Mazda rules out more turbo models

Fresh from the reveal of its first turbocharged SKYACTIV-G (petrol) model — the all-new CX-9 — at the Los Angeles motor show, Mazda says there are no immediate plans to extend turbo-petrol power across the rest of its line-up.

Delivering 186kW and 420Nm – making it slightly less powerful but more muscular than the 3.7-litre petrol V6 in the old CX-9 – the new 2.5-litre turbo four would have been ideal for powering born-again versions of the Mazda3, Mazda6 and perhaps even the first MX-5 MPS.

However, Mazda’s global president and CEO, Masamichi Kogai, reiterated the view of other senior company executives recently  but again ruling out the reincarnation of an MPS performance sub-brand any time soon, as Mazda concentrates on developing its all-new RX rotary coupe.

Kogai said the Japanese manufacturer’s existing range already provided ‘driving enjoyment’, and that offering more horsepower was an option not compatible with current thinking.

“What we have done with the current sixth-generation model [range] is to include that kind of great performance across the board, so that customers can be really happy with that performance,” explained Kogai-san.

“Therefore we don’t have any special or specific vehicles which we call MazdaSpeed {as MPS was known in Japan] because every [model] is like MazdaSpeed.”

Sporty versions of mainstream models sell well in Australia, where the local Mazda subsidiary and its dealers have long desired a replacement for the old Mazda3 MPS to tempt buyers of small hot hatches like the Volkswagen Golf GTI – which accounts for one in all five Golfs sold here -- and Ford Focus ST.

Indeed, as we reported exclusively in April, the car-maker had made plans to reveal a new Mazda3 MPS concept at the Frankfurt motor show in September, but decided instead to reveal the Koeru concept, which previews and all-new 'SUV-coupe' to be called CX-4 or CX-6, followed by the RX concept at Tokyo last month.

Mazda’s 3, 6 and CX-5 all share a common modular chassis architecture with the new CX-9, and as such are capable of housing the just-released 2.5-litre turbocharged engine.

Although the engine has been designed specifically with SUV-focussed low-rpm torque delivery in mind, a revised version of the new engine – or a turbo version of Mazda’s existing 2.0-litre SKYACTIV-G engine – would make perfect sense for MPS models.

“We don’t want to deviate from policy of applying the latest technology or cutting-edge technology all across the board, and at this time as you’re probably aware, we significantly upgraded the technology of our CX-5 and Mazda6… and it’s those types of things that we’d like to keep continuing. We are not going to change that policy,” stressed Kogai-san.

However, Mazda's global chief indicated the company was on track to introduce ground-breaking Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) technology in its next-generation SKYACTIV II petrol engines.

As revealed by motoring.com.au last year, the diesel-style high-compression sparkless petrol ignition system, which other car-makers have tried but failed to develop for production, will debut in the next CX-5 – the first member of Mazda's seventh-generation model range to appear from 2017 – reducing fuel consumption to under 5.0L/100km.

“The turbocharger is a costly device, so our first option is to have naturally-aspirated engines,” said Kogai. “We are going to have further improvement of the compression ratio… and I think HCCI is a possible direction we might seek.”