The new Mazda 2 will be here in September with revolutionary new ideas about lightweight construction which buck the trend of other major manufacturers who are increasingly making their small cars bigger and heavier.

Not the way to go say the Mazda designers. Compact superminisize cars should remain small. So the new Mazda 2 is now 40mm shorter than its predecessor although the wheelbase is the same. And it is 40mm lower, and lighter by 100kg.

Now the top designers from Hiroshima, where the new model will be built, say the car is more fun to drive. And another very important fact . . . it is now 15% more fuel efficient because of the style and weight slimdown. The C02 emission levels have also been reduced.

But along the line there has been no compromise on safety as extrastrong high tensile steel has been used extensively to protect occupants.

A preview of the new model was given at a special test track in Austria near Vienna where details of the new Mazda 2 were outlined.

And it was revealed that this is the first model of a new generation of Mazda cars with this lightweight thinking behind the design.

The weight reductions have been applied in areas such as bodywork which is now 6% lighter, the electric steering which accounts for a weight loss of 3%, and a reduction in the weight of mechanical parts by 2%.

Kou Maeda, nickamed "Speedy" and designer of the MX5 ad RX8, is behind many of the ideas for the new design. The car had to look agile and friendly because young buyers like design-led cars. The interior space is designed to appeal to 25 to 35-year-old prechildren couples and singles for whom style and design are important.

The model gets new Mazda engines. A 1.3-litre petrol engine comes with options of 75 PS and 86 PS output and there is also a 1.5petrol unit with 106 PS output. On the diesel side there will be a 1.4litre 68 PS unit which will not be available until early next year, according to PR manager, Richard Molloy.

The new lower power 1.3-engine returns 5.4 L/100km in mixed driving which is considerably better than the 6.6 L/100km returned by the 1.25 previouslyused Ford-sourced engine. The 1.5litre engine also has improved fuel consumption . . . 5.9 L/100km compared to 6.7 L/100km in the old model. The improved emissions figures for these engines are 129g/km and 140g/km.

In a drive on the test track the new Mazda 2 had a light positive feel with good road holding even during severe cornering and there were no nasty surprises with the new extra lightweight body and platform.

The noise levels were surprisingly low in the cabin thanks to extra body welds and improved sound-proofing. The seating arrangements allow for four adults on board and the boot has a capacity for 250 litres of luggage.

The compact proportions and small turning circle of 9.80m makes the new Mazda ideal for urban driving and, despite the reduced body size, the head and shoulder room in the front and rear are still among the best in the supermini category.

Prices will be in the region of 16,000.