pointed it out I can't but help stare at the Mazda2's rear door handle. Glad they don't sell them here because that's very distracting to look at.
Andrew 1:15PM (11/20/2007)
Well, the Mazda2 looks better than the Yaris or Aveo. But that isn't saying much. I'm thinking Honda Fit if I had to drive a car that small.
I actually test drove a Fit a couple weeks ago and really liked it. Nice looks, good interior, love the versatility and roominess. Very good ride and handling, sweet manual gearbox. Only problem was it didn't quite fit me at 6'3". My knees didn't touch the dash or console, but there just wasn't enough room to stretch out on a long trip, and the steering wheel didn't telescope. Ended up with a Mazda3 for about the same price and the driving position is dang near perfect.
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iQuack 1:33PM (11/20/2007)
We need these cars in the U.S. but we get the drab, re-skinned Focus instead. Lame!
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Xcountryflyer 3:02PM (11/20/2007)
Really short cars make awkward sedans--as proved by these pics. The Mazda2 looks better as a hatchback. Either way, please bring to the US!
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Andrew 5:14PM (11/20/2007)
I agree, if you are talking about a three-door hatchback. Saturn/Opel Astra comes to mind. Or perhaps a 2-door, like the BMW 1 series. A 5-door hatch doesn't do it for me on very small cars, the rear doors just look crammed in there.
_Jon 3:24PM (11/20/2007)
The Verve will come to the US as a Fiesta.
We aren't going to make that 'throw the established name away' mistake again.
I saw an older - clean - Fiesta running around the Dearborn campus area today. It did not have M (manufacturer) plates on it, but it could have been an employee's car brought in (volunteered) for the design team to use for 'influence' and 'design cues'.
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Timothy 4:21PM (11/20/2007)
Don't be fooled! That's no Verve- Geely's done it
again! That's the new Geely Beautiful cloud coming
out in two months- it's scarry how good they're getting.
:-p
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alphabeta777 4:22PM (11/20/2007)
The Yaris also looks awkward, particularly the front, but the Mazda 2 is awkward just about all over EXCEPT the front. Eww.... I thought Mazda were putting out good designs.
The Ford concept on the other hand, looks relatively good.
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Andrew 5:15PM (11/20/2007)
I guess the Fit would be my expception to that rule.
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gcavin 5:23PM (11/20/2007)
This Verve is what China gets and we in NA get the "new" 2008 Focus??? No wonder Ford sales are in the toilet in NA! IF Ford is serious about selling small cars here, then bring or build some of the Euro cars here like the REAL Focus and this new Verve. One can only hope......
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jgp 10:34AM (11/21/2007)
The Mazda2 looks so much better than the Verve, especially in front.
I love the Mazda2's low belt line and high greenhouse in front, while the Verve's high belt line irks the hell out of me.
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Onur 8:03AM (11/23/2007)
Very cheap looking and Mazda should not put its batch on it. So many beautiful concepts we have seen and now this one is coming out...
Maybe this one some sort of Dacia Logan killer? the car is disportionate and reminds me the silly suzuki swift sedan.
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