This is what the Mazda...

This is what the Mazda 3 will look like... in 2018! The bold concept is the work of a young American desТ­igner, who won the marqueтЂ™s competition to create a small family car of the future.

Mallory McMorrowтЂ™s vision, which was selected by the Japanese firmтЂ™s own design specialists and voted for by the public on social networking website Facebook, was transformed into a lifesize clay model. Then it was turned into a full-blown concept car before the eyes of visitors to the Los Angeles Motor Show.

When she was asked to describe the revolutionary project, the 21-year-old designer from Indiana said: тЂњA decade from now, I want a car that doesnтЂ™t fall into a particular category, as well as a chassis that is made to handle every curve that comes its way.

тЂњIt will have the body and soul of a sports car, but will take into account that, sometimes, I want to have room for my friends, my things, or my dog. And it will feature a sunroof that is actually a sunroof тЂ“ not one of those sun-in-one-quarter types!тЂќ

McMorrow was also keen that the exterior should turn heads even before the first rev of the engine. WhatтЂ™s more, she is confident that the design will not be diluted in the transition from concept to production model. тЂњI want the kind of Mazda 3 that leaves a lasting impression,тЂќ she explained. тЂњThe everyday sports car... the five-door that makes me forget that I actually own a five-door.тЂќ

With the help of MazdaтЂ™s North AmericaтЂ™s director of design, Franz von Holzhausen, that dream has now become a reality. He explained: тЂњThis competition was a tremendous success, and the entire process was really beneficial for us to understand what design means to our target buyers. The winning concept is a fresh new way to look at our compact hatch.тЂќ