Let’s keep this simple. You want the juice, the news, the lowdown, the gossip on everything Mazda….
Well good news! We have some great rumors for you here, and a little dose of truth. Let’s take a dive.
Mazda CX-3
First up, the Mazda CX-3. This lightweight, compact crossover should be going toe to toe with the Nissan Juke and other compact SUVs. Rumor has it that it should be powered by the 2.0L SkyActiv, likely the same one in the Mazda3. To be clear, this little gem won’t have to be waited on for very long. The CX-3 is set to release next spring, and better yet, debuting at the LA Auto Show in less than a month. Yep, we should have our hands on this guy sooner than later!
2016 Mazdaspeed
Then again, you probably didn’t come here for news on a compact crossover that has killer gas mileage, room, and the practicality of a sedan/suv/compact car blended into one. You’re probably here for this: the 2016 Mazdaspeed. Though there still aren’t any confirmed dates or models, we keep getting “insider rumors”. According to Motortrend and their “insider”:
“What gets added to the lineup in addition to those cars is the interesting bit… the company plans to focus heavily on development of niche products, or in other words, special editions.”
Special editions? Sounds like Mazdaspeeds to me! Any other “special editions” you can think of? Nope. I’m sold. Motortrend also states that a 2016 Mazda 6 Coupe will be released (see their rendering below).
Hatchbacks
As exciting as a coupe is, we tend to be bigger fans of Hatchbacks, specifically hatchback Mazdaspeed 3’s. So what does Motortrend think we have in store?
“Another important niche model is also planned for 2016: the much-anticipated Mazdaspeed3. This hot hatch will employ a 2.5-liter Skyactiv G turbocharged gasoline engine pumping out more than 300 hp and incorporating a new lightweight all-wheel drive system. To add even more spice to the company’s lineup, we can also expect to see Mazdaspeed versions of the Mazda2 and Mazda6.”
Wait, what? Mazdaspeed 3, Mazdaspeed 2, and Mazdaspeed 6? I’m all ears.
But will it happen? Looking at Mazda’s past, they certainly have touched most of their smaller cars with the hand of Mazdaspeed. Protege, MX-5, the 3 and the 6 all have been turboed and “Mazdaspeedified” before, so doing the 3 and 6 again is a no brainer…
But the 2? I think it’s highly possible. Most likely, the Mazda MX-5 will get a Mazdaspeed version before any of the other cars, and then they’ll dump the same engine in the new Mazda 2. Why not?
Whatever Mazda decides to do, we’re pumped. Looking at the models they have cranked out in the past 2 years have been impressive and we are very excited for more models and specifically their “niche…special editions”.
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Sources: Jalopnik | MotorTrend