SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

Teaser of the new 6 just released by Mazda

ASH8

Mazda Europe

MattMPS

a couple of days for more shots (source Mazda Europe).

Zeal Red?

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

I noticed from the spy shots and now from the teaser video that the new Kodo signature grille goes to the top of the headlamp instead of through the middle of it as on the Takeri or even CX-5. I am convinced that the new MX-5 will be opposite to this with the upper grille like going to the bottom of it's headlamps.

I can sense that the leaks and official pictures are going to come rapidly within the next month. As a Mazda nerd, this is VERY exciting to me.

On another note; Mazda needs to find a way to make all of it's Japanese built Mazdas more profitable. Some way of moving up market, demonstrating that there is more value than the competition is essential I believe since the Yen to Dollar is so ugly. Otherwise the health of Mazda in the US is doomed. They need to be the Japanese Audi which would be the opposite of their present image as a brand for cheap people.

Paul.

MattMPS

You are not alone....


Yes, but i prefer "Japanese BMW" or "Japanese Alfa Romeo"* than "Japanese Audi".

Audi are mainly NOT "fun to drive" cars.


*two years ago...
Mazda to drop Nagare design theme, aiming for ‘Japanese Alfa Romeo’ look - egmCarTech

citation:

According to Birtwhistle, Mazda’s new design chief, Ikuo Maeda, is aiming for a more “Japanese Alfa Romeo” look.

zoom44

that would be an interesting choice since the articles are saying that Russia is now Mazda's biggest "European" market the CX-5 articles said they sold like 10k of them already there.

thanks for the tip about Frankfurt. didnt realize they were alternating years

first thing i noticed too was where the end of that trim went . the headlight still contains the that bit running though it . i like the change (})

and motor authority says debut at Paris 2014 Mazda Mazda6 Teaser Released: Video while a canadian article i just found says Moscow

Footman

iTrader: (2)

Front headlamp washer is raised.... STILL NOT FLUSH... why can't Mazda not see this??? *sigh*

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

Trust me, I agree on the BMW angle but Mazda is still heavily invested in front wheel drive (And awd) chassis so their sporty character is thereby limited in my opinion to Audi wannabe vs BMW. Even the RX-8 should have been designed to go up against Lexus IS and BMW 3 series from the start and be designed with more elegance in mind and less boy racer. A few more years development time and it would have been potentially more profitable (Who wants to buy a car with an identity crisis that has questionable reliability and longevity?).

Paul.

MattMPS

BMW is heavily investing in FWD for next-gen cars. trusted sources here in EU say that next-gen 1series family will be FWD.

RWD remains only for 3-5-7 and some special car.

6in line cylinders will remain only in 3.0 liters and more capacity (out of reach for most European customers, too taxes and too high prices of fuel)

Suv, crossovers are out of question IMHO. Don't' matter if FWD,RWD or AWD

in next future Mazda6 will be the only one model FWD with a counterpart RWD into BMW lineup (3 series)

CarAndDriver

They are certainly building more consistent and dynamic cars than BMW or MB these days. The new 5 and 7 Series are a snooze. The 3 Series is the only car that really has any true BMW spirit left (barely hanging on). I really don't think MB were ever classified as "fun to drive" cars as a whole.

Audi also is trumping them in styling, inside and out. Now if they could only get their reliability to be less VW like.

MattMPS

A6/A8 are snooze since many years... Audi is largely known as "the understeer brand" here in EU.

there are some joke on it...


You point right that BMW is less sporty than years ago....

BTW...R8 is not an Audi sirs...R8 is a damn Lamborghini....

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

Always thought the A8/S8's had a much sportier feel than the other German variants.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

drove a 2004 a8, yea i know its old, its comfy, very very comfy, but its not sporty at all. its more like a soccer moms car than a sporty sedan

ASH8

That is one thing that gets me about European brands..almost all of them, do nothing about seriously addressing car weight..they all (well most) under-steer because of heavy engines, location and body weight...for a mass produced brand Mazda has been showing the world 'how to' for decades.

bse50

It's all about marketing Ash. Customers want comfortable rides, not sporty ones nowadays. As long as a car accelerates fast enough to feel sporty yet it's quiet and well padded the average joe will be happy.
Mazda and its crappy plastic interiors, simple designs and lack of marketing are doing it wrong for this market.

Any german brand outsells Mazda in europe for this very reason.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

yea, most people can't drive for **** these days and they are stupid enough to think that the bigger the better.

like bse said as long as it has high HP numbers on paper , they are not gonna look at the weight of the car, which is like holy **** 4000 lbs. they gonna be like oh this **** rocks it has 320 HP!

MattMPS

don't forget huge rims and tires

if have big tires, turbo and a lot of torque----->it's sporty (for European Average Joe)

Audi incarnate this at 100%.

Problems of Mazda brand in EU are well described by bse50....

CarAndDriver

If you get a FWD Audi, it is definitely going to understeer. I don't read that about the Quattro versions of their cars. Sorry, but that video is pretty weak - a bunch of crappy drivers.

The S versions of the Audis seem to be the sweet spot for sport+comfort.

bse50

sweet spot my ***. The engine is moved so much forward the front axle that even their 4x4 models understeer.

Bladecutter

The problem with Audi's and understeer is due to the way they designed their cars with regards to engine/transmission layout.

Since they only use a longitudinal setup (outside of the A3, that is) for their drivetrains, that puts the engine directly in front of the transmission. This means that they have to make the nose of the car longer in order to prevent the transmission from intruding in the passenger compartment for front seat legroom comfort, and because the output portion of the transmission has to be in line with the front wheels.



Because of all of that, the engine has to be really far forward in the engine bay, and that leads to balance issues with having that much weight so far out in front of the front axle.

Of course, using this type of layout allows them to share transmission costs with Porsche, though, so that's an added bonus.

BC.

dynamho

I've always wondered why they do this.
Naively speaking, making a car FWD using a longitudinal-mounted engine feels idiotic.

MattMPS

agree 100%...

Guys, Audi are NASTY chassis...guaranteed....

Rx-8 is a jewel for handling compared of an Audi.... a 6 is a lot more dynamic than a normal A4

ASH8

Yep, the 8 and NC (once you put 8 sway bars in) turns MX-5 into an 8 handling wise, actually it is better...these two are by far Mazda's best handling/suspension designs yet...all multi link rear end is really special...pitty it has gone...soon.

Just so you are aware, front control arms (upper and lower) are identical dimension wise, MX-5 has slightly thinner 'wrist joints' at 2 bush ends.

Rear Suspension links, 98% are again identical between the two, even length, again only difference are the Ball Joint wrist area is thicker on the 8.

Either way, all the parts will fit on either model...the Miata parts are slightly lighter in weight to the S2 RX-8.

zoom44

apparently Joe Sixpack and European Average Joe like the same cars

MattMPS