Tag: skyactiv

Official: Mazda reports strong Skyactiv sales, plans to boost output 25%

Filed under: Budget, China, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Mazda

Skyactiv Technology logo

Mazda is set to expand production of its Skyactiv engines after critical and commercial acclaim for the fuel-sipping powerplants. The Japanese manufacturer has a number of plans in the works to bump up production, with the first being a 25-percent increase in output from its Hiroshima, Japan engine facility.

Besides adding a new line, Mazda will modify the line that built MZR engines, a family of mills that includes the 2.3-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder found in the Mazdaspeed3 and the 2.0-liter found in the MX-5 Miata. The bump in production is just part of Mazda’s goal of selling 1.7 million vehicles globally by 2016, with 80 percent of those vehicles expected to wear a Skyactiv badge.

Mazda also builds Skyactiv engines at a joint-venture facility with Ford, in Changan, China, while a Mexican facility will go online by March of 2014. Skyactiv engines currently power the Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-5.

Continue reading Mazda reports strong Skyactiv sales, plans to boost output 25%

Mazda reports strong Skyactiv sales, plans to boost output 25% originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Aug 2013 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorsports: Mazda Skyactiv-D racer first diesel to run at Indy in 60 years

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Mazda, Diesel, Racing

While it may not be touting the old “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” axiom we all know and love, Mazda recognizes that racing can only improve its cars. And so it’s no surprise that the Japanese automaker is testing and refining its Skyactiv-D diesel engine by sending it out on various race tracks around the country – notably being the first diesel ever to compete at Daytona and the first to notch a Grand Am win at Road Atlanta.

Next up? Indy. It has been over 60 years since a diesel-powered machine ran at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Cummins-powered racer that competed in the 1952 Indy 500 with a 6.6-liter inline-six-cylinder oil-burner was a fast and brutal machine that set a new lap record in qualifying leading up to the race. Though that car was withdrawn with turbocharger failure 71 laps in, its diesel powerplant left an indelible impression on the racing community, and that’s something Mazda hopes to accomplish once again.

Mazda says that the diesel engine in its race car is pretty darn close to stock – 51 percent stock by parts count, and 63 percent stock by weight – which means the way it performs in competition is at least a somewhat meaningful way to the stock engine’s durability in the real world. Check out the image of the Mazda6 Skyactiv-D racer posing alongside the 1952 Cummins above (click to enlarge) and feel free to peruse the press release below for the rest of the details.

Continue reading Mazda Skyactiv-D racer first diesel to run at Indy in 60 years

Mazda Skyactiv-D racer first diesel to run at Indy in 60 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Jul 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Mazda3 with new SkyActiv engine gets 40 mpg, updated exterior

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Mazda

2012 Mazda3

2012 Mazda3 – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2012 Mazda3 has officially made its debut at the 2011 New York Auto Show, and it’s brought along the first production use of the long-awaited SkyActiv fuel-efficiency tweaks. That means the newest Mazda3 is good for a whopping 40 miles per gallon on the highway thanks to the addition of a new SkyActiv-G four-cylinder engine mated to either a new six-speed automatic or manual transmission.

2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv 2.0-liter four-cylinder enginePreviously, the Mazda3 has only been good for up to 33 mpg in its most efficient form, but the new drivetrain advancements will go a long way toward making the model more competitive against ever sharper metal from Ford, Chevrolet, Hyundai and Honda. Mazda says that the new 2.0-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder is good for 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, which offers modest increases over the old, non-DI 2.0-liter mill.

That old lump will still be around as standard equipment on the sedan, though don’t expect to see it on the Mazda3 hatch. Instead, the long-roof will still benefit from the larger 2.5-liter four-cylinder found in the last-gen vehicle.

In addition to the newly-efficient drivetrain, the 2012 Mazda3 also wears a suitably updated exterior. Buyers can look forward to redesigned headlights and an adjusted front fascia with a slightly different grille that tones down the exuberance of the car’s trademark grin. Likewise, the rears of both the sedan and hatch have received a subtle warming-over. Follow the jump to hear it from Mazda’s own mouth.

Gallery: 2012 Mazda3

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading 2012 Mazda3 with new SkyActiv engine gets 40 mpg, updated exterior

2012 Mazda3 with new SkyActiv engine gets 40 mpg, updated exterior originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Mazda3 to get Skyactiv engine and gearbox

Filed under: Technology, Hatchback, Mazda, Canada

Mazda3 SkyActiv

2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv – Click above to enlarge

Mazda has announced that the company will employ its new SkyActiv technologies in the 2012 Mazda3. The vehicle is set to debut at Toronto’s upcoming Canadian International Auto Show, and it will boast the Japanese automaker’s much gabbed-about SkyActiv-G gasoline four-cylinder engine and SkyActive-Drive gearbox.

Mazda says that the two new pieces of hardware should help the Mazda3 deliver more torque at mid-range engine speeds, and that the trick should be good enough to increase fuel economy along the way. As you may recall, the SkyActiv-G engine is a direct-injection design with a low-friction block to minimize mechanical drag.

This will mark the first time that either the new engine or the gearbox has ever been offered in a production vehicle, and the company’s designers have thrown in a few exterior tweaks to mark the occasion. Buyers can look forward to slightly revised bumpers front and rear as well as new 16- and 17-inch wheels. The more efficient Mazda3 is expected to land in dealerships by the end of this year. Hit the jump for the full press release.

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading 2012 Mazda3 to get Skyactiv engine and gearbox

2012 Mazda3 to get Skyactiv engine and gearbox originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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