Mazda previews straight-six
11-13-20, 10:36 PM
#31
Lexus Test Driver
Not a fan of Mazda, and worried about this new partnership. I spent weeks in a recent 6 rental and was disappointed all around. The childish "zoom zoom" moniker is only one year dead, but the thinking there tells the real story. I've always thought, if the brand is really as good as all the journalist write, why aren't there more on the road?
11-14-20, 12:16 AM
#32
Pole Position
my modified Miata Club 6MT is the simplest yet best handling car and most fun to drive car I have. Its not all about straight line speed. Straight line speed is initially all well and good but fast corners are where the action is. You don’t need to slow down for corners in a Miata.
11-14-20, 07:27 AM
#33
Lexus Test Driver
Originally Posted by swajames
my modified Miata Club 6MT is the simplest yet best handling car and most fun to drive car I have. Its not all about straight line speed. Straight line speed is initially all well and good but fast corners are where the action is. You don’t need to slow down for corners in a Miata.
11-14-20, 07:48 AM
#34
Lexus Fanatic
Mazda had the slogan "zoom zoom" for a very long time yet they never had any really quick cars or high hp cars, they never even had hardcore handling cars that made up for the lack of power, they dropped most of their V6's, everything aside from the Miata was FWD or with a so so awd option in CUV's, they never really added much excitement or really pushed the performance envelope despite them trying to sell the "zoom, zoom" image. Their vehicles mostly looked nice, had nice interiors but nothing class leading or lustful, they had decent reliability, and mediocre resale, their nicest sedan, the pricey Mazda 6 for a while only had a 200ish hp 4 cylinder and 0-60 over 7 sec until recently while Honda's, Toyota's, even Hyundai's/KIA's had V6's with 250hp+ and 0-60 well under 7 sec, under 6 seconds in some cases and they had better resale/reliability. None of that is going to translate into much excitement for Mazda or strong sales. Mazda in the past had much nicer, sportier offerings while not trying to sell the "zoom zoom image" with RX-7's, 929's, Millenia's, 3 rotor Cosmo's in some markets, V6's, etc.
Let's hope they don't hold back on this Inline 6 and really give a RWD 6 some power/performance along with a beautiful design, they certainly have beautiful concepts. I don't know why they are wasting the RWD platform on a CUV though, it is not that important to CUV buyers, a RX-7, GT coupe, or RWD sedan above a 6 would be a much better use for the platform and engine.
It is pretty sad that most future RWD Lexus vehicles seem to be hedging their bets on this Mazda RWD platform and engine.
Let's hope they don't hold back on this Inline 6 and really give a RWD 6 some power/performance along with a beautiful design, they certainly have beautiful concepts. I don't know why they are wasting the RWD platform on a CUV though, it is not that important to CUV buyers, a RX-7, GT coupe, or RWD sedan above a 6 would be a much better use for the platform and engine.
It is pretty sad that most future RWD Lexus vehicles seem to be hedging their bets on this Mazda RWD platform and engine.
11-14-20, 08:16 AM
#35
Pole Position
Not a fan of Mazda, and worried about this new partnership. I spent weeks in a recent 6 rental and was disappointed all around. The childish "zoom zoom" moniker is only one year dead, but the thinking there tells the real story. I've always thought, if the brand is really as good as all the journalist write, why aren't there more on the road?
11-14-20, 08:30 AM
#36
I agree, but at the same time, I have to be cautiously optimistic at best. This goes for ANYTHING new, not just Mazda's hybrid inline-six RWD platform and 8-speed transmission. That said, some are pretty hyper-critical to the point where I can't even take their opinions seriously.
The new powertrain/platform will likely debut on a CX-5 or CX-9 first, for the sole reason that crossovers, CUVs and SUVs sell.
The new powertrain/platform will likely debut on a CX-5 or CX-9 first, for the sole reason that crossovers, CUVs and SUVs sell.
11-14-20, 08:39 AM
#37
Lexus Fanatic
I agree, but at the same time, I have to be cautiously optimistic at best. This goes for ANYTHING new, not just Mazda's hybrid inline-six RWD platform and 8-speed transmission. That said, some are pretty hyper-critical to the point where I can't even take their opinions seriously.
The new powertrain/platform will likely debut on a CX-5 or CX-9 first, for the sole reason that crossovers, CUVs and SUVs sell.
The new powertrain/platform will likely debut on a CX-5 or CX-9 first, for the sole reason that crossovers, CUVs and SUVs sell.
11-14-20, 09:42 AM
#38
I'm doubtful that a turbo 3 will break into the 5s. The current turbo Mazda6 is FWD and has a curb weight of 3500 lbs, and a 0-60 of 6.4s. The non-turbo 6 (186 hp/tq) has a 0-60 of 7.2s.
The current AWD Mazda3 has a curb weight of 3200 lbs (in hatchback form) and the same engine as the non-turbo 6. It also does 0-60 in 7.2s (even though it is 300 lbs lighter). I'm going to guess that a turbo Mazda3 would clock a 0-60 time of about 6.1s.
Anyway, this thread is about the inline-six, not the 4cyl turbo.
The current AWD Mazda3 has a curb weight of 3200 lbs (in hatchback form) and the same engine as the non-turbo 6. It also does 0-60 in 7.2s (even though it is 300 lbs lighter). I'm going to guess that a turbo Mazda3 would clock a 0-60 time of about 6.1s.
Anyway, this thread is about the inline-six, not the 4cyl turbo.
Copied from the video description and comments:
852 miles on odometer
Shell V-Power 93 Octane
Sport Mode - ON
Automatic Mode - No Paddle Shifting
Traction Control - OFF
Ambient Temperature: 75°F
Humidity: 80%
Gas Tank: 50%
Elevation at 135 ft.
Waylens Data Camera
11-14-20, 01:35 PM
#39
The Miata is an excellent affordable roadster, no question about it- but it's obvious why few other manufacturers attempt to make one to compete with it. The sales numbers tell the whole story. For every Miata that Mazda sells, Ford sells 10 Mustangs. It's a niche within a niche.
Interesting to hear that Mustangs outsell Miatas ten to one.
The big one has the straight line speed, while the small one has the agility.
However, why then hasn't Toyota put more effort into their Supra to capitalize on such sales?
Maybe because Mustangs are based on V8's, and Toyota's V8's are much too expensive to be used in Supras?
Back to the in-line six topic.
I might be a little worried their all new in-line sixes have a few glitches to be ironed out?
At this stage in time, would it not be better to refine a V6, rather than develop an all new in-line six which has not been refined, especially for a Lexus vehicle?
11-14-20, 03:15 PM
#40
Lexus Test Driver
Excited to see this new inline 6 motor and hopefully they can bring out a nice manual coupe to pair it with.
If Lexus can put this engine in all-new future IS with turbo power - that would be game changer.
If Lexus can put this engine in all-new future IS with turbo power - that would be game changer.
06-18-21, 01:01 AM
#41
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06-18-21, 05:06 PM
#43
Lexus Test Driver
06-19-21, 08:10 AM
#44
Lexus Fanatic
It's Road and Track, a major auto publication, and they are predicting a RWD I6 Mazda 6 replacement too, got confirmation from Mazda execs this platform/engine will spawn multiple vehicles. They have a lot more insider info then you or I and I doubt they would talk about it if there was not a very likely chance it was going to happen. There is no way Mazda is going to go through all the trouble of making a RWD platform/I6 to only put in a CUV where almost no buyers care if it is RWD or not and FWD/RWD proportions don't really matter in those types of vehicles.
11-16-21, 08:42 AM
#45
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Not sure if this is the right thread but the Mazda CX-60 Large Platform vehicle leaked. Definitely can tell it's RWD-based proportions from the large dash-to-axle ratio.