Mazda Gets What It Wants: 2008 Tribute Hybrid
January 8th, 2007
After years of jealousy watching the parent company Ford ride the wave and take control of the surging hybrid vehicle market with its Escape hybrid, Mazda finally gets what it wanted all along. It got a hybrid version of the mechanically identical Tribute. To be called the Tribute HEV, the environmentally friendly vehicle will make Mazda the last Japanese brand to offer a hybrid vehicle, when it’s launched sometime toward the middle of this year.
Mazda Invests In Ford’s Chinese Venture
December 26th, 2006
The Chinese government has approved Mazda’s investment in Ford’s Chinese joint venture Changan Ford Automobile. Mazda has decided to take a 15% holding in the company, which is to going be renamed Changan Ford Mazda Automobile, and further moves to strengthen its hold are now expected. The deal will leave Ford with a 35% holding and Changan with the remaining 50%.
The three-way partnership bewtween Mazda, Ford and Changan has been developing fast over the past two years. The three parties are jointly building a brand new vehicle assembly plant in Nanjing, the second manufacturing base of CFMA, which is able to produce both Mazda and Ford brand cars. The operation of the Nanjing assembly plant is expected in 2007, with an initial annual capacity of 160,000 units.
2006 MazdaSpeed 6
December 19th, 2006
The Mazdaspeed 6 is the fastest, best handling sedan that was built. Everything that makes the Mazda 6 sedan so unique and exciting has been enhanced for more power and performance, from the 274-hp engine to the AWD drivetrain. And in the midst of delivering this unparalleled performance, it keeps you comfortable and relaxed like only a Mazda 6 can.
All new for 2006, the Mazdaspeed 6 is the fastest accelerating, best handling and most advanced sport sedan Mazda has ever built. The heart of the Mazdaspeed 6 is the MZR 2.3 Direct Injection Spark Ignition (DISI) Turbo engine. Taking advantage of the inherent cooling and efficiency of direct gasoline injection, Mazda applied a fast-spooling single-scroll turbo to supply up to 15 psi of boost, resulting in 280 lb-ft of torque at only 3,000 rpm.
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