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2009 Mazda6: Evolution of "zoom-zoom" began with this sports-infused sedan
SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH
The original Mazda6, introduced for the 2003 model year, made Zoom-Zoom the two most evocative words in the automotive lexicon. This sport sedan was the first Mazda vehicle to benefit from the spirit of a true sports car infused in a five-passenger, 4-door sedan. Lessons learned from the first MAZDA6 and Mazda’s newer vehicles-especially the Mazda CX-7 and award-winning CX-9-encouraged a clean-sheet approach to building the best mid-size sport sedan the US market has ever experienced. Most important, though, this is the first Mazda vehicle designed, engineered, developed, and manufactured on U.S. soil with the intention of surpassing American customer needs in countless categories. Compared to the original MAZDA6, the new edition rides on a 4.5-inch longer wheelbase (109.8-in) with wider front and rear track. This larger package not only facilitates increases in every significant interior measurement, it moves the MAZDA6 from the bottom to the top of the mid-size class as defined by SAE and EPA volume measures. The new powertrains rise to the task of moving the new MAZDA6 with authority. The MAZDA6 i’s new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine has 170-horsepower while the new MAZDA6 s’s 3.7-liter V6 produces a rousing 272 horsepower. Along with output gains ranging from nine to 28 percent, fuel economy also is better. “The next generation 2009 MAZDA6, with its new platform, V6 and I4 engines, suspension, interior and exterior design, and long list of standard and available convenience features is the most sophisticated, purpose-built machine that Mazda has launched in over a decade,” said RobertDavis, Mazda’s senior vice president for product development and quality. “Armed with evolved Zoom-Zoom, the new MAZDA6 is ready to demonstrate its strengths and assume a leadership role in the thriving mid-size segment.” BOLD DESIGN When the MAZDA6 design effort commenced in the spring of 2004, Chief Designer Youichi Sato summed up the opportunity represented by a new sport sedan with worldwide reach as “Time to be Japanese.” Sato challenged all of his designers working on the new MAZDA6 in four studios under his leadership (Hiroshima, Yokohama, Frankfurt, Irvine) to create a wholly fresh, upscale, premium — yet still sporty — appearance for the North American MAZDA6. The bold exterior design of the MAZDA6 features a front fender reminiscent of the one found on today’s RX-8. Sculpture that flows from the front fascia, through the headlamp, over the top of the front-wheel opening, and into the side surface ahead of the front door achieves two aims: it accents the importance of wheels to the MAZDA6’s athletic character and it visually trims the length of the front overhang. The graceful S-curve that flows smoothly from the highest point of the roof to the subtle lip at the very end of the decklid’s top surface and the rear glass that melts into the decklid give he MAZDA6 an exceptionally sleek appearance from any angle. EXQUISITE INTERIOR While a few distinctive Mazda interior design elements, such as round instruments and a three-spoke steering wheel accompanied by a T-shaped instrument panel, were a given from the start of this design project, new priorities called for an otherwise fresh approach. The quality of execution had to be the highest Mazda had ever achieved in any US production. Surface textures, gloss levels, parting lines, and decorative areas all received careful attention. The interior needed an expansive feeling without losing its focus on fun for the driver combined with comfort and safety for all passengers. To achieve that, a bi-level theme was adopted: a roomy bottom zone with solid and safe upper areas. PRECISION A HIGH PRIORITY Providing customers with a vehicle that’s utterly dependable, perfectly designed and manufactured, and pleasing to a broad spectrum of customers is every company’s dream. Achieving these lofty goals requires a deep commitment and the willingness to sweat innumerable details. Elevating the MAZDA6’s quality so that it becomes the mid-size segment’s shining star was a monumental undertaking. More than 50 pre-production MAZDA6s were driven around the clock for more than 800,000 miles each in early 2008. Before leaving the Auto Alliance International (AAI) plant, every production MAZDA6 is run on a chassis dynamometer to check shift quality, electrical performance, and other functions. The base price on a Mazda6 2.5-liter is just $18,550 (plus destination). The six-cylinder model starts at $24,130 (plus destination). A loaded Grand Touring V6 model, with NAV, moonroof, and BOSE audio, will set you back about $32,990.
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