2008 Mazda6: New Design

Motoring Channel Staff - 7/September/2007

Hiroshima, Japan — It was in early August that Mazda released a single image of the all-new Mazda6, and now the car has been officially launched in Frankfurt, with a huge batch of official images to accompany it.

Could it win car design awards? It's highly possible. It has the grounded, assertive and solid stance of an American car, but with the edgy style of a modern Japanese car. The front end works, the rear end works - it just seems to work from a design point of view.

We can confirm that the new Mazda6 will be lighter than its predecessor, and will use less fuel and also product less CO2, which will please drivers looking to reduce their carbon emissions. As per the previous Mazda6, the new model comes in three body styles:

Sedan
Liftback
Wagon

Sharing components with the Ford Mondeo, we think this new Mazda6 is slightly better looking than it's cousin, but it's a close call. As for the interior, the images show a number of small changes but that overall it won't be too different from the model it supersedes. 

Update: Mazda has finally let the cat out of the bag, and it seems that the 2.3-litre MZR engine has grown in size and power. Now classified as a 2.5-litre engine, it will be the largest petrol engine in the range, joined by 1.8- and 2.0-litre variants. There will also be a 2.0-litre diesel engine. 

The new 2008 Mazda6 will be launched in Europe in November 2007, and Australian deliveries are expected early in 2008. Interestingly, a different model will be launched in mid 2008 "designed and engineered specifically for North America". 

The new model's biggest drawcard is it's new design. Other than this there's not a great deal to talk about.

Mazda is incorporating a new CF-Net system - which stands for Cross Functional Network. This innovation "features a combination of switches on the steering wheel, which provide integrated control of navigation, audio, air conditioning, driving information, and other systems through simple, smooth operation and a centralised display at the top of the instrument panel to minimise movement of the driver’s line of sight," the Mazda media release reads.

Some of the key features from the new model Mazda6 are as follows:

• Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS): Auxiliary headlamps shine across a corner as the car is steered, thus illuminating the actual path of travel.

• Parking Sensor: Eight ultrasonic sensors total, four in the front and four in the rear bumpers sense the distance to obstacles from the corners of the car and deliver a series of audible beeps to help the driver.

• Extensive field of vision: The expansive windscreen gives the driver an unobstructed view of high traffic signals, while optimising the shape of the rear pillars and the use of flatter rear headrests gives a clearer rear view to ease parking manoeuvres.  

• Mazda’s first active headrest: In a rear-end collision, the front seat headrest is instantaneously thrust forward, immediately supporting the head of the occupant while lightening the load of the impact.

• Crushable brake and clutch pedals: The pedals are prevented from moving rearward into the cabin in a frontal collision, reducing injury to the driver’s legs.

Other safety feature include ABS, DSC, electronic traction control and brake assist (standard in Europe) and a passive safety package with Mazda’s stiff and strong Triple-H body shell and up to six airbags (standard in Europe).

Mazda explains that the 1.8-litre petrol engine's fuel efficiency and CO2 level has been improved by over 11 percent, while the new MZR 2.5-litre petrol engine (most likely the engine of choice for the Australian shipments) achieves over six percent better fuel economy　and CO2 emissions than the current 2.3-litre version it replaces.

Related articles:
- Mazda6 Teaser (2008)
- Mazda2 (2008)
- Mazda6 MPS (Road Test)
- Mazda6 Sport (Road Test)
- Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe (Road Test)
- Mazda6 Diesel (2007)
- Mazda Ryuga (concept)
- Mazda Nagare (concept)
- Mazda CX-9 (2008)