Mazda6 diesel due in time for Christmas

MAZDA has announced the return of turbo-diesel power to its mid-size model range by confirming its all-new 2.2-litre oil-burning common-rail direct-injection inline four-cylinder will be available in both the Mazda6 hatch and wagon from December this year, priced from under $40,000.

To be available exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission (Mazda Australia says an automatic version won’t be developed in the foreseeable future), the second-generation Mazda6 MZR-CD is expected to be as popular as its discontinued predecessor.

The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine option attracted 100 sales per month after becoming available in the first-generation Mazda6 range from October 2006, in both hatch and wagon guise. It was last sold at $35,205 and $38,090 respectively, before being replaced by the MkII Six in February this year.

Due to make its international debut at the Paris motor show on Octoner 2 alongside the 1.6-litre Mazda2 MZ-CD turbo-diesel, facelifted MX-5 sportscar and micro-sized Kiyora concept, the Mazda6 MZR-CD represents the first tangible evidence of the Japanese car-maker’s new ‘Sustainable Zoom-Zoom’ commitment - to improve the fuel efficiency on all of its models by 30 per cent by 2015.

Producing 136kW of power at 3500rpm and a healthy 400Nm of torque from 1800rpm, the new diesel is up 31kW and 40Nm on its smaller-capacity forbear. The engine is boosted by a variable-geometry turbocharger and a new common-rail fuel-injection system operated with 200Mpa of fuel pressure.

Yet when fitted to the larger and heavier new model, Mazda says the new chain-driven double overhead cam diesel engine will return an average fuel consumption figure similar to that of the previous Mazda6 MZR-CD - 5.9L/100km.

Mazda says the engine was developed exclusively for the Mazda6 MZR-CD, which will be the second turbo-diesel passenger car in its current range - alongside the Mazda3 MZR-CD, priced from $29,500.

Sales of the six-month-old Mazda6 are down almost 15 per cent so far in 2008, despite price cuts in July. Diesel passenger cars sales are up a sizeable 31.2 per cent during the same period (to a relatively modest 14,918 sales), despite the large increases in fuel prices, while petrol passenger cars sales are down eight per cent to a still-dominant 210,873 sales.

Mazda says its new Six MZR-CD hatch and wagon will bring turbo-diesel performance and environmental credentials within reach of everyone by offering the performance and economy of European models at a less expensive price.

"The new Mazda6 MZR-CD will be proof that environmentally-friendly cars can also be exhilarating to drive," said Mazda Australia managing director Doug Dickson.

"This spirited and economical new-generation engine will further cement Mazda's leadership as the only Japanese brand offering diesel-powered passenger cars for environmentally conscious Australians.

"This new diesel engine will deliver on the seemingly conflicting attributes of robust and refined, powerful and efficient."

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