Mazda 6: And Now a Diesel

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Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda’s chief executive, presenting the Mazda 6 at the Los Angeles auto show on Thursday.

Introduced This Week: 2014 Skyactiv Mazda 6

What it is: The all-new Mazda 6. The design closely resembles the Takeri concept sedan that had its debut in North America at the New York International Auto Show this year.

What it isn’t: Mazda’s flagship car doesn’t resemble anything else in the ho-hum midsize sedan segment. It’s much like its fan base: “young, stylish customers,” said Jim O’Sullivan, the president and chief executive of Mazda North American Operations.

What makes it tick: There’s no V-6, and there’s no turbocharged version. But there’s a Skyactiv-G 184-horsepower 2.5-liter engine. A Skyactiv-D 2.2-liter diesel will be arriving in the United States in the second half of 2013 (no performance numbers are available yet). Expect Skyactiv to ultimately dominate the brand. Sidenote: The company says the new Mazda6 will be the first diesel-powered racecar to compete in the Grand-Am GX class in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

How much, how soon? The Mazda 6 arrives in dealerships in the United States in January. Mazda is still tight-lipped about pricing, but don’t expect it to stray far from a starting price in the low $20s.

Our take: With a stunning exterior and advanced technology, the Mazda 6 is like champagne on a beer budget. And with the new Skyactiv Mazda 3 hitting 40 m.p.g. on the highway and the CX-5 reaching 35, it will be interesting to see what the Mazda 6 achieves.

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source: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012...-now-a-diesel/

With this car being the latest diesl mainstream offering I wonder if there is going to be any pushback from special interest groups to invalidate the higher mpg's of diesel? In the refining process it is less expensive and less labor intensive to make diesel, so with new technology why not push for this? Anyone?

SIG will always have their bitching points. The real question, for me, is will the Skyactiv D we offered in the wagon version? I am in the market for a new car for the wife soon. If Mazda offers the D in the 6 wagon, 3 wagon OR CX5, it will move to the top of my shopping list like a rocket.