MAZDA6: STANDING OUT FROM ITS CLASS

New Carbon Edition Adds Unique Styling to Dynamic Performance

•New wireless Apple CarPlay now available

•Added Carbon Edition provides an even stronger opportunity to stand out with exclusive color scheme and styling

•Mazda6 goes on sale with a starting MSRP1 of $24,325 and will arrive at dealerships later this month

From its distinctive styling and crafted interior to its engaging driving dynamics, the Mazda6 delivers an appeal unlike other midsize sedans. A long list of advanced technologies and safety features conveys a quiet confidence. The new Carbon Edition furthers the Mazda6's individuality and helps reflects the owner's discerning tastes. Mazda North American Operations today announces the 2021 Mazda6 will arrive in dealerships later this month.

The 2021 Mazda6 Sport now comes standard with Apple CarPlayTM and Android AutoTM capabilities. To deliver a smooth driving experience, the Mazda6 is equipped with a standard Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine capable of 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque on either regular (87 octane) or premium (93 octane) fuel, paired with a quick-shifting, six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift and sport modes, G-Vectoring Control Plus and front-wheel drive. The full suite of i-Activsense safety features, which includes Mazda Radar Cruise Control with stop and go function, Advanced Smart City Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection, Smart Brake Support with Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning with Lane-Keep Assist and Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert are all standard. Inside, occupants can enjoy the Mazda Connect infotainment system with eight-inch full color, touch screen display, six-speaker audio system, Bluetooth phone and audio pairing, two USB inputs, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, cloth seats, dual-zone climate control, push button start, remote keyless entry and electronic parking brake. Additional standard premium features that provide convenience and style include automatic on/off headlights, High Beam Control, rain sensing windshield wipers, rearview camera, LED headlight with auto-leveling, LED taillights and 17-inch gun metallic aluminum alloy wheels.

Mazda6 Touring upgrades to leatherette-trimmed seats, heated front seats, six-way power driver's seat with manual lumbar support, Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry System, power moonroof, 19-inch gun metallic aluminum alloy wheels, two rear seat USB charging ports and rear air conditioning vents.

Focused on authentic and enriching experiences, the Mazda6 Grand Touring boasts the responsive Skyactiv-G 2.5 Turbo engine, which can generate a robust 320 lb-ft of torque and 250 horsepower with premium (93 octane) fuel or 310 lb-ft of torque and 227 horsepower with regular (87 octane) fuel. A new turbo badge is also added to the trunk to help identify the powertrain. New for 2021, the Mazda6 Grand Touring will feature wireless Apple CarPlayTM – a first for the brand. This trim level also adds Bose® 11-speaker premium audio, SiriusXM® satellite radio with three-month trial subscription, auto-diming rearview mirror with Homelink, heated door mirrors with driver's side auto-dimming and paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Mazda6 Grand Touring Reserve incorporates many premium features typically found in luxury midsize sedans. These include features such as a windshield-projected, full-color Active Driving Display head-up unit, Adaptive Front-lighting System, black or Parchment leather-trimmed seats, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, automatic power folding door mirrors, windshield wiper de-icer, eight-way power and memory driver's seat with power lumbar support and six-way power passenger's seat. Traffic Sign Recognition is available with the optional Mazda Navigation System accessory installed. The styling is enhanced with a sophisticated, yet sporty 19-inch bright silver finish aluminum alloy wheels, LED signature headlights and a rear lip spoiler.

New this year, the Carbon Edition shares similar features to the Mazda6 Grand Touring Reserve and adds unique styling to encourage fans to go against the grain. The Carbon Edition features Polymetal Gray exterior paint, gloss black rear lip spoiler, gloss black door mirrors and 19-inch black metallic aluminum alloy wheels. The interior has red leather seats with black cross stitching and black hairline interior accents on the dash and door panels. The dash and center console armrest add red stitching to help bring the color scheme together.

The top-trim Mazda6 Signature is an aspirational trim level that exemplifies Mazda designers' abilities to create an uncompromised blend of premium styling, dynamic performance and intuitive amenities. The elegant design starts with the gunmetal front grille and leads to the sophisticated interior, available in either Parchment or Deep Chestnut Nappa leather, adorned with authentic Japanese Sen wood and gilded UltraSuede interior accents. A 360º View Monitor with front and rear parking sensors, seven-inch TFT reconfigurable digital gauge display, Mazda Navigation System, Traffic Sign Recognition and SiriusXM three-year Traffic and Travel Link subscription add to the convenience and safety of the Mazda6 Signature. The black headliner, auto-dimming frameless rearview mirror with Homelink, gunmetal front grille, LED ambient lights and unique stitching on the leather-wrapped steering wheel complete the heightened look and feel.

by Mazda

The 2003 Mazda 6 four-door sedan was the successor to the Mazda 626 which ran from 1979 until 2002. The 6 was introduced just one month after the 626 ended production in August of 2002 to speedily fill the sales gap. The Mazda 6 was designed to appeal to a slightly sportier, less utilitarian buyer. 'It is the first new product to represent what Mark Fields, president of Mazda Motor Corporation, calls 'Mazda's brand DNA.' This DNA rules that Mazda be a car that is styling, insightful and spirited.

Marketed in Japan as the Atenza, the Mazda6 is a mid-sided sedan and station wagon. Te first-generation models had the ‘feel' of European company vehicles, while the second generation models were made larger for family passenger comfort though still maintaining Mazda's exceptional handling abilities. The 6's platform was also used on Ford Fusion, the Mercury Milan, the Lincoln MKX and Zephyr, as well as Ford's SUV's and minivans. Though there has been some talk of the production of a coupe and cabriolet, as of yet, these haven't materialized. Since its inception in 2002, more than 1 million Mazda6 cars have been sold.

The Mazda 6 continued to be built around a uni-body structure and was also still built at the AutoAlliance plant in Flat Rock, Michigan and continues to be a front-drive car with the engine situated transversely in the nose. The 6 is still a very conventional car, but the suspension is all-new with a sophisticated double-wishbone system up front and a supple multilink system in the rear. The station wagon is 187.8 inches long and weighed 3,404 lbs. The Mazda6 5-door station wagon featured the Mazda logo, the single or double horizontal front grill bars and the aggressive air dam gave both the sedan and the wagons a sporty look. It also featured a room, well-appointed interior.

The engines were both all-aluminum units with the base powerplant being a 2.3-liter, DOHC, 16-valve four that due to the variable valve timing, rated at 150 hp. Optional, the DOHC, 24-valve, V6 displaces 3.0 liters and also using variable timing is rated at 219 hp. The four comes with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission, while both the V6's manual and automatic gearboxes feature five forward gears.

Though the Accord and Camry were aiming to be sportier, the Mazda 6 featured average handling dynamics, with steering performances from the power-assisted rack and pinion setup exemplary. The Mazda 6 has a turning circle of 38.7 feet, on the wider side for its class. The Mazda6 achieved 0-60mph in just 8.0 seconds.

The main downside seems to be in the rear seat room, though the legroom is generous at 36.5 inches, the shoulder room is only at 54.9 inches, 1.2 inches shorter than the Accord, and 1.8 inches shorter than the Camry. Both the Accord and Camry also feature more headroom, along with a more comfortable rake to the seatback.

By the end of its first year in production, the Mazda6 had ‘firmly established itself as a unique personality in a market segment often accused of being devoid of that trait'. Mazda pushed the envelope for 2004 by introduced two variations not available from the competition; a sport wagon and a five-door hatchback.

Available with both the four and V6 engines, the hatchback is much like the sedan. The sport wagon only comes with the V6, and only in the sportiest 'S' trim level. Both of these body styles increased the utility of the Mazda6, neither of these models lose the sedan's verve or charming character. The hatchback also makes the sedan obsolete, since it gives additional cargo space in a nearly identical package. The wagon is a step up by squeezing even more cargo room into a shape that considerably better looking than either of its smaller brothers.

The 2006 Mazda6 Sports Sedan has continued to set new standards for performance, styling and drivability in its class, and since its introduction in 2004, more than 70 awards for automotive excellence. In 2005, Mazda was the first to offer a six-speed Sport AT automatic transmission featuring manual shift mode in the midsize segment. This avant-garde technology is available on all Mazda A6's models. Additional new features this year included 17-inch alloy wheels standard on all Sports Sedans, 5-Door and Sport Wagon models, optional on base-trim models. Standard on all Sport and Grand Touring models was 8-way power driver's seat. Standard on Grand Touring was Bose® Audio/Moonroof package and optional on all Base and Sport models.

All 05 Mazda6 models came standard with power windows with driver-side one-touch down feature, power door locks and mirrors with keyless entry, along with front and rear overhead dual map lights that are tightly focused to minimize nighttime glare. To increase comfort and room, numerous storage areas were designed into the cabin which included overhead sunglass storage area, door pockets design to hold half-liter bottles, a center console with two cup holders covered by a damped lid and an expandable pocket on the driver's seat back.

On the inside, the Mazda6 is full of spacious comfort for five adults inside an inviting cabin with an attractive interior. The center armrest offers two compartments for storage, CDs and a second 12V outlet. It is easy to handle odd-sized cargo, simply fold down one or both portions of the 60/40 rear seat. The seatbacks are spring-loaded and fold down with a single pull of the release levers, which are conveniently located in the trunk. Inside there was also a three-spoke steering wheel which offered tilt and telescopic adjustments along with integrated cruise and supplemental audio controls.

The instrumentation inside the Mazda6 included an analog speedometer, tachometer, fuel and engine temperature gauges along with a digital readout for ambient outside air temperature. Standard on all cars was a loud, six-speaker integrated AM/FM/CD sound system, while available upgrades include an in-dash six-CD changer, a cassette deck, an MP3 player or a MiniDisc Player. Standard on Grand Touring models was a 200-watt Bose® sound system, it was also available as an option, comprising a six-disc in-dash CD changer, four 25-watt speakers, a tweeter mounted in the A-pillar of each door, an amplifier and a 100-watt subwoofer. Also included with this package was a power tilt/slide glass moonroof with interior sunshade.

For 2006 Mazda introduced a thrill-packed version of its midsize sedan in the form of the MazdaSpeed6. A turbocharged, all-wheel drive Mazda6, the MazdaSpeed6 was more than just a turbo version of the sedan. The MazdaSpeed6 is unique beyond its turbo in the fact that it features direct injection of fuel into its cylinders rather than mixing the fuel with air upstream of the combustion chambers as it conventional. The Speed also featured the all-wheel-drive system, the 2.3-liter, DOHC, 16-valve four-cylinder engine. The engine also works out to 272 hp which is channeled through a six-speed manual transmission before the advanced all-wheel-drive system electronically determines which wheels can use the torque first.

by Jessican Donaldson