Mazda’s latest crossover concept revealed to the public

This week, Mazda unveiled the Koeru crossover concept for the first time to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The Koeru is built on the same wheelbase structure as the CX-5. However, when it’s compared to the CX-5, the Koeru’s body is 2.4 inches longer, 2.4 inches wider, and 6.6 inches shorter in body size. It also strongly resembles the rest of Mazda’s KODO designed lineup, such as the Mazda6 and CX-3.

That makes it too small to be the next three-row CX-9 SUV, which is set to debut at this November’s L.A. Auto Show.

Could this be the return of the CX-7?

Mazda ended manufacturing CX-7s in 2012 after a six year production run and modest sales numbers. A refresh with the KODO Soul of Motion design language after a brief hiatus could help Mazda have a strong contender in the highly competitive crossover SUV market.

Whatever Mazda plans for the Koeru will be known in the future, as for now, we can have an idea of what the future of Mazda’s crossover plans look like.

We hope to have more news to share from the Frankfurt Motor Show as it continues through the rest of the week.

If you’re interested in learning more about Mazda vehicle models, check out our online Mazda model research center.

Source:  CarandDriver.com

2017 Mazda CX-9 sightings reported weeks ahead of its debut

Next week Mazda plans to unveil to the public the newly redesigned 2017 Mazda CX-9 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Some lucky auto fans were able to catch a sneak peek of it weeks ahead of the rest of the public by being at the right place at the right time.

The picture of the swirly zebra looking 2017 Mazda CX-9 below was taken at the end of August in California.

You can tell in the picture that it’s finally joining the rest of the SKYACTIV lineup with the similar KODO Soul of Motion design. However, this is actually based on the 2016 Mazda Koeru SUV concept that will debut alongside the CX-9 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The CX-9 has deserved a much needed refresher for years. It’s remained virtually unchanged since Ford sold their financial stake in Mazda in 2008. With the CX-9 getting the SKYACTIV treatment, Mazda will finally have a strong competitor in the full size SUV class.

While we won’t know the specs of the 2017 Mazda CX-9 until next week, YouTube user Carspotter Jeroen caught a glimpse of what appears to be a test mule CX-9 that doesn’t have the new SKYACTIV body style yet but can still give you a little insight to how it performs.


We’ll have more about the 2017 Mazda CX-9 after next week’s debut.

If you're interested in learning more about the smaller siblings of the CX-9, check out our 2016 Mazda CX-3 and 2016 Mazda CX-5 research pages.

Source: TopSpeed.com

RUMOR: Return of the Mazdaspeed3 in 2016?

Since the launch of the 2014 Mazda3 in September 2013, Mazda enthusiasts have raised their voices demanding a new Mazdaspeed3. Unfortunately, the launch of the redesigned 3 signaled the end of Mazda’s popular hot hatch.

The latest batch of rumors come straight from the Japanese motor magazine Holiday Auto which claims to have an inside scoop on Mazda’s plans for the relaunch of the Mazdaspeed3.

Recent rumors indicated that Mazda was aiming to outfit the Mazda3 with a turbo diesel engine which would be released as the new Mazdaspeed3. Word on the street, or at least Holiday Auto, now indicates Mazda has ditched the plan for a turbo diesel in favor of a turbocharged variant of the 2.5-liter gasoline engine currently found in the s Touring and s Grand Touring trims in the US for the 2014 Mazda3.

Mazda corporate in Japan has denied rumors about turbo, especially concerns that the high compression ratio of the SKYACTIV-G engine paired with a turbo would create problems. However, the source makes it clear that the problem “has been already solved.”

The source also told Holiday Auto that we can expect to see All-Wheel-Drive on the new Mazdaspeed3 which would be the first compact Mazda to receive the AWD treatment.

If the rumors are true, we can expect the return of the Mazdaspeed3 in 2016.

For more information about the current 2014 Mazda3, please visit our convenient research guides created by the Mazda Experts at Don Mealey’s Sport Mazda in Orlando, Florida.

Via: CarsGuide.com.au

Mazda’s Hazumi concept gives Geneva a glimpse at the new Mazda2

It’s time to move on. Ford’s 31 year partnership with Mazda ended in 2010 but there are still remnants of that past still ingrained in some of their models, especially the Mazda2.

Enter the Hazumi concept. The newest design concept by Mazda was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show this week and introduced as the new look of the second generation of Mazda2 subcompacts.

Images and details from the Geneva Motor Show has indicated that the 2015 Mazda2 will be similar in tech loadout like the 2014 Mazda3. Present on the concept model at the show was an active driving (heads up) display, new infotainment system, commander switch, and a backseat commander switch with miniature screen. The new 2015 Mazda2 will be equipped with Mazda’s newest car connectivity system called Mazda Connect 2. There is enough tech to make any driver that craves comfort and convenience envious.

Along with the introduction of the Hazumi concept was the announcement of a 1.5 liter small-displacement clean diesel engine named the SKYACTIV-D 1.5.

Currently there is no launch date for the Mazda2 but the launch window is anticipated for a Fall 2014 release.

For more information about the 2014 Mazda2 and other Mazda vehicles, visit the home of the Mazda Experts at SportMazdaOrlando.com.

Mazda’s next concept set to debut at Geneva Motor Show

The Takeri concept set Mazda ahead of its competition by injecting a bold assertive style reimagining the look of the Mazda3 and Mazda6, as well as bringing life to the CX-5.

On March 4^th at the 84^th Geneva Motor Show, Mazda will unveil the Takeri’s little brother, Hazumi, which means “bound” or “spring up” in Japanese.

The Hazumi concept is slated to be the next design language of the agile subcompact Mazda2 which has remained unchanged since its launch North American launch in 2010.

Another announcement that Mazda has planned is the unveiling of the small-displacement SKYACTIV-D clean diesel 1.5 liter engine which is anticipated to power the next Mazda2.

We’ll know more about the future of Mazda diesel and the Mazda2 next month in Geneva.

For more information about Mazda vehicles or parts, visit SportMazdaOrlando.com.

2014 Mazda SKYACTIV racing prototype brings diesel back to Daytona

The SKYACTIV-D diesel engine returns to Daytona in the inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship at the 2014 Rolex 24. Last year, a trio of turbo diesel equipped 2014 Mazda6’s failed to finish the 24 hour endurance race due to mechanical issues that have since been fixed and even earned Mazda the first diesel victory for the Grand Am class at Road Atlanta in July.

Next weekend, Mazda will be taking a pair of its latest racer dubbed the 2014 SKYACTIV Prototype through the paces around Daytona International Speedway.

The diesel engine used in the new prototype is identical to the specifications of the diesel engine found in the race modified Mazda6’s. The engine contains 51 percent of the original stock parts and weighs 37 percent lighter than the retail version.

At 451 brake horsepower with 581 pound-feet of torque, Mazda is squeezing every last bit of raw power that the SKYACTIV-D diesel engine is capable of outputting.

The Rolex 24 will run from January 25 to 26 with almost every automaker under the sun participating.

For more information about the benefits of SKYACTIV technology, please visit us at SportMazdaOrlando.com.

Via: AutoBlog.com

Five great and five not so great Mazdas

This month, Mazda sold its ten millionth vehicle, a Mazda3, after 43 years of automotive sales. The Mazda Experts at Don Mealey’s Sport Mazda, an Orlando Mazda dealer in Florida, have witnessed a growth in loyal Mazda owners over the years with SKYACTIV being a large factor with newer owners.

To celebrate this sales milestone, AutoWeek featured a list of five Mazdas they found great and five they found to be too weird to be true.

Showing up on the list of great Mazdas is the dearly departed Mazda Furai concept car that wowed crowds at car shows around the world until it caught fire during a photo shoot for the popular Top Gear automotive publication and international television program.

The Mazda REPU

AutoWeek rated the short-lived Mazda REPU as one of the five worst Mazdas built. The REPU’s legacy is that it is the first and only rotary engine pickup truck during a time when Mazda was using the rotary in practically everything.

For more information about Mazda vehicles, visit the Mazda research center provided by the Mazda Experts at Sport Mazda. Visit our website at SportMazdaOrlando.com.

Via: AutoWeek.com

Mazda and Clemson’s collaboration brings life to a new concept

In a special collaboration with Clemson University, automotive engineering graduate students helped bring life to a student designed concept named the Mazda Deep Orange 3. Students from Clemson presented the chassis at last year’s 2012 SEMA automotive show. Earlier this week, they were finally able to show off the fully dressed concept at the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing. The exterior design is based off a concept that was created by Frederick Naaman coming from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

You can see a strong resemblance in the bodies of the Shinari and Deep Orange 3 concepts.

The Deep Orange 3 is strikingly similar to the Shinari concept car that Mazda introduced in 2010 that eventually evolved into the Takeri concept that influenced the 2014 Mazda6, CX-5 and soon to be released Mazda3. This student built concept is unique to any retail Mazda due to its special hybrid transmission that shifts between front, rear and all-wheel drive automatically. The Deep Orange 3 is able to switch to separate drive shifts with help from its gas engine to power the front and its electric engine to power the rear. While there is no plans to release a Mazda based on this concept, it is no doubt a piece of art for automotive engineers to draw inspiration.

For more information about new Mazda vehicles, visit SportMazdaOrlando.com.

Will Mazda Move into Premium Mini Market?

Mazda is apparently looking into moving into the premium sub-B class auto market, a class of vehicle it has never ventured into before. As a new and pre-owned dealership in Central Florida, we at Don Mealey’s Sport Mazda have sold used mini cars in the past and understand that customers looking for that type of vehicle are primarily using it for local transportation. A move into this class would finally allow us to offer premium small car shoppers a warm welcome into the Mazda family.

The Mazda Kiyora Concept

In an interview with Auto Car, vice-president of research and development at Mazda Europe, Ichiro Hirose, hinted that Mazda could have a mini ready in the next two or three years. This isn’t the first time the Japanese automaker has attempted to venture into this market. In 2008, the Kiyora concept fit the bill of the premium sub-B class but never came to fruition. We will keep our ear to the ground for future announcements about a possible mini Mazda. For more information on Mazda vehicles, parts, and services, visit SportMazdaOrlando.com.

2012 Custom Car Show Gives a Glimpse of Mazda Creativity

Mazda’s showing at the 2012 SEMA Show this year brought on the eye candy with three customized concept CX-5s that brought out the best of this beautiful compact crossover. The bloggers at AutoBlog.com went to the show in Las Vegas and captured plenty of pictures and details of these special concepts. Taking a look at the future of Skyactiv, the CX-5 Dempsey concept was stocked with a 2.2-liter Skyactiv-D diesel engine, the first seen in a North American spec CX-5.

Check out their article and photo gallery of all three concepts that any Mazda aficionado will appreciate. For more information about the Mazda CX-5 and Skyactiv, visit SportMazdaOrlando.com. The Mazda Experts at Don Mealey’s Sport Mazda in Orlando, FL are knowledgeable resources of information and can help anyone in person that is interested in a Mazda in the Central Florida area.

Takeri Concept Versus The 2014 Mazda 6: Can You Spot The Differences?

When the Takeri concept car was unveiled last year, Mazda indicated that the 2014 Mazda6 would be based on this industry innovating model. Mazda dealers in Orlando have been anticipating the demand for the new Mazda 6 for the past year since teasing car enthusiasts with the Takeri concept. With the recent appearances of the new Mazda 6 in Paris, Moscow and Australia, MotorTrend.com took all the facts known about the new model and the Takeri concept and ran a visual comparison.

It is very interesting to note that unlike most production models, the 2014 Mazda 6 looks identical to the Takeri concept, which isn’t very common in the auto industry. Look for the new 2014 Mazda 6 in the future. For more information on new Mazdas and future models, visit SportMazdaOrlando.com. The Mazda Experts at Don Mealey’s Sport Mazda in Orlando, FL are available 7 days a week and can help you with your Mazda questions.