Mazda3 diesel delayed

MAZDA will delay the introduction of the diesel-powered Mazda3 for several months after the launch of the petrol-powered models in April.

According to Mazda Australia managing director Doug Dickson, delaying the diesel will give the company “something new to talk about” later on in the year.

Meeting the expected strong European demand for the diesel engine is also a likely reason behind the lag in its introduction Down Under.

The Mazda3 Diesel will be powered by a variation of the new 2.2-litre four-cylinder common-rail turbo-diesel MZR-CD unit found in the mid-sized Mazda6, and will be mated solely to a six-speed manual-only gearbox for the time being.

In the Mazda6 hatch, it delivers 136kW of power at 3500rpm, 400Nm of torque from 1800 to 3000rpm, and a 0-100km/h sprint-time of 8.5 seconds, as well as a combined fuel consumption average of 5.9L/100km and a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 156g/km.

Read more:

Mazda’s upbeat sales forecasts

Mazda reveals Three MPS details

Melbourne show: Mazda3, MX-5 specs confirmed