Which tidbits will Mazda keep close to the vest, you may ask? The American market specifications, which will be released at a later date. Instead, the announcement includes information about the engine options which will include a 148-hp SkyActiv-G 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a 189-hp 2.5-liter SkyActiv-G four cylinder.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t shed any light on the brand’s plans to keep or cast aside the 2012 model’s 272-hp 3.7-liter V6 which helped bring previous models farther upmarket. Then again, market preferences have changed significantly since the outgoing generation Mazda6 debuted. Now even cars like the BMW 328i have migrated to a four-cylinder powerplant, albeit with help from a turbocharger.
While recent information isn’t available, Mazda exec Jim O’Sullivan said that all future Mazdas will incorporate SkyActiv technology. Given that and the fact that Mazda doesn’t have a V6 in its new engine line, it stands to reason that the car will drop its thirsty engine option.
That still leaves one question mark: the SkyActiv-D, which is the diesel version seen in the Takeri concept which the car is heavily based on. For now, Mazda is being mum about bringing an oil burning version of the midsize sedan to North America, but O’Sullivan hinted that there is a possibility during a conversation with AutoGuide at the New York Auto Show.
In an early first drive for the Mazda6 prototype using the SkyActiv-D, the engine performed exceptionally well by offering a higher redline than other turbo diesels by using a lower compression ratio than most.
Source: AutoGuide.com
