This is the first car presented by Laurens van den Acker, since he took over from Moray Callum in May this year as General Manager of the Design Division at Mazda. Designed in the California studio under Director of Design Mazda North America, Franz von Holzhausen, the Nagare builds on the themes explored by the trilogy of Mazda concepts developed last year (the Sassou, Senku and Holzhausen's Kabura). Holzhausen told Car Design News how Nagare introduces 'flow' as a new form language direction that will influence future Mazda design.
 
This idea of 'flow' is evident in the concept's simple flowing monospace form and the decorative flowing crease lines at the rear of the flanks and on the inside upper surface of the front fenders, and also in the front and rear lights.

The concept was presented, like the Acura and Honda concepts also debuting at the show, as a hard model with no interior, although a central front driving position was indicated by the upper part of a seat and steering wheel visible through the canopy. The car's lack of doors, the way the wheel design included the tyre area and other production-unfeasible elements underscored the Nagare's very conceptual status, but it was also well resolved, unarguably handsome and received a very positive response at the show