lafar

here are some photos!

lafar

and last one

GiN

Yyeeea! A Mazda RX330!

truemagellen

thanks for the pics...ok if this comes out I can truly be 100% a Mazda family
(although the poor Mazda Millenia S may become my winter car while the female gets this one, hmm no complaints )

hotpot

Looks good. It's got invisible rear door handles too.

skc

the front fenders look like a copy of the RX8 and the rear like the Lexus...looks nice though

skc

Rumboo

Wow.. looks real sweet..
Keeping with the design theme too! Love dem big wheelies..

Reckon it'd out-econ da 8 in da fuel dept?

RXE16T

I've never been a SUV type of person, but I gotta say that looks pretty good.

JeRKy 8 Owner

I wish theyd quit screwing around and make a 3 rotor SUV.

Lock & Load

A 100% improvement on their earlier 4wd Tribute

cheers
michael

RXE16T

100%??????

That's giving the Tribute more credit than it deserves. LOL :D

foxman

Looks nice, styled to go after Lexus and BMW X3, wonder what will power it?

Rasputin

**calling my wife** :
- Alex, forget the Lexus RX, come and see this!!

F

Rasputin

That's not very nice of you, I worked on that Ford/Mazda program (U204)!

Lock & Load

Dont feel bad we all make mistakes

cheers
michael

Kain

it looks a little too close to the murano>???

Rasputin

That's even naughtier!

It was a very fun and interesting program, and a joint international effort with people from Hiroshima (JA), Dearborn (US), Dunton (UK) and Merkenich (Germany). I was responsible for the dyno-based calibration and development of the NA Zetec 2.0L engine. I went to test with the Truck Engine Engineering team (vehicle camlibrators) at APG (Arizona Proving Ground). We stayed for 2-3 weeks in Lake Havasu. Quite a interesting social experience for a European...

Coming back to the Tribute/Escape, it combined the Ford main criteria of that era (might have cjhanged now) :
- good handling (independent suspension on a US SUV!!!!)
- good packaging (room inside compared to external dims)
- affordable to buy and to run (apparently)
The IP and dashboard were a real shame though. And performance with AWD, autobox and the 2.0L engine was close to disastrous!

I think the original Zetec 2.0L is replaced by a Mazda-sourced 2.3L now. And there is this Hybrid version of it too. A lot of new developments then since I left Ford.

Average car, but as an engineer, it' must definitely be a great program to work on!

Lock & Load

To me the new MXcrossover looks like a mini-me of the Lexus 330 mated with the Porsche Cayenne .

Mazda most likely put the 2.3 litre engine similar to the Mazda 6 .

Rasputin your Engineering prowess is not in question only the particular project you worked on , Sorry but IMHO the Tribute /Escape was a dog of a suv

But you do make some good choices after all you have the Hymee exhaust

cheers
michael

Gambit

It's got a very concept-car look to it, in my opinion

Gambit

...and it looks like it's pretty small

Rasputin

It's a bit nicer than the very nice Lexus, and much nicer than the ugly Cayenne IMO.

2.3 as a base engine then. I hope they'll offer a V6 and a good diesel for Europe (or they can forget it here!, ask Tribute...).

Which platform is it based on? The Mazda3/FocusII? Or the next Freelander/VolvoXC50 platform? Or...?

czr

iTrader: (3)

It's pretty nice looking. Definately better looking than the boring looking body double Tribute. I'm not too fond of the taillights but the wheels make that thing. I'm sure the production car will be very toned down. I reminds me of the Isuzu Axiom-

dmp

Very Very nice

Rasputin

That's always a risk. Although Mazda manage to keep the RX8 "showcar"-like. Can they do it again?