GS69

Mazda to Focus on Clean Diesels & Weight Reduction; Says No to Hybrids
Posted: March 26, 2009

In a meeting with reporters in Tokyo, Mazda Motor Corp said today that it is working on a diesel engine that is cheaper and will offer the same fuel-efficiency as hybrid cars. The engine is scheduled to debut in 2011. The company’s R&D Chief Seita Kanai said that Mazda has a target of raising its global fleet’s fuel-economy by 30 percent by 2015.

Instead of relying on expensive hybrid electric systems, Kanai said that Mazda will focus on clean diesels, advances in internal combustion engines, automatic transmissions and weight reduction methods.

Kanai said that Mazda is currently working on a 2.0L clean diesel engine that will be as fuel-efficient as a 660cc gasoline minicar or a “mild” hybrid car. He said that Mazda is also working on ways to cut the weight of new models after 2011 by more than 220 lb.

While hybrid lovers like Toyota argue that emissions regulations in the future would require costly development of diesel engines, Kanai says that Mazda’s new diesel engine would cost less. As for costs in reducing the weight of their cars, Kanai said that the ”norm in the industry is to ‘buy’ weight reduction at a cost, but we won’t do that.”

19psi

sweet, i'm a huge fan of diesels.

SLegacy99

Doh! It's not hard to as efficient as a Mild hybrid. If you put a Direct Injected 2.0L petrol in the Mazda 6 I bet you could have a car as quick and as efficient as the Malibu hybrid.

Doh!! The few Americans who do prefer diesel passenger vehicles almost exclusively look for manual transmissions.

I just don't think diesel cars will be popular. The Jetta grabs that niche group. A diesel Legacy wagon might grab a few more. But the cost and gains of diesels just aren't there for cars. I can see the popularity of diesel SUVs and trucks for towing, but cars, eh, not so much.

ffpowerLN

iTrader: (1)

With this approach Mazda will remain as a niche brand in the US. Period.

bad co

ford owns mazda, ford has a very good hybrid system an this surprises that mazda says no hybrids. but a speed 3 with a diesel sure sounds fun!!

mvlbr

To bad Toyota doesn't offer any diesel powered cars in the U.S.

GS69

Ford sold some of its Mazda stake but it is interesting that they would not share the hybrid system:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-sel...da-shares.html

Quote:

11/18/2008, 10:33 AM
Ford sells Mazda shares – 33% stake shrinks to 13%

Ford today announced it will sell 20 percent of Mazda, raising $540 million in much-needed cash. As much as 6.9 percent will be sold back to Hiroshima-based Mazda, while the other 13.1 percent will be sold to unidentified investors. The move will effectively end Ford’s control of the company, which began in 1996 when the American automaker rescued Mazda from bankruptcy. It’s not known if Ford is seeking buyers for its remaining 13 percent stake.

mvlbr

Ford had to do what it had to do to survive.

94lex83457

Yay mazda. Diesels > Hybrds too bad americans don't get it.

Although BMW is pushing its diesel lineup pretty hard and I think eventually diesel cars will become more common.

Caoboy

iTrader: (2)

Hydrogen>all. No fossil fuels to worry about running out, no 'charging up' your car anymore either.

SLegacy99

BMW diesels also command a very high premium. Given the premium of diesel fuel, it will never catch on.

I8ABMR

mazda is always making lame decisions like this. they always have to be a little different. Kind of how they keep sticking with the rotary engine. Get poor mpg, and even crappier torque

FKL

[QUOTE=SLegacy99;4377811]BMW diesels also command a very high premium. Given the premium of diesel fuel, it will never[/quote**

Diesel fuel is at parity or cheaper in many locations currently.

19psi

as of now, diesel is lower than premium and the same as regular. anybdoy see the top gear where they drove a turbo diesel jaguar xj8 over 800 miles on a tank of fuel? the v8's don't get anywhere that mileage!
the response and torque of a modern diesel blows away anything gas powered.

SLegacy99

Not on the east coast. And I was just in the midwest. Expensive there too.