Mazda reveals new inline six-cylinder engines for 2022

Mazda’s document summarising its financial results for the latest quarter, covering July to September 2020, also contained an unexpected reveal: for the first time, it offers a look at part of the new inline six-cylinder engines announced in 2019.

The new powertrains appeared in an informative image on a presentation page titled “Investments to enhance brand value (Technology/Products)”. This section also outlined Mazda’s plans for the next two years and beyond, from extending Mazda Connect 2 to further models - the CX-5, CX-8 and CX-9 - to unspecified updates for current engines and i-Activsense driver-assistance systems.

The most notable announcements, however, concern the new engines and architecture due to arrive by 2022, including the new Mazda inline six-cylinder engines shown below.

Mazda inline six-cylinder engines: what is coming

The document confirms that Mazda will introduce three inline six-cylinder engines: two petrol units and one diesel. The second petrol engine will use Skyactiv-X technology, already familiar from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine fitted to the Mazda3 and CX-30.

Mazda’s new inline six-cylinder engines will be accompanied by a new rear-wheel-drive architecture, which will also support four-wheel drive. It is expected to underpin the Mazda6 successor, a possible coupé - both previewed by the Vision Coupe and RX Vision concepts - and potentially the next CX-5 as well.

Rear-wheel-drive architecture and four-cylinder engines

This new rear-wheel-drive platform will support additional powertrains. It will include longitudinally mounted inline four-cylinder engines, also visible in the main image. Until now, the MX-5 was the only Mazda with this layout, combining a front longitudinal four-cylinder engine with rear-wheel drive; the configuration will now be extended to the new architecture.

Future models based on this platform will also feature a 48 V mild-hybrid system, compared with the 24 V system in the Mazda3 and CX-30. There will also be provision for a plug-in hybrid, represented by the engine-and-transmission unit in the centre of the image. Mazda’s electrification efforts up to 2022 will additionally include the Wankel engine as a range extender, scheduled to reach the MX-30 in 2022 and potentially other models afterwards.

Further Mazda technology and electrification developments

Although the glimpse of the inline six-cylinder engines takes centre stage, Mazda’s near-term plans extend beyond them. The brand will introduce over-the-air updates and other connectivity-related features, while for the period after 2022 it has already confirmed that it is developing a new platform for its next-generation electric vehicles.

The latest quarterly financial results showed unfavourable figures as a result of the pandemic affecting everyone, including a loss of roughly €212 million. Even so, Mazda does not appear set to slow its pace over the coming years, with no shortage of new developments in the pipeline.

Like the rest of the industry, Mazda is optimising and reviewing its processes, including production procedures, to address the consequences of Covid-19. One objective of the revised plans it has presented is to lower its break-even point, but the investment amounts agreed before Covid have not changed.