Mazda previews new SKY powertrain, six-speed manual gearbox, technology for the next decade
Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 06:51PM Mazda is setting its course for the next decade and the man charting that journey says ``the sky is the limit'' in his company's development concepts.
Seita Kanai is the director and senior managing executive officer for Mazda's research, development and program management. He was joined here by a team of more than 30 engineers and support staff to provide a glimpse of what his company has in store for its product lineup, specifically an all-new line of powertrains and a new platform that will form the foundation for future products such as the next-generation Mazda6.
The new powertrain lineup, dubbed SKY, includes a four-cylinder gasoline engine and a four-cylinder diesel, plus a new six-speed automatic transmission and a new six-speed manual gearbox. Note the new powertrains use internal- combustion engines, which is significant in light of the company's commitment two years ago to improve the fuel efficiency of its global fleet of products by 30%, compared with 2008 totals, by 2015.
Kanai concedes he's a fan of internal-combustion engines (ICEs). `I don't want to give up the feel and sound of ICEs. As long as usable fuel is supplied, I want our company to keep on providing vehicles driven by ICEs, of course, with such quality and environmental and safety performance, which earn the respect of the general public,'' he says.
In the future, Kanai says, Mazda will add hybrid and pure electric technologies to its lineup, but gradually, `starting with simple technologies because the more complex a device is, the more costly it becomes.''
Using a `building-block strategy,'' the company plans to first introduce such features as engine-stop, followed by regenerative braking and then hybrid systems. Further down the road, one can expect plug-in hybrids, pure electric vehicles and even hydrogen-fuelled products. However, the focus in the near future is fixed on developing breakthrough technologies for internal-combustion engines and reducing vehicle weight, while continuing to build products that reflect Mazda's fun-to-drive nature, according to the automaker.
The biggest news for Canadians is the addition of the new clean-diesel engine. It's expected to be available in 2012. Mazda Canada spokesman Greg Young says it will provide `a huge opportunity'' for the brand, especially when consumers learn it will deliver fuel economy comparable with that of a hybrid but at a more affordable price point.
They'll love it even more when they experience its power. I was able to drive two prototype diesel-powered sedans here. One was fitted with the new six- speed automatic, the other with a redesigned six-cog manual gearbox. In both cases, the rush of torque that was unleashed when I tapped the accelerator was impressive. While specific output numbers are still not firm, I was told the torque output of the 2.2-litre four-cylinder was at least double the power of the new gasoline engine - and it was no slouch.
Stepping down on the go-pedal while cruising the autobahn at 160 kilometres an hour resulted in an instant surge, making overtaking a breeze. Even more noteworthy is the fact that innovative new Mazda technologies enable this engine, in a mid-sized Mazda6, for example, to deliver the fuel economy of a B- segment Mazda2. It's expected to produce fuel consumption ratings of 4.5 litres/ 100 km on the highway and 6.4 in city driving.
Reprinted from the National Post
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