It's Miller time

Barely a day after announcing the rotary engine's fortieth anniversary (more here), Mazda has announced that the next Mazda2 will be fitted with another innovative engine, but this one uses pistons.

Not since the unlamented Millenia has Mazda had a Miller-cycle engine in its armament. The Millenia was originally marketed as the Eunos 800 in Australia, before Mazda took its Lexus-rivalling brand out the back and quietly put it to sleep.

Unlike the Millenia, the new Mazda2 will be naturally aspirated. Where the Millenia relied partly on forced induction to compress the fuel charge, the Mazda2 will work the same trick with variable valve timing alone.

Delaying the closing of the intake valves is the key to improving engine efficiency, according to Mazda. The variable valve timing can adjust the intake valves' operation for further efficiencies in cruising mode.

The new engine displaces 1.3 litres and is one of the MZR family engines. Mazda claims 23.0 km/L fuel consumption, which equates to 4.35 litres/100km -- a reported improvement of 20 per cent over the current model. Some of that improvement is attributable to the new engine, but some can also be traced back to the new CVT transmission and an overall weight reduction of 100kg, compared with the current car.

Emissions are also considerably lower than the current car's. The Mazda2's emissions are 75 per cent lower than the Japanese 2005 standard, qualifying the new car as a 'Super Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle' (SU-LEV).

Look out for full details of the new Mazda2 on the Carsales Network, following the international launch around the middle of June.

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