I recently attended a new car focus group and was shown the next generation Mazda 3. There were five cars on display, all with badges removed and blacked out windows. There was a 3 series, Jetta, Civic, current Mazda 3, and an unidentified vehicle, clearly the next generation Mazda 3. The doors looked indentical to the current car, but upon closer insection were in fact different, incorporating all new sheetmetal. Overall size grew at least a couple inches in wheelbase and length. The silhouette and proportions were the same as the current car, with the rear trunk-lid coming to a point in the center and Lexus IS shaped taillights, using what appeared to be strips of LED's. The front of the car what the real head turner, looking like a baby RX-8, with bulging arches over the wheel wells and NO GRILLE, only a large air intake in the bumper with smaller corner ones that could be used to house fog lights. The headlights were a little larger than the ones on the current 3, same idea but were pulled/stretched up the hood. Overall, the car looked awesome, more sophisticated and a bit more grown up.

Sorry I have no pics to share...........no photos were allowed; even my camera phone had to be left at the door