We"ve already seen official...

We"ve already seen official shots of the front end, but this is our first chance to take a look at the rear and interior. The firm"s latest model, which debuted at the recent Los Angeles Motor Show, is only 5.5cm shorter than the Lexus RX off-roader. But the sleek design is more like a coupé, and stylists have used the marque"s RX-8 as inspiration.

Pronounced wheelarches and sporty narrow headlamps borrow from the RX-8. These blend with a steeply raked windscreen for a purposeful stance.

The high-performance theme continues inside. A trio of individually cowled instruments sit behind a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel. Buyers can also opt for a rear view camera to aid reversing, plus a voice-operated DVD player. Keyless entry is standard, while there"s space for five, with split-folding rear seats and a big load bay boosting carrying capacity.

Power comes from a 244bhp 2.3-litre turbo petrol engine mated to a six- speed automatic gearbox, with the op- tion of full manual control. The base variant will be front-wheel drive only, with other models having electronically controlled four-wheel drive. The CX-7 will make its European debut at March"s Geneva Motor Show and hit showrooms next year, with prices from чЈ25,000.

Meanwhile, Mazda could also be plugging a gap at the lower end of its range, with the Kabura coupé. Likely to be a replacement for the much-missed MX-3, the Detroit concept also features RX-8 like styling, plus a panoramic glass roof and asymmetric doors. Power is set to come from a 2.0-litre engine, and it should go on sale next year.