Mid-size Mazda6 sets cracking pace

Most are probably now familiar with Mazda's successful "Zoom-zoom" marketing campaign, but what of the new Mazda6?

Sure, it's got plenty of Zoom, what with an all-new DOHC 2.3-litre, high compression engine and a seriously re-jigged suspension array, but it's less a traditional Japanese mid-size car and more a European giant-killer.

Maybe Mazda should change it's slogan to "Boom boom"? Or maybe not...

Looking past the zoominess, the new Mazda6, which should be on sale by the time you read this, is one seriously impressive piece of kit. We're talking an all-new car here - forget the 626 - that's old news now.

The first obvious noticable difference in Mazda's mid-sized offering is the styling.

We wouldn't describe the outgoing model 626 as a particularly ugly vehicle, but put both side-by-side and the older Mazda really starts to show its age.

The new front-end is, as our janitor eloquently put it, "a work of bloody art, mate!" We, too, like the new-look headlight cluster and grille work and, if you look closely, you'll count no less than four xenon globes behind the smoked lenses. This not only looks nice, but will also provide an abundance of illumination when the sun goes down.

The tail end, in contrast, may be too much for some, with it's glitzy sliver-backed clear-lens brake light cluster. Our opinion: two thumbs up.

Expect other Japanese car-makers to take the concept further, which can be traced back to the Lexus IS200. All models also get the sexy twin-exhaust pipe treatment, according to Mazda.

Other styling aspects, such as the flared wheel arches and front apron give the car a more purposeful look than that of the 626. We don't mind going on record by saying this is easily one of the smartest-looking affordable cars to come out of the Nihon in quite some time.

Mazda Australia big chief, Malcolm Gough had this to say about the arrival of the new Mazda6: "With the introduction of the Mazda6, we have again demonstrated that great cars lie at the heart of the Mazda brand.

"The Mazda6 sits perfectly alongside the MX-5 and upcoming RX-8. This sophisticated mid-size car delivers the same feeling of oneness between car and driver as our famous sports cars."

He's not far wrong either, with the handling characteristics of the new Mazda promising much.

The Mazda6's body architecture is slightly wider than the previous generation of midsize vehicles, while that extra width contributes significantly to Mazda6's solidity and stability.

Its broad stance also reflects a widening of the wheel track by 50mm. The extra width effectively drops the Mazda6's centre of gravity by 20mm, a significant measure in shaping the stability of the vehicle's handling characteristics.

At the front, the Mazda6 features double wishbone with MacPherson strut suspension and a friction-optimised rack-and-pinion steering system mounted on a rigid perimeter frame. This essentially reduces noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

The design of the front suspension system geometry is central to Mazda6's linear steering, handling precision and straight-line stability.

Mazda6's double wishbone configuration – with double lower pivots – minimises negative road inputs for improved stability and ensures optimal tyre-to-road contact.

At the rear sits E-type multi-link suspension, which is expected to deliver improved ride and handling, while achieving a low-profile design that contributes to Mazda6's impressive luggage capacity.

Mazda engineers created an under-floor rear suspension system for the new Mazda that would not intrude into the luggage compartment and features low-profile springs and angled dampers that solve the packaging issue without compromising handling capabilities. Clever thinking, that.

Mounted to a rigid subframe, the suspension system is characterised by its long suspension travel, its self-levelling capability and its compliance management. Like the front suspension system, every detail of the rear suspension has been optimised to achieve demanding targets for lateral stiffness and longitudinal "give" for ride comfort over uneven or bumpy road surfaces.

"It rewrites the mid-size car rules by delivering world-class dynamics wrapped up in a great looking package that is larger, safer and more refined than its predecessors. And it does this while delivering unbeatable value," continued Gough.

To be offered in sedan, hatch and wagon body styles and in Limited, Classic, Luxury and Luxury Sports trim levels, the Mazda6 range is priced from $28,270 for the Limited sedan with manual transmission.

Priced at just $2010 more than the superseded entry-level 626, the Mazda6 has many additional features that add up to more than $2500 in extra value.

Standard features on base model Mazda6 Limited includes air conditioning, CD stereo, remote central locking with deadlock function, power windows and mirrors, driver's seat height adjustment and an outside temperature gauge.

All Mazda6 models get ABS anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution (EBD); dual-stage front airbags that react to the severity of the crash; an intrusion minimising brake pedal to reduce possible foot, ankle and lower leg injury and anti-whiplash front seats.

Luxury sedan and hatch models and the Luxury Sports hatch come with six airbags that include front side airbags and, for the first time on a Mazda, curtain airbags that when deployed cover the side windows from the A to the rear D pillar.

Luxury models are fully equipped with leather trim, a power sunroof, a power-operated driver seat, seven-speaker Bose stereo system with separate boot-mounted sub woofer and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The range-topping Luxury Sports hatch, which is priced at $41,170 for the manual and $43,250 for the automatic, boasts an aggressive body kit that features a large rear spoiler, side skirts and driving lights.

All Australian spec Mazda6 models come with Mazda's impressive new four-cylinder mill, part of the MZR engine family. The all-aluminium, DOHC, 2.3-litre engine, develops 122kW @ 6500rpm and a rather hefty (for a four banger) 207Nm @ 4000rpm. Interestingly, the Mazda techno types have tweaked the engine to provide 90 per cent of max torque from 1750rpm.

The new 2.3-litre MZR engine is available with a four-speed automatic transmission with an Activematic Transmission Control System to provide manual (tiptronic) gear selection.

Mazda’s G5M five-speed manual gearbox, with gear ratios matched to the engine's torque curve, helps deliver improved acceleration for a 0-100km/h sprint of 8.9 seconds.

The 2.3-litre S-VT powerplant allows the point at which the engine's valves open and close and the duration they stay open to change with operating conditions, such as engine speed and air volume. Varying these parameters allows the engine to operate more efficiently at all engine speeds. It also means those drivers with a lead foot will come away with big smiles.

Engineers also developed a sophisticated new friction-welded nylon intake manifold with equal length runners that incorporate swirl control valves. Mazda engineers fitted these specially designed control valves into each of the intake runners, close to the cylinder head flange.

These valves or "tumble flaps" in the variable induction system are controlled by a solenoid actuator and are closed during light-load operations, such as idling at traffic lights, gear shifting and deceleration, to maximize combustion efficiency, fuel economy and emissions performance.

The valves are fully open during higher load conditions, roughly 5,000rpm, to maximize volumetric efficiency and power output. The design of the intake manifold improved engine sound quality by emphasising the even-order engine harmonics – a key to the equal length design.

All in all, the new engine offers quite a performance boost over the original, and together with what appears to be an entirely new car, Mazda predicts sales will double that of the ageing 626. Mazda's national marketing manager Martin Benders said: "The Zoom-Zoom campaign, introduced just last year, has raised brand awareness to an unprecedented level and helped push Mazda to record sales. With the introduction of the all-new Mazda6 and with the Mazda2 following later this year, Mazda buyers can fully appreciate Zoom-Zoom and the emotion of motion that our new cars will fully deliver."

PR hyperbole yes, but there is a few ounces of truth in what old Benders says. Visual impact is often the deciding factor when buyers are looking for a mid-size vehicle, as is engine performance. On these two aspects alone, one would have to assume that Mazda is in a win, win -- or should that be Zoom, zoom -- situation.

The Mazda6 goes on sale in September 2002.

Pricing:

Sedan
Limited Manual $28,270
Automatic $30,350

Classic Manual $31,705
Automatic $33,785

Luxury Automatic $40,270

Hatch
Classic Manual $32,705
Automatic $34,785

Luxury Automatic $41,270

Sports Manual $41,170
Automatic $43,250

Wagon
Classic Automatic $35,335