Ford Motor Company Global Auto Shows

Hitting dealerships at the end of 2008, the 2009 Mazda6 made its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show last week. Lighter, more aerodynamic than the old Mazda 6, and featuring a new interior and new suspension, the blogs are buzzing about its sporty, high design look, comparing it to the new CX-9 crossover. American enthusiasts hope that the Mazda6 intended for the North American audience will differ as little as possible from the European model. Design Chief Youichi Sato describes the design theme for the new Mazda6 as “bold and exquisite” emphasizing the connection between man and machine—what Mazda’s calling “kizuna.”

As before, there are three body styles: sedan, wagon, and hatchback. Totally redesigned, it’s 65mm longer, 15 mm wider, 5 mm taller, with a 50 mm longer wheelbase. The five-door hatchback symbolizes the new Mazda6’s sporty and sophisticated nature with a flowing, coupé-style silhouette and a six side-window cabin design. The sedan plays down its three-box form with its tautly-arched cabin and short, high tail, giving it a fastback look clearly related to that of the hatchback. The wagon features three-dimensional curves that give volume and tension to the side and rear view.
A new 2.5-liter gasoline engine has been developed from the previous 2.3-liter unit. The MZR 2.5 has a bigger bore and a longer stroke, plus freer-flowing intake and exhaust ports, which together improve low and mid-range torque by 10 percent. Power is 170 PS. Also available are the existing 1.8 and 2.0-liter gasoline engines and the MZR-CD 2.0 turbo diesel, carried over from the previous Mazda 6.