The Mazda TAKERI and SHINARI (sounds like sushi) concept cars were great. The actual car while not as wild, is certainly a worthy interpretation. But will it sell as well as its predecessors?
Photos: Mazda Press
Probably the first car to be launched after the government announced some stringent measures for the automotive industry, the Mazda 6 still had a pretty successful bash at its unveiling ceremony to the media and about 800 invited guests.
With a sleek design and packed with Mazda's new SKYACTIV technology, Eurokars Group is confident that the all new Mazda 6 will boost the Mazda branding in Singapore.
The new Mazda 6 has adopted the 'KODO — Soul of Motion' design theme the most. Inspired by the movements of the cheetah in the wild, the new model features the signature wing grille, the new family face of Mazda. Headlamps incorporate LEDs and a new halo ring light, while linking the face to the side character lines and onwards to the signature tail lights.
Inside, the driver-oriented cockpit has a clean and consistent look. Interior parts and finishings have a quality look and feel with faux polished aluminum for parts like the door handles and gearshift knob. Soft materials adds to the sophistication in the cabin.
Two engine options have been specced for local cars. The 148 bhp SKYACTIV-G 2.0 direct-injection petrol engine features a 13:1 compression ratio and a specially designed 4-2-1 exhaust system and enhanced fuel spray properties to support the high compression. The new SKYACTIV-G 2.5 direct-injection petrol engine with 189 bhp adds a balance shaft to offset the added vibration from the most powerful SKYACTIV engine to date. Both engines are mated to a SKYACTIV-DRIVE six-speed automatic transmission.
Mazda’s new regenerative braking system called the i-ELOOP (short for “intelligent Energy Loop”) is the world’s first passenger car system to use a capacitor to store electricity recovered during deceleration to power the vehicle’s electrical systems, thereby improving fuel economy. Combined with i-Stop, i-ELOOP can improve fuel economy by up to 10%.
Add to all that the SKYACTIV Chassis that features lightweight parts and SKYACTIV Body with innovative materials and structures, the new Mazda 6 is admirable new effort from the comparatively small Japanese company. We will share more when we get behind the wheel of one.
