| Before the year ends, Mazda will expand its diesel | | | | line with the rest of the Mazda line-up. He also said |
| offerings in Australia. | | | | that the company has always established good |
| An example is the Mazda 3 diesel that will join the | | | | image regarding being a leader in style and the |
| Mazda6 and is expected to arrive in September. | | | | Mazda2 should also establish good reputation in the |
| It will be available in both sedan and hatchback | | | | light-car segment. |
| form, the Mazda 3 will have the same engine as | | | | Since December 2002, the current car has been |
| the present Mazda6 diesel. | | | | on sale. So far this year, Mazda has sold 3045 |
| One hundred five kilowatt (105 kW) and 360Nm | | | | units, which is a 30 percent increase on last year's |
| are produced by the 2.0-litre common-rail turbo | | | | sales figures. |
| diesel and its fuel consumption is rated at 6L | | | | The industry is also expecting that Mazda will |
| 100km. | | | | carry over the existing three model names; Neo, |
| Will only be available in the one Maxx Sport trim | | | | Maxx and Genki. |
| level, the Mazda 3 will feature a rear spoiler as | | | | With curtain and side airbags as options and the |
| well as 16-inch wheels. And not like the petrol | | | | ABS in the current model, safety has been the |
| models, Direct Stability Control will be available as | | | | very aim of building the car. The new one is |
| a standard feature. | | | | expected to add dynamic stability control feature |
| Alistair Doak, Mazda spokesman, said that the | | | | to the safety kit. This new comer removed |
| Japanese company is targeting to sell more than | | | | nearly 100kg of weight from its predecessor. |
| 100 Mazda3 diesels per month. However, he | | | | The company says that high-tensile steel was |
| added that it will be a reasonably small percentage | | | | utilized to slice out weight without putting at risk |
| of overall sold Mazda 3 units. For the month of | | | | the safety, body inflexibility, noise, vibration and |
| May, Mazda reached sales of 2758 units. This | | | | sharpness. It also claims that the car has |
| figure means that the car is the second most | | | | improved up to 15 percent over the current car. |
| popular small car, next to Toyota Corolla. | | | | So this has benefits for fuel economy. The 60/40 |
| Mazda originally forecasted 50 sales per month for | | | | split rear-fold seat is still present while the luggage |
| the Mazda 6 diesel when it went on sale. But | | | | area has been decreased from 280 to 250 liters. |
| Doak said that they now target 100 models per | | | | The 1.5-litre offers 76kW at 6000 revs and |
| month. He added that the company has no plans | | | | 136Nm at 4000 revs – decreases from 82kW |
| to expand the diesel range further in Australia. | | | | at 6000 revs and 141Nm at 4000 revs. |
| He explained that the Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 will be | | | | About Mazda Motor Corporation |
| the two diesel passenger cars, the car types that | | | | A Japanese automotive manufacturer that is |
| comprise the highest sales in Europe. He further | | | | based in Hiroshima, Japan, Mazda Motor |
| explained that their fellow Japanese car makers | | | | Corporation is a well known producer of different |
| are not offering any diesel car and the company | | | | types of vehicles as well as their corresponding |
| is introducing the second one. | | | | Mazda auto parts. It began supplying tools in 1929 |
| He also said that the company has no plans for | | | | and soon branched out into production of trucks |
| diesel engines in the larger CX-7 as well as to the | | | | for commercial purposes. |
| yet-to-arrive CX-9 because these cars are | | | | The manufacturer’s name is derived from |
| primarily for the market in North America, where | | | | the transcendental God of Zoroastrianism, Ahura |
| demand for diesel is far too low. | | | | Mazda. It is also believed that Mazda coincides |
| The generation of the Mazda 2 will follow after | | | | with the anglicized pronunciation of Zoroastrianism |
| the Mazda 3 diesel. The Mazda 2, which is smaller, | | | | founder's name, Jujiro Matsuda, and opted to |
| will go on sale in October and is expected to | | | | rename it in honor of both his family and the |
| remain at nearly $16,000 for the entry model. | | | | believers of Zoroastrianism. In the Avestan |
| According to Doak, buyers can expect that the | | | | language, Mazda means “wisdom”. |
| new Mazda2 will be comparable in price to the | | | | Nonetheless, because the company is from Japan, |
| current car, which begins at $16,335 for the Neo | | | | the name has always been pronounced and |
| and rises to $20,290 for the excellent Genki | | | | spelled as "Matsuda". This leads the public to |
| model. He added that the Mazda2 would be | | | | believe that “Mazda” is just an anglicized |
| available only with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, | | | | version of the founder. |
| not like some of its competing cars, which offer | | | | The company is expected to produce 1.25 million |
| 1.3-litre entry models. He further stated that as to | | | | vehicles annually as of 2006. Among Japan, |
| the cost, certainly there is not much difference. | | | | Europe, North America, and Latin America, its |
| With the light car running in the third spot of sales | | | | sales will be evenly divided. |
| behind Mazda3 and Mazda6, the Mazda 2, | | | | Mazda’s 33.4% of controlling interest is |
| according to him, is an essential part of the overall | | | | controlled by the Ford Motor Company. |
| line-up. He said that the car's styling brings it into | | | | |