MPS version of next Mazda 6 cancelled? Hot(ish) diesel instead?

pburns

According to Autocar Mazda are bring out a 175bhp version of their diesel engine instead of investing in a new MPS version.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Mazda-6/231557/

Probably a good business decision but from a marketing point-of-view it's nice to have a 'halo' model I think.

The current 6 diesel is not available in Sport trim. Maybe they're saving it for the bigger engine? Any insiders know anything else abolut this?

Current 6 MPS is quite low profile though. Clarkson raved about it and recently (Sunday Times) declared it one of his favorite cars. Some of the younger journos probably ignore it because not as bling enough as the Evo/impreza...

Biro

Pity if they don't. Maybe they'll reconsider in 2 or 3 years. It took 4 years for the MPS to come out on the last model. I'd love one, but after July if I import one, €2,000 tax would put me off.

E92

The Mondeo is also meant to be getting a hot diesel too. Apparently the D5 from Volvo will make it's way under the bonnet of the Mk4 Mondeo in due course.

I don't see any need for a high performance petrol family saloon. People just don't buy them, as soon as Ford introduced the diesel ST Mondeo in the UK, it comprehensively outsold the petrol one. In our emissions tax system, petrol is no good for anything bigger than a supermini, with a couple of exceptions like BMWs and MINIs, as well as a few Mazdas.

Fast diesel saloons will hopefully sell well now here though, after all they are only slightly worse on CO2 than their less powerful siblings, so there won't be the usual massive engine size phobia that grips this nation soon enough hopefully.

I assume the Sport trim will be available in the new 2.2 diesel, whenever we get it. Any idea of it's CO2? Hopefully it will get into the same VRT and road tax category as the 2.0 diesel. I wonder will Mazda add a less powerful diesel to the 6 soon, 143 bhp is rather high in this category for an entry level diesel engine. A lower power diesel would make the car more competitive too, which would win it more sales, especially after July.

pburns

E92 wrote: »

Fast diesel saloons will hopefully sell well now here though, after all they are only slightly worse on CO2 than their less powerful siblings, so there won't be the usual massive engine size phobia that grips this nation soon enough hopefully.

I assume the Sport trim will be available in the new 2.2 diesel, whenever we get it. Any idea of it's CO2? Hopefully it will get into the same VRT and road tax category as the 2.0 diesel. I wonder will Mazda add a less powerful diesel to the 6 soon, 143 bhp is rather high in this category for an entry level diesel engine. A lower power diesel would make the car more competitive too, which would win it more sales, especially after July.

Regarding CO2 of 2.2 diesel - your guess is as good as mine... current 6 diesel is 149g/km - might be hard to keep under 155g/km

The earlier versions of the old 6 had a choice of the 2.0 diesel in 120bhp trim. Not much point unless it falls back to Band B though. Ford are lucky - they have 1.6 (Focus), 1.8 and 2.0 diesel engines - I think other manufactuers are going to have to take note...

Suits me if news is correct though. I'd never be a customer for the MPS I think (although tempted). That kind of BHP is unusable given ever more draconian anti-speed bias in this country and VRT implications. 175bhp in a chassis engineered for lightness, with Mazda handling, diesel torque and sensible CO2/VRT - it's all good...

unkel

pburns wrote: »

from a marketing point-of-view it's nice to have a 'halo' model I think

I agree. I've no idea how well the 6 MPS sold, but iirc it was relatively cheap for what you got. Not sure if it is a wise decision to drop it altogether. Anyway that's only speculation at this point

Biro

E92 wrote: »

I don't see any need for a high performance petrol family saloon. People just don't buy them,

Ah, but you see that's the good thing! In a couple of years the 6 MPS will be the forgotten car, and will be cheap to buy! Evo's and Impreza's will always have the cult following, but when you can pick up a non-thrashed 6 MPS in a few years for half the price of a similar year Impreza STI, and have almost as much fun then you're onto a winner in my books!

pburns

Biro wrote: »

Ah, but you see that's the good thing! In a couple of years the 6 MPS will be the forgotten car, and will be cheap to buy! Evo's and Impreza's will always have the cult following, but when you can pick up a non-thrashed 6 MPS in a few years for half the price of a similar year Impreza STI, and have almost as much fun then you're onto a winner in my books!

And it doesn't have that yobbo/boy-racer image and doesn't attract attention of the cops..

Biro

pburns wrote: »

And it doesn't have that yobbo/boy-racer image and doesn't attract attention of the cops..

Exactly! And the yobbo's in their yobbo mobiles will wonder how you're keeping up with them while explaining something to the person in your passenger seat!

unkel

Shhhh! Let's keep it a secret

Biro

unkel wrote: »

Shhhh! Let's keep it a secret

Print this post out and eat it to get rid of the evidence!