Euro-Spec Mazda6 Facelift to Debut at Geneva Show

Following the announcement on the release of the refreshed Atenza in Japan, Mazda revealed that the facelift version of the European market Mazda6 will have its premiere alongside the all-new Mazda5 and one more car that has yet to be named, at this year's Geneva Motor Show in March.

Like its sister model in Japan, the new Mazda6 has received some minor cosmetic touches in the form of new head and rear lamps along with a restyled front bumper that adopts a five-point grille and new alloy wheel designs.

As expected, the Mazda6 will be offered with the firm's new 2.0-litre DISI gasoline unit with direct injection that is said to use less fuel and produce fewer emissions than the 2.0-litre engine it replaces.

Furthermore, Mazda said that it has updated the 1.8 and 2.5-litre gasoline engines, without giving out any more details.

The '6's European lineup is rounded off by a 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine that is available in three power derivatives, from 129 to 180HP, all of which are said to have improved fuel-efficiency and lower CO2 emissions.

Finally, the Mazda6 also gets new chassis settings and several new active safety features including an adaptive front lighting system and hill-launch assist.

The facelifted Mazda6 will go on sale across Europe this spring.

2011 Mazda6 - Atenza Facelift Officially Unveiled in Japan, gets New 2.0-Liter Engine with Direct Injection

Only moments after we posted a gallery of scanned brochures from the refreshed Atenza, otherwise known as the Japanese market version of the Mazda6, and the automaker came out with an official release on its mid-size model. More of a subtle nip-and-tuck than a full blown facelift, the 2011MY Atenza has been refined with some styling changes, chassis tweaks and a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with direct injection.

The exterior enhancements for the freshened Mazda6 bring it line with the firm's more recent models mainly by adopting the new Mazda family face with a five-point front grille.

There front bumper has been redesigned and features more pronounced air-inlets on the corners, while the newly styled 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels together with the revised tail lamp clusters complete the exterior makeover.

The interior updates are even less obvious as aside from some equipment upgrades, changes are limited to the new glossy, piano-black finish that has been applied to the center panel, audio and air conditioner panel surrounds as well as the shift gate and steering wheel spokes, and the chrome garnish on the climate control and audio dials, shift knob and inner door handles.

Underneath the hood, as expected, Mazda fitted the Japanese '6 with its newly developed 2.0-liter DISI gasoline engine with direct injection.

Mazda did not disclose any details, but we gather that it's the same unit found on the new Mazda5 MPV that will have its debut at the Geneva Show in March.

The Japanese automaker said that it has also tweaked the Atenza's power steering and suspension settings improving the car's handling and straight-line stability at high speeds as well the ride quality.

Although Mazda did not mention anything about the Mazda6 sold in overseas markets including Europe and North America, chance are we'll see a similar facelift on the '6 sometime this year.

2011 Mazda6 / Atenza to Receive Mild Facelift?

A single brochure photo of what is said to be the faclifted JDM Mazda6, or as it's known in its home market, the Atenza, has been making the rounds on the internet today.

Being the investigative types that we are, we dug a bit deeper and discovered five more scanned leaflets that include photos of the available aero parts and packages from Mazda and its tuning partners circulating on various Japanese sites.

Unfortunately, we can't say with certainty if these photos actually show the facelifted version of the JDM Mazda6 or not, but from what we can tell, the Atenza pictured here features a different nose with a new bumper incorporating a more smiley-shaped lower grille and more pronounced air inlets on both corners.

If the facelift turns out to be real, it's almost certain that the Mazda6 / Atenza will be offered with the firm's newly-developed SKY-G 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol with direct-injection and SKY-G twin-turbocharged diesel units.

Via: Autoblog.it , Beebee2see & Minkara

Mazda Releases Special Edition Atenza Sedan in Japan

When automakers don't have anything new to offer, they often create special edition models. Such is the case with Mazda that announced the launch of the '2.0 Style Edition' Atenza sedan which is known as the Mazda6 in overseas markets like Europe and North America. This special edition model which is available only in Japan is based on the Atenza 20C model grade and is powered by a 2.0-liter engine hooked up to a five-speed automatic transmission.

What makes this edition special in the eyes of Mazda is a series of features that include LED indicators embedded in the door mirrors, discharge headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped around in 215/50 R17 rubber, blackout gauges (the dashboard and instrument panel dials are visible only when the engine is engaged) and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

The Atenza 2.0 Style Edition is offered in Japan with a choice of six exterior body colors, including Lilac Silver Metallic and Stormy Blue Mica which aren't available for the base model Atenza Sedan 20C.

Special equipment

-LED indicators embedded in the door mirrors

-Front fog lights (built into the bumper)

-Discharge headlights (with auto leveling function on low beam)

-Water-repellant coating (windshield, front windows and door mirrors)

-Dark tinted glass (rear doors and rear window)

-215/50R17 91W tires and 17-inch alloy wheels

-Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob

-Blackout meters (the dashboard and instrument panel dials are visible only when the engine is engaged.)

-Audio-less specification with four speakers (to best match each driver's needs, the Atenza is equipped with four speakers and a space for a head unit in the center panel. The steering wheel is also free of remote control switches. The Audio-less spec allows for maximum variety of audio systems.)

2009 Mazda6 Laguna Seca Moto GP Safety Car

Our friend Steve from Autofiends managed to snap the 2009 Mazda6 Safety Car that will debut at this weekend’s Laguna Seca Moto GP during the U.S. media presentation of Mazda’s new mid-size sedan (see full image gallery here). Apart from the tasteful decals, the sexy alloy wheels in anthracite color and the red brake calipers, the Mazda6 Safety Car also seems to be equipped with a sports suspension bringing it closer to the ground. Until Mazda decides to present a successor to the Speed6, we guess this is as sporty as the Mazda6 gets. -Image gallery after the jump





Via: Autofiends