Mazda has shown a new six-cylinder in-line petrol engine. Previously, the company did not produce such internal combustion engines.
Mazda's main engines for many years have been in-line "fours" of the Skyactive line. The most advanced development of the company is considered Skyactiv-X, which uses compression ignition of the fuel mixture, as in diesel units. The rotary engine will soon be available again. It is planned to be used to recharge the battery in models with a series hybrid installation. Given the imminent transition to electric vehicles, many automakers are already abandoning the development of new generation internal combustion engines. But Mazda went its own way.
Mazda hasn't had six-cylinder engines for a long time. The last cars with this type of internal combustion engine were the first and second generation Mazda 6 sedans for the North American market, but they were equipped with the Ford Duratec V6, that is, this engine had little to do with the Japanese company. At the same time, Mazda never installed in-line “sixes” at all.
Taking into account the fact that a turbo version of the 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G, whose power reaches 250 hp, appeared relatively recently in the company's assortment, the question may arise: why was a new engine with a supposedly close return needed at all?
The thing is that Mazda has been developing a fundamentally new automotive platform with a longitudinal internal combustion engine and rear-wheel drive for several years. It is on it that the next generation Mazda 6 will be built, which for the first time in the history of the “sixes” will abandon the usual transverse arrangement of the engine and front-wheel drive.
As a result, Mazda 6 will take a big step towards the premium segment. And to match it, a new motor is required. While the company has only released pictures of it, the specs have not been revealed. It is only known that there will be three versions at once: gasoline (Skyactiv-G), diesel (Skyactiv-D) and Skyactiv-X (petrol with compression ignition).
The debut of the new Mazda 6 is scheduled for the end of 2022. This model will be the first to receive the new straight-six.
Mazda showed a new row "six"
