As an I6 lover, I gotta say

Hmm. My Alfa lease runs until 2022. Might have to keep an eye out for one of these.

mr2s2000elise said:

Another future sales flop. 

Absolutely.

I would be shocked if there's a market for something like this from Mazda

I'm feeling some heavy Model S vibes from everything but the grill. 

You're gonna need to get a lot more money (wages) into peoples pockets before folks will be rushing out to buy a new Mazda. 

Good potential timing for me to possibly replace the GTI.  Interested for sure.

Ooohhh. I like!

Finally a car manufacturer who lets their heart make the decision rather than follow the conventional "wisdom" that FWD is somehow cheaper to manufacture. I personally don't buy that theory at all, but think that the cost of manufacture is driven by the "difficulty" of the design, and I'm glad to see a proper RWD sedan that isn't a BMW, Lexus or other more expensive brand. Get rid of the Hybrid system, and I might even consider it!  Long live the RWD!

I really wanted to love the i6, I just happened to pick a car that comes with the worst one I've ever seen for power per dollar. 

alfadriver (Forum Supporter) said:

Rons said:

In reply to alfadriver (Forum Supporter) :

Would there also be manufacturing efficiencies through common parts and tooling on variations such as 3,4,5,6 cylinder blocks?

If managers can maintain the discipline to do that, yes.  But that would mean 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 fixed displacement.

I've read that on the current generation skyactiv engines that they scale the whole engine to go from their smallest to largest displacement 4 cylinders. Keeps all the important geometry in the combustion chamber and so on consistent for best power, efficiency and emissions. So they already don't have fixed displacements, but I'd imagine they could basically multiply each by 1.5 to get a six, then adjust the crank for the right firing order and balance with a range of possible displacements.

In reply to RX8driver :

If you did it that way, then none of the parts would be shared.  For the common combustion system, you could have most of the same parts for everything- from the valvetrain down to the rod bolts and everything in between.  The only difference would be the block, crank, and cams.  Which saves a lot of money.

The idea of proportional changes still being the most efficient- that actually remains to be seen.  

I think it's gonna work well. Hybrid drivetrain behind an Inline 6 means this'll be hella smooth, and Mazda has gone upmarket money-wise to those who will be interested in a car like that.

Their most recent stuff is unbelievably sexy.

EDIT: Allegedly, this I6 actually shares DNA with the GM Atlas I6 (aka Vortec 4200)- some have claimed that during the 2008 crisis and bankruptcy GM sold the tooling to Mazda.

I would be absolutely astonished if that engine shared anything at all with the Atlas.

For one, the Atlas was designed nearly twenty years ago. For another, it used a lost-foam casting process that only GM had the persistence to run. For a third, the Mazda Skyactiv-X engine was developed in-house and would require a complete internal redesign to implement on another engine. For a fourth, the 700 and 725 cc per cylinder Atlas architecture meant an engine much bigger than the 500 cc per cylinder Mazda Skyactiv-X; even with a passenger car oil pan it was still TALL - look at the Chevrolet Bel Air concept. 

The Atlas was an interesting engine and TVR should've used it rather than developing their own straight-six, but if Mazda has the tooling for it I don't think they'd dig it out for this car.

Again, allegedly 

In reply to GIRTHQUAKE :

Stranger things have happened in this industry. This would be a real Matthew Slater - a wideout and special teams ace who's the son of a tackle!

Boost_Crazy said:

The straight six makes a lot of sense for a hybrid. I suspect that there would be smoother transition from battery to ICE compared to other layouts.

I cant feel it at all in the wifes prius awd. They've got it pretty well dialed.

It's weird to think of all cars for a straight 6 to make a comeback in, it's with a company not known for them in a car that was FWD for 20 years.  I think the vast majority of Mazda 6 buyers aren't enthusiasts and are moms who just like how they look without knowing or caring about engine size or drivetrain layout.  We'll see how it goes. I think it's making the car that nobody asked for while ignoring the requests people are begging for. 

Can Nissan not just make a BRZ sized car with a 2.4 DI turbo inline 6 for a new Z yet and take my money?

Everyone that's worried about the hybrid should remember that it's a "mild" hybrid. These kinds of systems can be something as easy as a beefier starter motor/generator that's rated for 20HP and is connected to the crankshaft by a belt. Think of it as infill torque at the bottom end of the powerband without having to resort to turbos. Nothing complicated, nothing intrusive, just bonus torque.

You guys all missed the fact that the car they're showing is an illustration by an individual for Car and Driver? It's a wild ass guess at best.

I think more power and RWD would certainly make our '14 Maz6 better, and it's pretty great already.

When is the "speed" version with the twin turbo I6 version going to start making it into rumors?

But really, I like the idea of the I6 in a Mazda 6 type vehicle with a manual trans, but I'm still thinking a Wrangler will be the next new/newer vehicle, unless I find a great deal on an older one that can be a weekend cruiser/toy. 

No Time said:

When is the "speed" version with the twin turbo I6 version going to start making it into rumors?

But really, I like the idea of the I6 in a Mazda 6 type vehicle with a manual trans, but I'm still thinking a Wrangler will be the next new/newer vehicle, unless I find a great deal on an older one that can be a weekend cruiser/toy. 

Coupled with the hybrid I would give this car a very low chance of having a manual trans.

I like this!  We have a 2019 Mazda 6 that we drive daily, and it’s surprisingly sure footed for what it is; easily more connected than the other midsize sedans I’ve driven. If Mrs. Sarcastic would let me get away with it I’d put better tires on it in a heartbeat.

But it’s a lease and it’s not really “ours” so I don’t plan to mess with it. I’m at least happy it doesn’t have a CVT and is pretty fun to wheel around for a glorified rental.

All that is to say that if Mazda cares enough about driving dynamics on the family appliance end of their lineup, I like where this is going. For those of us that are looking for a different answer than Miata, this sounds like a nice option.

Please put one in my 2022 Christmas stocking, right next to the easy button...