The interwebs seem convinced that the Mazda 6 is due for a replacement in 2017 as a 2018 model. It seems to me that there were to many 2016 and 2017 updates to make that logical...
What we do know is that the 2nd generation of Sky-Activ motors are due by 2018. I could see Mazda taking that time to release their 4th gen models. Whether that will make MY2018 or MY2019 remains to be seen. Having said that, I don't think Mazda can go another year without a major refresh. Almost all their competitors have had major refreshes since the 3rd gen 6 came out.
Really agree with this. If they don't release something new, they'll likely be left behind. Bringing some of the design and changes from the CX-9 in would be a hit, I think. The exterior design of the CX-9 has gotten rave reviews and the interior refinement is above its direct competitors. Would love to see a Signature trim with the auburn Nappa leather and rose wood trim. The turbo 4 would obviously be a big hit, too. Gotta think that Mazda wouldn't wait a full two model years to bring that over to other models.
New MX-5, new MX-5 RF, new CX-3, new CX-9, 3 is newer then the 6, but I think the CX-5 is oldest. However, with both of the new CUV/SUV's, I'm thinking the sedan's are next.
There wont be any MazdaSpeeds in near future, and when they do launch one, it will be a mazdaspeed3 before speed6. There might be a market for high performance economy cars, but there are plenty of contenders already. As much as i'd love to see another Speed3/Speed6, Mazda's priority will be SUVs ,compacts and mid-sizes in that order. They need to sell lots of units to remain independent and stay profitable. I wouldn't be too surprised if Mazda goes the Honda way with M6 and M3 sharing the same platform.
You guys forget that we are in the decade count-down to 2025 and 55.5mpg CAFE. Everything will become more and more focused on squeezing every MPG possible. That means smaller displacement turbo engines, tall gearing, weight reduction, etc.
Exciting times if you are an environmentalist or government regulator...not so much if you're a car enthusiast.
I don't necessarily buy that higher CAFE will equal less exciting cars. If anything it may lead to lighter more efficient AND exciting cars. Moving from steel to carbon fibre and pushing tech further. I'm not saying I won't miss NA engines, but who knows maybe once Mazda gets more of a foothold in their strategy and makes more money they'll come out with engine tech beyond HCCI.
Pure horsepower doesn't mean pure enthusiasm. It's a combination of traits. And that's what I think Mazda continues to pursue. I personally like the low weight route. Improves handling and tossability. Every time I read or watch a review that focuses on horsepower and speed I laugh. It's great fun to dream that we all live on the Autobahn or next to the Laguna Seca but the truth is the majority of enthusiasts live in traffic and speed limits. That's why a car like the Miata is such a great drive.
As long as a car is responsive, quick and tossable, I'm happy. IMO.
Light weight, efficient power plants, nimble handling all add up to a very attractive package for me too. It's just a lot of folks on this forum (and other forums I belong to) are always speculating/calling for V6's, all wheel drive, etc. in the next generation-whatever. Whatever the future holds, I don't think the affordable mid-size segment will ever see these features again...at least not in a car I'll probably be able to afford.
But hey, I've been wrong once or twice before.
Whatever Mazda does with the 6, hopefully it will always keep "fun to drive" at the front of its design objectives. ?
Agreed. Back in the early 2000s I tuned a couple of Saturn SL2s. Once I had the right set-up, they were a thrill. Tar like grip, very responsive to input yet civil on a cruise. I didn't modify the block at all to achieve this either. Horsepower is indeed only part of a complex equation. Then again, there are people who only experience a thrill at blinding speeds and loaded acceleration G forces. To each their own.
I also agree that the 55MPG CAFE mandate won't kill 'fun' cars. Sure, you're going to see less big blocks and most cars won't see more than 6 cylinders. More focus will be made on turbos, superchargers, hydrogen fuel cells, EVs and HCCI technology. I also think Graphene will come of age to create lightweight chassis and shells without the bank-busting costs of carbon fiber.
The future will be less about Mustang v Camaro and more about Focus RS v Civic Type R. I think that the days of large SUVs like the Suburbans are numbered as well. As the CAFE requirements starts ratcheting up, it will be harder to maintain the numbers with guzzlers like that.
The kid ceo from ride sharing service "lyft" was on TV last night. He was quoting some analysis they had done which suggests by 2035, half of US population will be "car free". Cars going electric,self-charging and self driving along with shared services will be the future. As much as i hate to be in a world where there will be no IC engined cars or private car ownership, i also think how much sharing of autos will free up the infrastructure expenses . Ofcourse, all this could well be pipe dreams of companies like uber or lyft, but with car companies like Ford,GM and Toyota all spending on ride sharing services, they too see a future where car ownership will decrease.
Mazda will have to be cognizant of changing topography in automotive world, and will need to adapt. Truth be told, smaller companies like mazda have always struggled to adapt to changing markets and remain independent. In 25 years from now, i doubt if the world will have 20+ major automobile companies as we have today. For us old timers, this may well be the last hurrah of performance IC engine cars, huge variety of affordable luxury and performance and cheap gas prices. The future may well be very very different.
Toyota seems to be bucking the trend and sticking with NA engines with their new Camry. There may still be some life in the 2.5L if Mazda can roll out SkyActive2 soon.
Here are the 2.5L engine specs from the new Camry. The engine on the right of the chart is for the Hybrid. The standard engine on the left outputs 205hp/185lbft with a 13:1 compression ratio. Toyota hasn't announced mileage but they say it will be best in class.
According to this Automotive News article, SkyActiv 2 will be delivered by March 2019. While that doesn't preclude that it'll be available in 2018, it's looking more likely that the SkyActiv 2 suite won't be launching for another 2 years....Which implies the 2018 Mazda 6 will still be the Gen 3 model.
According to this Automotive News article, SkyActiv 2 will be delivered by March 2019. While that doesn't preclude that it'll be available in 2018, it's looking more likely that the SkyActiv 2 sweet won't be launching for another 2 years....Which implies the 2018 Mazda 6 will still be the Gen 3 model.
That doesn't imply that. Mazda has introduced engine upgrades in the past that don't coincide with the gen change. Mazda has already said that the Mazda6 will be getting the Diesel soon after the CX-5 so there will be 2 engine option with the 4th gen.
After seeing the CX5, I'm now going to bank that the M6 gets a moderate exterior refresh in 2018 to mimic the design language of the CX5, but retain the drivetrain and chassis it has now.
Mazda plans to incorporate the new engine in 2018 in the new Mazda3, dubbed Axela in Japan, which will undergo its first overhaul in five years. The engine then will be adopted gradually by other models. The automaker positions the engine as the second generation of its Skyactiv suite of environmentally friendly technologies, which were introduced in 2011.
If they can actually make HCCI work on gasoline it will be a material step forward. I don't know about a 30% efficiency improvement (that's aggressive), but in the ~20% area over existing "high-tech" engines (E.g. Skyactiv today) is within the realm of possibility.
Essentially it's a diesel engine that runs on gasoline. These have existed for a LONG time -- the military had a diesel that had a special high-swirl combustion chamber and COULD run on gas (along with diesel and kerosene derivatives such as JP8), but it suffered terrible service life, had crap for economy, lower output and sky-high emissions if you used it. Basically it was possible to fuel it with gas in an emergency if you HAD TO, but it definitely wasn't what you WANTED to fuel it with.
This has been a nut plenty of people have been trying to crack for a good long while. It'll be very interesting to see how well Mazda does it.
Yeah that doesn't say much except "how lazy" Mazda is. Anyone who thinks Mazda is lazy needs to reacquaint themselves with the definition of lazy. An automaker who comes back from the brink of death by totally reinventing themselves is not lazy. Maybe cautious and conservative, but not lazy.