Mazda Developing High-Style Compact to Take on Mini

According to Vice President of MazdaMazdaJapan, 1920 > present80 models
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R&D Ichiro Hirose the brand is considering a car in the "in the premium sub-B class, and we could have a car launched within the next two or three years." The car would challenge high-style compacts like the Mini CooperMINI (BMW) MINI Gen.2 [56]Germany, 2007 > 201377 versions
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and Opel AdamOpel ADAM Gen.1Germany, 2012 > present25 versions
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.

The project is still in early stages and not much is known about it. To be available so soon, it would likely use an existing Mazda chassis, but the style will come from Mazda's new chief of design Akira Tamatani who has penned the CX-5 and third generation Mazda 6 for the company. 

Mazda imagined a city car in 2008 with the Kiyora concept, but that was designed by Lauren van der Acker who is now in charge of design at Renault. It is highly unlikely that the new car will be inspired by the Kiyora.

Source: Autocar