Fresh rumours of a rear-drive six-cylinder Mazda6 surface

There’s a fresh twist in the long-running next-generation Mazda6 saga, which started back at the 2017 Tokyo motor show with the reveal of the sleek four-door Vision Coupe concept and continued with reports of straight-six power and rear-wheel drive for a new Mazda6 sports sedan in 2020.

Despite recent official indications there would not be a fourth-generation Mazda6 due to slowing sales of medium and large sedans – and the fact Mazda’s new transverse-engine, rear/all-wheel drive Large Product Group platform was intended only for SUVs – a new report claims the success of models like the CX-60 and CX-90 has convinced Mazda to proceed with a sleek new six-cylinder rear-drive replacement for the popular mid-sizer after all.

The intel comes from Japanese outlet Best Car, which claims the fourth-generation Mazda6 will be radically different to the current version by adopting a rear-drive four-door ‘coupe’ configuration with a 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder powerplant under the bonnet.

If this sounds familiar it’s because it’s similar to the layout of the Mazda CX-60 and CX-90, which are available exclusively in all-wheel drive form in Australia but pack a 3.3-litre turbo-petrol six developing either 209kW/450Nm or 254kW/500Nm depending on the application.

Rear-drive and outputs like that would position the new Mazda6 as a Japanese rival for mid-size European executive sedans like the Alfa Romeo Giulia, BMW 3 and 4 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, as well as the Genesis G70 and even EVs like the Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2 and Hyundai IONIQ 6.

Best Car claims the new model would be aimed primarily at the North American market and Mazda’s new 3.3-litre turbo-diesel six and 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid powertrains are also speculated to join the fray, in effect making the next Mazda6 a low-slung, four-door coupe version of the aforementioned SUVs.

However, the Japanese report cites anonymous sources for its information and, given the on-off-on history of the Mk4 Mazda6 project, readers should take it with a pinch of salt. And even if it eventually proves true, don’t expect to see the vehicle for at least a few more years.

Mazda Australia made it clear in May that the current Mazda6 20th Anniversary is not a farewell special and that the current-generation mid-sizer – which dates back to 2012 – would continue to be available for at least a few more years.

Then again, earlier this year Mazda said the new CX-90 would not spell the end of the popular CX-9, but a month later announced it would axe the popular large SUV by the end of this year to make way for the new CX-80 and CX-90.

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