Archive for Mazda

There has been talk going around for quite some time now on the possibility of the Mazda 2 being offered here in Malaysia, but this piece of news released by Mazda Japan today probably pretty much seals the fact that we will most likely see the cute little compact car on our shores sooner or later. This is because Mazda has started production of the Mazda 2 at the AutoAlliance Thailand Co Ltd manufacturing facility in Rayong, Thailand. The plant is a JV with Ford.

Mazda expects collective ASEAN sales to be approximately 20,000 units per year. It was not mentioned in the press release whether the sedan or hatchback version will be built but the images that accompanied the press pack showed photos of the hatchback. Not a reason to discount the sedan of course.

Click here to read the rest of Mazda 2 production begins at Rayong, Thailand

Mazda will be showcasing its next generation petrol and diesel engines at the Tokyo Motorshow next month. The engines are called the SKY-G and the SKY-D respectively for the petrol and diesel versions.

The SKY-G engine is a 2.0 liter unit with direct injection and an improved variable valve timing system which gives it a 15% fuel economy and torque advantage over the current MZR engine in the Mazda 3 2.0 Sport. Direct injection was previously found only on the turbocharged 2.3 liter engine but is now available in the ‘regular’ engines.

The Mazda SKY-D engine is a 2.2 liter unit that offers fuel economy of approximately 20% better than the current 2.2 liter diesel engine. It features a newly designed engine block that reduces mechanical friction to the level of a gasoline engine. Other features include piezo injectors and a two-stage turbocharger. It doesn’t sound like its a twin-turbo setup, but instead is probably a variable geometry turbocharger.

Finally, there’s a new transmission to be unveiled. After all, an engine can only do so much – the transmission plays a big factor in minimizing transmission losses and offering an optimum gearing setup for both fuel economy and power. Mazda will be premiering the Mazda SKY-Drive automatic transmission.

It’s a 6-speed automatic with a complete redesign that significantly reduces mechanical friction, a revised torque converter and clutch with minimized slip, and an optimized lock-up mechanism. Mazda says the transmission shifts faster and provides a DCT-like feel to it, but words can only say so much – a test drive will say it all!

The Tokyo show exhibit will also feature the Mazda Kiyora concept car that was shown last year. Under the Kiyora’s hood will be a 1.3 liter version of the SKY-G engine mated to a SKY-Drive 6-speed auto. Mazda claims this combination together with technologies such as the i-stop idling stop system and regenerative braking will allow the Kiyora to travel 32km per liter of fuel on the Japanese 10-15 mode test cycle.

Click here to read the rest of Mazda to present SKY engines and transmissions at Tokyo Motorshow next month!

Mazda will be exhibiting the car above called the Mazda MX-5 Superlight version Show car at the Frankfurt show this September. It’s basically Mazda’s very own club racer speedster – more weight reduction, no windscreen, think Lotus 2-Eleven, Pug 207 Spider or even the expensive SLR Stirling Moss Speedster. Right now Mazda says its only a show car at the moment, and no engine details have been unveiled though its probably the standard Mazda 2.0 engine, but who knows, if the response at the show is good they might go ahead and build it. Can’t be that hard.

The MX-5, which is also known as the Mazda Roadster in Japan is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and it’s maker, Mazda has announced a special edition model to commemorate the occasion. The Mazda MX-5 20th Anniversary Special Edition, which is already available in Japanese showrooms, is based on either the RS soft-top version or the VS Power Retractable Hard Top (RHT) version of the nimble sports car.

The former comes with a 6 speed manual transmission while the latter is fitted with a 6 speed automatic. Equipment wise, the auto maker has added Recaro bucket sport seats that are finished in Black Alcantara and red leather, seat heating with five temperature settings, soft synthetic leather padding on door armrests and on the center console lid, fabric soft top with glass rear window (soft-top model only) and “20th Anniversary” badges on the the fenders.

Furthermore, there are 17-inch aluminum wheels shod with 205/45R17 84W tires, clear front fog lights and bezels as well as a front strut tower bar (cowl connecting type). The car is only available in Crystal White Pearl Mica and carries a price tag of 2,860,000 yen for the soft top version (with the manual tranny) and 3,110,000 yen for the retractable hard top version (with the automatic cog box). Both prices are inclusive of tax.

Ah, it’s nice to see yet another C-segment competitor here in Malaysia. The new Mazda 3 was launched about a month ago by new Mazda distributors Bermaz, part of the Berjaya group. Although it has an all-new exterior and interior, the new Mazda 3 continues to ride on an adaptation of the old car’s platform. What kind of competitor is this new sporty-looking sedan and should you buy it? We find out after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 2010 Mazda3 2.0 Sport: a sporty niche product

The Mazda Premacy receives a small update in the Japanese market. What you get are new 17 inch dark grey alloy wheels, seat and door trim for the 20Z model. The 20CS model gets a new fuel economy gauge and a refreshed center panel. It’s a really small update really, but as the Premacy (known as the Mazda 5 in our market) was just facelifted in 2007 after its 2004 introduction any other exterior changes are not to be expected until a full model change arrives perhaps next year.

The new Mazda 3 Sport is now in Malaysia. I apologise for the delay in the launch writeup as I’ve only just managed to get the press kit. Only the sedan models with 1.6 and 2.0 engines have been launched at the moment but I am told the hatchbacks will be introduced later.

This new Mazda 3 does share some underpinings with the previous Mazda 3 sold here but sports a completely new look. At the front you of course have the smiley grille which everyone was commenting on when this model was first unveiled. Even Mazda calls this a “smiley” face grille!

The side profile looks way more dynamic than the outgoing model, with a shoulderline that rises upwards instead of the flat one on the previous model. The rear end is an evolution of the outgoing car, also looking more sportier and with an obvious family resemblance to the larger Mazda 6 sedan.

The 2.0 liter model is really quite chock full of equipment. You’ve got bi-xenon headlamps (xenon for both main beam and high beam) with auto leveling, rain sensor wipers, power folding mirrors, automatic climate control, LED rear lamps, light sensor for the headlamps, and fog lamps for the exterior. The interior has an in-dash 6 CD changer, a multi-info display featuring exterior air thermometer, trip computer with speed alarm, blue mood lighting, a sliding arm rest, paddle shifters, a black-out meter cluster, leather seats and a leather steering. Both models have ABS, and the 1.6 liter model has dual front airbags while the 2.0 liter model has 6 airbags.

UPDATE: I apologize for the mistake, the Mazda 3 Sport 2.0 has 6 airbags. There are two at the front, two at the A-pillars and another two integrated into the front seats.

The MID display is one of the most full-featured ones that I’ve seen at this price range and segment. It even has reminder functions for your next service as well as a built-in trip computer and reminder for tyre rotation. The seats are manually adjustable for both models, and the rear bench splits 60:40. The steering wheel is both tilt and telescopically adjustable, and runs on an electric hydraulic system.

In the engine bay, the 1.6 liter base model features a 103 horsepower inline-4 with 144Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. This is mated to a 4-speed auto with a single overdrive. The 2.0 liter model produces 145 horsepower at 6,500rpm and 182Nm of torque at 4,500rpm. This engine is mated to a 5-speed auto with two overdrives, but the first overdrive has a ratio of 0.933 which is very close to 1.000.

The new Mazda 3 shares the same 2,640mm wheelbase as the outgoing car. It now measures 4,580mm long, 1,75mm wide and 1,470mm tall. The 1.6 liter model has wider treads of 1,535mm at the front and 1,520mm at the rear, while the 2.0 liter model front tread is 1,530mm and 1,515mm for rear tread. The 2.0 has larger wheels naturally, measuring 205/50R17 compared to 195/65R15 for the 1.6 model.

What you lose on the 1.6 model are the CD changer, xenon headlamps, rain sensor wipers, LED tail lamps, power folding mirrors, leather steering and sports seats, trip computer with speed alarm, auto climate control, lamps on the sun visors, and the sliding arm rest.

The 1.6 model is currently going for RM 111,017.50 OTR with insurance while the 2.0 liter model is going for RM 131,537.90 OTR with insurance. Mazda says these are special introductory prices for the first 100 customers only. In addition, the first 50 of these buyers will receive a maintenance package from Goodyear Tyres and Shell Lubricants.

Look after the jump for more photos of the new Mazda 3.

Click here to read the rest of Mazda 3 Sport 1.6 and 2.0 launched in Malaysia!

The Mazda Verisa is a “tall hatchback” version of the Mazda 2 that is sold only in the Japanese market. It is pretty much the equivalent of the European Ford Fusion, which is a larger car built on the Fiesta, which shares a platform with the Mazda 2.

The car that was launched in 2004 and updated in 2006 has just undergone another refresh this year. Three fresh exterior colours are available including the Lilac Metallic Silver you see in the car above, and Metropolitan Grey Mica and Sparkling Black Mica. On the interior you have Lilac Grey fabric seats with orange stitching.

There are 2 grades available – the C and the L, each available in both front wheel drive and all-wheel drive. Its 1.5 liter twin cam engine is mated to a 4-speed automatic, producing 113 PS at 6,000rpm and 140Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.

The Verisa C gets a leather-wrapped steering as standard, and the head unit has been removed, so audio-less specs are now standard with the car. The owner can fit whatever 2-DIN or 1-DIN head unit he wants.

The hot hatch version of the facelifted smiley Mazda 3 has been unveiled at the NYIAS, joining the many many other cars that have been unveiled there by other manufacturers. While Ford chose to go with Volvo inline-5 engines for the hot hatch versions of the technically similiar Focus, Mazda developed their own turbocharged 2.3 liter direct injection online-4 engine for the Mazda 3 and Mazda 6.

The new Mazdaspeed 3 (also called the Mazda 3 MPS) comes in the 5-door body, and its engine puts out 263 horses at 5,500rpm and 380Nm of torque at 3,000rpm, not quite up there with the ultra-quick spooling ability of Volkswagen and BMW turbo engines but somehow only the European marques seem to be able to achieve that.

The 6-speed transmission’s gear ratios (gear 2 to 5) have also been revised to be slightly taller to take advantage of all 380 Newton meters of torque. There is a torque management system which tries to rein in the torque steer based on which gear the car is in and the steering angle.

It’s got a Mazdaspeed bodykit of course. and 18 inch alloys based on the RX-8 design. The interior also has Mazdaspeed logos here and there with a predominantly black-based theme, and there is also an LED turbo boost gauge between the instrument panel gauges.

Look after the jump for a full high-res gallery!

Click here to read the rest of New Mazdaspeed 3 for the US market unveiled!

Japanese-based auto maker Mazda will attend next month’s New York Auto Show with the facelifted Mazda CX-7 and Mazda CX-9 models. The refreshed CX-7 has received a slightly updated exterior as well as a restyled interior. Most importantly, Mazda has added a new engine option, the naturally aspirated 2.5 liter DOHC 16-valve MZR four-cylinder, that is mated to a 5 speed automatic transmission, while the current 2.3 liter MZR with Direct Injection Spark Ignition will still be offered.

The seven-seater, three-row crossover Mazda CX-9 (RM 287,204.60 – 3.7L model related to the Lincoln MKX and Ford Edge) now also comes with an improved exterior and interior design, with added options and reinforced safety features. Unfortunately, that is all we know for now. More details will be revealed when both models hit the stands on April 10th. Continue reading to view an image gallery of the CX-7.

Frankly I think there is just too much focus placed on the bottom half of the front fascia and they’ve ruined a perfectly good-looking vehicle in the interests of keeping a family resemblance to the rest of the cars which feature the new smiley grilles.

Click here to read the rest of Mazda to debut the refreshed 2010 CX-7 and CX-9 models in New York