Mazda Hakaze

Hakaze is a term the Japanese use to describe how the wind blows through the trees - but this show star is more than just hot air. Strip away the concept styling cues, and you have all the elements of a future crossover model. The newcomer handles like a car, is capable off the tarmac and serves up open-air thrills. If a production model can retain the Hakaze's coupé-inspired looks and functional interior, Mazda could be on to another niche market winner.

Scissor-opening doors, removable roof panels and four-wheel drive - that's what you get when you cross a roadster with an off-roader! At least, that's what happens at Mazda.

This is the Hakaze, the Japanese firm's latest show car, and it was designed to combine the fun of an MX-5 with the practicality of an SUV. It will make its world debut at the Geneva exhibition next month - but we have driven it ahead of the premiére.

The styling team responsible for the Hakaze says it looked to the world of kite-surfing for inspiration, and the low roofline, purposeful stance and stubby rear give the newcomer the appearance of a sporty coupé. There's also a pair of scissor doors, although the large 20-inch aluminium wheels and chunky tyres ensure it has the tough go-anywhere look of an SUV.

At the rear, the split tailgate takes cues from the Range Rover. Its clear upper section - which is milled from a solid piece of clear plastic, and took 14 days to shape - echoes the wave pattern of the bodywork, and even incorporates LED tail-lights.

Solving the problem of where to stow the removable roof, engineers have placed a large drawer at the back of the car. The rear bumper simply slides out to reveal an enormous tray for the pair of large glass panels that usually fit above the rear seats.

Despite its space-age appearance, the Hakaze is based on a shortened version of the four-wheel-drive chassis of the CX-7 - the SUV that's due in the UK in September - and also uses its 260bhp 2.3-litre engine.

However, before you can fire the throaty powerplant, you have to climb aboard by slipping beneath the Hakaze's long, Lamborghini-style doors. Wafer-thin seats maximise the space inside, and even though the car is a compact size, there's plenty of room - especially in the back. Here, you'll find a pair of individual chairs either side of a specially designed surfboard rack. The rear seats, which hang neatly from the transmission tunnel, also slide forward against those at the front if more space is needed.

Hit the start button, and the 2.3-litre engine comes to life, while the instrument screen rises up from the dashboard. This displays information for the sat-nav, along with images from the rear-facing cameras, which replace conventional door mirrors.

Thanks to the huge windscreen, there's an unrestricted view forwards. It extends back overhead beyond the front seats, and looks as if it could have been pinched from a spacecraft. Combined with the glass roof panels at the back, it provides the cabin with a completely open feel.

There's an on-board hard drive, a USB-style ignition key and smooth iPod-like switchgear in the waterproof interior. Although the driver gets conventional instruments, the steering wheel is a striking square shape.

Unlike many concepts, the Hazake previews how a future model could look. So expect to see essential design elements such as the removable roof panels, split-opening tailgate and four-seat configuration feature in a future Mazda crossover.

If bosses at the company give it the green light for production, the new machine could find its way into showrooms by 2010. Wearing a CX-5 badge, and featuring part-time four-wheel drive, plus RX-8-style doors, it sounds much more credible.

The Sand Gold car pictured here cost an estimated £1million to build - however, with a projected price of around £18,000, a production spin-off would be far more affordable.