Thursday, January 30, 2014

Mazda’s SKYACTIV diesel covered 2,826 miles in the Rolex 24


With two prototype SKYACTIV racers, Mazda has demonstrated that their diesel engine has come a long way since its debut at last year’s Rolex 24.

On Saturday, January 25th, Mazda unleashed a duo of clean diesel powered prototype racers that saw years of research culminate into an impressive demonstration of endurance and engineering at Daytona International Speedway at the 52nd Rolex 24.

Just like last year, Mazda was unable to complete the race but unlike last year, the engine was not a factor in an early retirement.

The number 07 car last the duration of the race up until the final hour when an oil-pump belt failure caused a loss of oil pressure and a forced retirement. The number 70 car also faced an accessory related failure when the radiator became clogged causing the car to overheat and forcing it to retire after completing just over 1,300 miles of continuous high speed racing. Combined, both cars lasted a total of 2,826 miles!

John Doonan, Director of Mazda Motorsports, said that within the short amount of time the SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel prototype “we are very satisfied with the progress our team has achieved. That said, this is a multi-year development program and we won’t be happy until we start winning.”

The SKYACTIV-D is performing stronger than it has in previous endurance races and is a sign that Mazda is close to perfecting their diesel engine.

For more information about Mazda vehicles including technical specifications, visit SportMazdaOrlando.com.

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