Mazda, Patrick Dempsey Team up to Campaign Skyactiv-D Clean Diesel at 24 Hours of Le Mans

Jason Siu
by Jason Siu

Earlier in the month, Mazda announced its diesel racing program for the Grand Am series, but the Skyactiv-D will also be present at next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Teams competing in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans can now purchase racing versions of Mazda’s Skyactiv-D Clean Diesel powerplants. The powerplants are stock-block 2.2-liter, diesel four-cylinders with dual-stage turbochargers helping provide “outstanding performance and fuel economy coupled with the kind of quality, durability and reliability needed to produce great street cars and win endurance races,” according to John Doonan, Mazda North American Operations Director of Mazda Motorsports.

Dempsey Racing has signed on to become the first LMP2 Skyactiv-D customer, where it will compete in next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans race. “Our long-term partnership with Mazda has been fantastic, and we look forward to mutual success as we prepare for 2013. We are focused on that preparation which is why we are currently testing our LMP2 car here in the US in preparation for the next ALMS event. Our team and partners are excited to be associated with Skyactiv-D technology and the cutting-edge green technology it represents,” said Patrick Dempsey.

It will be exciting to see how well Mazdas clean diesel powerplants stack up against the competition. The Japanese automaker is still the only Asian manufacturer to ever win the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in 1991.

Jason Siu
Jason Siu

Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.

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