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Mazda Shinari photos show devil in the details

A closer look at the photos of the Mazda Shinari show the concept sports sedan is loaded with technology.

Liane Yvkoff
Liane Yvkoff is a freelance writer who blogs about cars for CNET Car Tech. E-mail Liane.
Liane Yvkoff
Denis Meunier

A taste of what's to come, Mazda showing off its new concept coupe-styled sedan.
A taste of what's to come, Mazda showing off its new concept coupe-styled sedan. Denis Meunier

Mazda released more information and a handful of photos of its Shinari weeks before its official unveiling at the 2010 Paris Motor Show is early October. The coupe-styled four-seater shows off Mazda's new design language, Kodo, which translates to "soul of motion." While the automaker is long on the styling description of the exterior, it's short on the details of the interior and power train. However, they revealed that the Shinari is equipped with paddle shifter and features three driving modes--business, pleasure and sport--that change the sports sedan's settings, including entertainment, work tasks, and ride to correspond with each mode.

Mazda Shinari Concept (photos)

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While that's not a lot to go on, a closer inspection of the photos reveals details Mazda didn't include in its news release. The instrument cluster shows an integration of analog controls with digital displays for information on the thee driving modes and a speedometer that tops out at 280 kph. Looking closely, you can see buttons embedded in the center console that suggest the car is equipped with Smart Idle Stop System, Dynamic Stability Control, and some version of navigation-information system that uses a joystick and includes a button for quickly accessing e-mail.

The Paris Motor Show is still a month away, but you can view the slideshow to get a closer look at the Shinari.