Automotive

Mazda not giving up on bringing diesels to North America

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Mazda not giving up on bringing diesels to North America

Mazda diesel still in the plans, CEO says
YOKOHAMA, Japan — Cleaner, sportier diesel engines were a big part of Mazda’s Skyactiv platform overhaul that began taking shape in 2011.

But five years later, the long-delayed diesels still haven’t hit the U.S., and there is no sign they will arrive before Mazda moves on to its second generation of Skyactiv technologies in 2019.

Mazda Motor Corp. CEO Masamichi Kogai said Mazda still plans an American diesel debut — and even has an internal timeline for the launch. But he is not saying when.

“We are not giving up,” Kogai said of the U.S. diesel ambition during the July 14 unveiling here of the Mazda3 sedan and hatchback midcycle refresh. “We have a timeline.”

Kogai, 61, declined to give specifics about the timing but said he wants the diesel drivetrain introduced stateside while he’s still at the helm.

Hiroyuki Matsumoto, general manager of Mazda’s vehicle development division, said he is confident engineers will achieve the right balance of diesel driving performance and clean emissions that so far has eluded Mazda for the U.S. market.

Mazda has been stymied in its Skyactiv product plans by stringent U.S. emissions standards. U.S. rules require an emissions treatment that saps driving performance from the otherwise spunky clean diesel Skyactiv-D engines, which have proved to be a big hit in other markets, including Japan.

“Environmental performance must be compatible with driving dynamics,” Kogai said.

The next-generation Skyactiv technologies, dubbed Skyactiv 2, will encompass an overhaul of the entire platform, far more than just the engines, Matsumoto said. He pledged to introduce the second phase by March 2019.

Skyactiv 2 will pick up where the first generation left off, focusing on lightweighting, better ride and handling, and improved fuel economy, he said.

A new gasoline engine now under development will be 30 percent more efficient than the current Skyactiv powerplants, the company said.

Mazda engineers expect to reach the new levels by cranking up the engine’s compression ratio to 18:1 from the current 14:1. Higher engine compression tends to improve fuel economy by allowing a leaner mix of fuel to combust.

Is there a market in North America for Mazda vehicles with diesel engines?
Last edited by tk1000 on Jul 23rd, 2016 3:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Jul 16, 2012
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I sure hope so. A diesel cx5 or cx9 would be an instant purchase for me. With automakers working to meet emission standards, let's hope there are more diesel options. Have always been a fan
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Mazda should give up on making cars.

Pictured is a typical mazda.

Image
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nabiul wrote: Mazda should give up on making cars.

Pictured is a typical mazda.

Image
Ha. A Ruzda. Are they still like that for the new ones? I'll be holding off to get one.
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30% more efficient engine?
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nabiul wrote: Mazda should give up on making cars.

Pictured is a typical mazda.

Image

Hahaha few more months we can put that in mad max.
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canoek wrote: 30% more efficient engine?
"A new gasoline engine now under development will be 30 percent more efficient than the current Skyactiv powerplants, the company said."
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I'm worried about having such a high compression engine would be the cold start emissions and overall emissions. Isn't direct injection really bad during cold start and the best solution thus far is to have both port and fuel injection to combat this? I know in Europe and some Asian markets, vehicles that have a direct injection engine also feature port injection in order to combat the emissions problem.
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tk1000 wrote: "A new gasoline engine now under development will be 30 percent more efficient than the current Skyactiv powerplants, the company said."
My point was that that's not really gonna happen. 30% gain in an ICE is a lot.
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What's the point in a small company like Mazda to sell diesels in North America? It would be such a waste of time and effort. Even Chevrolet tried selling a Cruze diesel and it failed immensely.
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canoek wrote: My point was that that's not really gonna happen. 30% gain in an ICE is a lot.
This.
Every company out there is trying to squeeze out every last bit of efficiency they can.
The most efficient mass produced gasoline engines in consumer cars are only just reaching 40% thermal efficiency and that took many years of incremental increases of about 1-2% per generation of engine (that's percentage points, or 2.5-5% improvement).
And Mazda is magically going to bump up ~10% in thermal efficiency in a few short years of development?

I mean, it would be great if they could.
But I suspect it won't happen. Or at least not as large a gain.
And they won't be using regular gas, oil, etc.
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aqnd wrote: This.
Every company out there is trying to squeeze out every last bit of efficiency they can.
The most efficient mass produced gasoline engines in consumer cars are only just reaching 40% thermal efficiency and that took many years of incremental increases of about 1-2% per generation of engine (that's percentage points, or 2.5-5% improvement).
And Mazda is magically going to bump up ~10% in thermal efficiency in a few short years of development?

I mean, it would be great if they could.
But I suspect it won't happen. Or at least not as large a gain.
And they won't be using regular gas, oil, etc.
I don't think they meant 30℅ more efficient as a Carnot engine. I think it's 30℅ less fuel consumption, which is achievable under some testing conditions.
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nabiul wrote: Mazda should stop selling cars to Torontonians and ship them out west where they never rust.
Fixed! Not a single rusted Mazda in sight where I live, even the 10+ year old Mazdas. :razz:
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The rust issue on Mazdas years ago is unfortunate but you guys seriously need to move on.

1. It's been a decade since those "rust prone cars were made"

2. Where was Hyundai back in 2004? If Hyundai can improve as much as it has in the last 10 years, Mazda can surely fix a simple rust issue.

3. Have you seen the new design Mazdas? If Honda were to slap their branding on the Mazda6, it would sell better than the current Accord. The interior is perfectly laid out. I know some people hate the infotainment system, but it makes sense. Helps keep eyes on the road
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Bring the diesel Mazda 6 wagon and I will buy.
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rented a mazda 3 and holy ***** was the road noise so bad.
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nayan97 wrote: The rust issue on Mazdas years ago is unfortunate but you guys seriously need to move on.

1. It's been a decade since those "rust prone cars were made"

2. Where was Hyundai back in 2004? If Hyundai can improve as much as it has in the last 10 years, Mazda can surely fix a simple rust issue.

3. Have you seen the new design Mazdas? If Honda were to slap their branding on the Mazda6, it would sell better than the current Accord. The interior is perfectly laid out. I know some people hate the infotainment system, but it makes sense. Helps keep eyes on the road
Saw plenty of rusting mazda's from around 2009, 2010 they all develop that telltale rust around the panel gaps and that oval tail light. Wait a couple of years and current models will be rusting away.

I sat in the new mazda 6 at the 2014 auto show with my family, the ones with the heads up display, it was such cheap plasticy ***** that the mazda rep started getting visibly upset at our comments. He must've been hearing stuff like that all day. The accord on the other hand looked and felt fantastic, if some one had slapped a honda badge on the mazda there would be a lot of pissed off people commenting how honda dropped the ball.
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