Every once in a while we stumble upon a design project that we’d really like to see making it into production. Such is the case of the Mazda Yuuga Coupe that was penned by Swansea Metropolitan University automotive design graduate, Imran Ali, and exhibited at the 2009 Degree Show in July at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, UK. The Yuuga is a sleek looking four-seater coupe inspired by Mazda’s conceptual and production-model design language but does away with the firm’s ‘smiley face’ grille.

The Japanese market version of the Mazda5 MPV, which continues to be named Premacy, has received a small number of upgrades for the 2010 model year. In particular, the range topping 20Z model grade comes with newly designed 17-inch alloy wheels and fresh seat and door trims while Mazda also introduced the Dark Plum Mica exterior finish pictured on the Premacy above.

Mazda has announced the domestic market launch of its all-new Axela which is known elsewhere as the Mazda3. In Japan, the newest version of the ’3′ is offered with two body styles, a four door sedan and a five-door hatchback powered by 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter four cylinder gasoline engines that can be hooked up to a CVT or 4/5-speed automatic transmissions (depending on the version). Nothing exciting here, but unlike Western markets where the Mazda3 is offered exclusively with front-wheel drive, Japanese buyers can opt for an all-wheel drive system.

With the Geneva Motor Show just hours away, Mazda has released additional details about their new 2010 Mazda3 MPS. The front-wheel drive model adopts the Mazda3′s latest design language and is motivated by an upgraded version of the company’s MZR 2.3-liter DISI turbo petrol engine.