Mazda's New Turbocharged Engine Fits in the Mazda3 and Mazda6
The Mazda3 and Mazda6 could benefit from a turbocharged powerplant in the near future.
Sporting a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the 2016 Mazda CX-9 debuted last year at the 2016 L.A. Auto Show with up to 250 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. And now Mazda has confirmed that the engine also fits in the Mazda3 and Mazda6, making it a candidate to inject more performance across the automaker’s lineup.
“It fits in a lot of our cars, and where we’re actually going to put it as another question,” Mazda North America vehicle development engineer Dave Coleman told Australia’s CarAdvice. “It fits in the same package as the diesel fits in, and the same package that the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter fits in. Basically, that big space we used for the bundle of snakes exhaust manifold, the turbo is in that space too. They’re all packaged to occupy the same space.”
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Unfortunately, Coleman also confirmed that Mazda hasn’t developed any prototype cars with the engine under the hood, simply saying that the company knows “where it fits.” The decision on whether the engine will be used on other models will be up to the product planners, but it’s a strong possibility, at least in the U.S. The current Mazda6 offers one engine: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 184 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque, and adding a turbocharged mill to the lineup would make it more enticing to shoppers looking for performance in the segment.
This news is sure to reignite rumors surrounding the next Mazdaspeed3, as this engine would be a perfect candidate for the hot hatch.
[Source: CarAdvice]
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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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Too bad the Miata doesn't have more juice. It would certainly sell better.
Why in the great world would they not already be doing mule cars with this engine package? Prepping to take on the Focus ST, WRX STI, Fusion Sport, and Edge Sport is almost a foregone conclusion. Given that Ford, Subaru, and others are already racing to create a sport niche each of these segments, extending your time to be competitive in the market for those buyers by not doing the basic engineering prep while your marketing and finance wonks figure out the best niches to be profitable to go after market share is mind-boggling.