A production car engine with a compression ratio as high as 14.0 to one?
A Diesel engine with a compression ratio as LOW as 14.0 to one?
Electric Power-Assisted Steering that actually delivers road feel?
An automatic transmission that shifts as quickly as a dual-clutch gearbox but with much better smoothness?
A manual transmission designed for front-wheel drive applications that shifts almost as crisply as a Mazda Miata?
Hello, Mazda CX-5.
This will be the first of a whole series of new Mazdas which will apply the above technologies, collectively referred to as ‘SKYACTIV’. We previewed all this about a year ago - now it’s all coming to fruition.
The CX-5 is also Mazda’s first home-grown entry in the burgeoning compact cross-over segment, which starts going on sale in various markets in Spring of 2012. It will replace the badge-engineered Ford Escape sold as the Tribute; production of that vehicle has stopped, and when current dealer stocks are exhausted, that’ll be it.
OK, you won’t be able to get the above colour scheme in the CX-5. Astigmatism sufferers, be very, very thankful.
The camouflage is because we drove prototype vehicles with all the combinations of the above powertrains in Iceland earlier this week, and Mazda doesn’t want to show everything until the car’s public unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13.
We’ll have more details on CX-5 in this weekend’s Wheels.
Yeah, I know I promised you more details on the new Maseratis this weekend too, but that’ll have to wait.
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