You can talk in general terms about lighter bodies in white and reduced frictional losses, but there's a lot going on with the new Skyactiv chassis architecture and gasoline/diesel engine family that's launching in the 2013 Mazda CX-5. So part of Mazda's advertising strategy is to release videos (and eventually apps) that try to explain all of it (well, some of it) to us.
Here are the first couple, as Mazda's lead chassis man Norihiro Tomita and powertrain expert Susumu Niinai spend about a minute and a half each describing some of thinking behind the new chassis and engines.
bodyblue says:
08:05 AM, 10/ 4/11
It cracks me up that we get all of this info on a Mazda engine but there has been nothing like this on IL for the Pentastar....frankly an engine that Chrysler bet the farm on. Mazda at best is a niche player in the US.
cr_driver says:
09:16 AM, 10/ 4/11
BB
It is not just engine information, or just a new engine we are talking about here. Goes far beyond that, it is actually very good. Its chassis, transmissions, engines, both diesel and gasoline.
It "runs deep" LOL
Just relax, and enjoy it BB. It is info for the "enthusiast" readers of IL, very good info, and that is why we are here. We value cars not because how much they sell to the average Joe, otherwise all the info here would be about Corollas, Camrys and F-150s, right? LOL
Mazda likes its position very much, they don`t want to appeal to the mainstream buyer, is for the buyer who cares about driving, that`s why they even say it is for the discerning few. So you saying they are a niche player, it is probably a compliment for them, ha!
At least it is not TMZ crap, huh? LOL
abqhudson says:
12:36 PM, 10/ 4/11
Edmunds should be ashamed: The blatant misrepresentation of the headline - "First Drive: 2013 Mazda CX-5" is absurd. You folks make car salesmen look good. No thanks, I'll get my automotive news elsewhere.
ocramidajzj says:
08:04 AM, 10/ 5/11
Nice I love this about Mazda. Very engineering and truth driven, rather than other baseless marketing machines. I got to hand it to Mazda marketing. They're finally driving to a very solid and unquestionable company identity. Zoom-Zoom kinda started it, but the recent elaborations (i.e."What do you drive") to what "Zoom-Zoom" actually means are hitting the nail on the head with a sledgehammer.
Can't wait to see how Skyactive goes.
Bodyblue why all the conspiracy theories? I would venture to say that the Pentastar engine is not at the level of Skyactive. Sure it's a ncie engine but Skyactiv is about a paradigm shift in the way Mazda is BUILDING cars and how they plan on competing with the "eco" sensibilities of the time, while still keeping true to their driver-first philosophy.
By Comparison the Pentastar is no different than improvements to any other internal combustion engine. IMO