January 8, 2002

Detroit Auto Show
Mazda6
Sporty 626 replacement makes world debut in Detroit

Mazda6 Chief Designer Iwao Koizumi opens the trunk revealing the large luggage capacity of Mazda's new flagship sedan after its worldwide reveal January 8, 2002 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. Click image to enlarge

Detroit, Michigan - The production version of Mazda's new mid-size sedan, the Mazda6, made its worldwide debut at the 2002 North American International Auto Show. The Mazda6 is scheduled to go on sale in early 2003.

"With the Mazda6, we are about to take a giant step toward re-igniting the Mazda spark," said Mark Fields, president of Mazda Motor Corporation. "We took an unconventional approach in the development of the Mazda6 giving it style, driving dynamics and an overall appeal that should quickly establish it as a leader among the current crop of conservative midsize sedans."

Each of the Mazda6 body styles - 5-door hatchback, 4-door sedan and wagon - has a more athletic stance than the 626, the result of pronounced wheel arches and a lower body that's wider than the top. Even so, the Mazda6 retains a spacious interior.

The Mazda6 has a functional layout offering the driver extremely easy to read and operate controls and switches, all designed with Mazda's sports car heritage in mind. For example, the large tachometer and speedometer inherit a traditional round shape with chrome bezels, similar in design to Mazda's famous RX-7 sports car and MX-5 Miata roadster. Other instrumentation shares this round shape for a consistent look and feel throughout the interior. In addition, frequently operated audio controls are mounted high on the console closer to the driver's line of sight. For more convenient operation during spirited driving, the steering wheel has remote audio and cruise control switches.

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A unique feature of the hatchback and wagon is its fold-down rear seat that is exceptionally easy to operate. The inspiration for the design of the seat came from a "karakuri," a traditional Japanese wind-up doll. A single touch on a handle in the luggage area causes the rear seat cushions to lower into the floor while the seat backs fold forward to create an entirely flat load floor. With this design, there is no running to the passenger door to pull the rear seat down, and no need to remove the headrests.

In addition, the rear seats are 60/40 split and can be folded separately, allowing the accommodation of longer items - such as skis - without sacrificing the entire rear seating area.

A variety of other measures are employed to make the luggage space itself as large and convenient as possible. To minimize the intrusion of suspension components into the luggage compartment, Mazda engineers developed the new E-type multi-link rear suspension, and thanks to the compact design, a spacious luggage space is attained without compromising suspension travel.

The Mazda6 has an entirely new platform that has a wide track and a low centre of gravity, composed of a newly developed front double-wishbone/rear E-type multi-link suspension and a high-rigidity body. The Mazda6's four-wheel disc brakes boast powerful, stable performance that is designed to exceed the performance of European sports sedans. In addition, the four-wheel anti-lock brake system with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) effectively shortens the vehicle's stopping distance.

The Mazda6 also features advanced technologies such as dynamic stability control, and an electronically controlled brake assist system that detects emergency braking through brake pedal operation and immediately enhances braking power.

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For the North American market, the Mazda6 will be available with a choice of two different, newly developed engines: a 2.3 litre 4-cylinder or a 3.0 litre V6. Both engines are available with either a manual or automatic transmission. Mazda's new 2.3 litre DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine produces 160-horsepower (estimate) and 155 lb-ft of torque (estimated). This new engine incorporates sequential valve timing (S-VT) to vary valve timing for intake valves according to engine speed and load, a variable induction system mounted in the resin intake manifold and tumble swirl control valves. The 2.3 litre 4-cylinder engine also features an all-aluminum cylinder block with a ribbed ladder-frame structure and balance shafts, which contribute to its extreme durability and smooth operation.

The Mazda6 also offers a high-performance 3.0 litre DOHC 24-valve V6 engine, which is also equipped with S-VT. It produces 218-horsepower (estimated) and 192 lb-ft of torque (estimated). Even though the V6 produces a great deal of power, it is expected to be very fuel-efficient. The V6 also uses the same air cleaner with variable duct and reduced back-pressure with dual silencer as the 2.3L 4-cylinder.

While both engines are available with a 5-speed manual transmission, the transmission itself is different for the 4-cylinder and V6 engine applications. For the 4-cylinder, the Mazda6 is also available with a 4-speed automatic, while the V6 is offered with a 5-speed automatic.

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The Mazda6 has an extensive list of safety equipment. Engineered to achieve high ratings in independent crash test programs such as NCAP in the United States, Mazda's unique high-rigidity safety body concept - called the Mazda Advanced Impact-energy Distribution and Absorption System - ensures all-direction collision safety performance.

Supplemental restraint system (SRS) air bags include the latest dual-stage type for the driver and front passenger to give extra protection in frontal collisions by controlling air bag deployment in two stages, according to the type and severity of impact. The front air bags are part of a system of up to six air bags available in the new Mazda6.

New side inflatable curtain air bags, available as an option, increase the head protection of front- and rear-seat occupants in the event of a side impact. The new curtain air bags deploy from the outboard edge of the headliner to cover the side windows from the A- to the C-pillar. Side air bags provide torso protection for front-seat occupants and deploy from the outboard edge of the front seatbacks for thorax protection.

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