Geneva '08 Preview: Mazda2 three-door confirmed
Click image to enlarge
Add another ride to the list of cars we'd love to have, but can't. Mazda has confirmed that it will unveil the 3-door Mazda2 at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Dimensionally equal to the 5-door and offering the same selection of powertrains, the sporty Mazda2 3-door hatchback definitely takes the win over its sibling in the looks department and is sure to garner a following in Europe. More photos and info are likely to surface as we get closer to Geneva, but to tide us over, Mazda has released the rear three-quarter shot you see here. You can read the automaker's press release after the jump.
[Source: Mazda]
PRESS RELEASE:
NEW MAZDA2 THREE-DOOR TO DEBUT AT GENEVA SHOW
The new Mazda2 three-door hatchback will make its world premiere on Tuesday 4 March at the 78th Salon International de l'Auto de Genève. This is the first time that Mazda has offered a three-door variant in its popular Mazda2 model range. The newcomer will feature all the attributes of the five-door hatchback, but delivering an even sportier feel at a more affordable price.
The new Mazda2 three-door hatchback is designed to attract new customers and boost Mazda's continued growth in the European market. It comes with the same powertrain line-up – the lively and responsive MZR 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre petrol engines and the MZ-CD 1.4-litre turbo diesel – as the five-door hatchback. These engines achieve high fuel efficiency together with particularly low CO2 emissions.
The three-door Mazda2 shares the same overall dimensions as the five-door and achieves a similarly modest kerb weight, model for model. The five-door Mazda2 has already demonstrated that by completely redesigning the body and chassis and implementing Mazda's unique 'gram strategy', the brand's small car weight could be reduced to under the 1,000 kilogram threshold. This outstanding result reverses the industry trend towards bigger and heavier cars.
Launched in September 2007 as Mazda's first new-generation Zoom-Zoom vehicle to evolve to the next level, the new Mazda2 was an immediate hit with European customers. In December 2007, it was awarded a 5-Star safety rating by Euro-NCAP and it has won more than 20 automotive awards. These include Car of the Year awards in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Greece and New Zealand, along with the Japan RJC Car of the Year.
The Geneva Show will also witness three Mazda European debuts: the Mazda Taiki concept car, equipped with a next-generation rotary engine, the Mazda5 Hydrogen RE Hybrid and the upgraded Mazda's RX-8 four-seater, four-door sports car.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dan A 1:38PM (1/23/2008)
Mazda NEEDS this is North America! It would sells so many! I personally am happy with my Mazdaspeed3, but this would put some serious competition on the Yaris and Fit.
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Temple 7:50PM (1/23/2008)
Ford won't allow the Mazda2 here due to the Ford Fiesta being launched in the US and doesn't want competition from the Mazda 2 before its released (Fiesta shares platforms with the Mazda 2).
Andrew 1:38PM (1/23/2008)
Yaris!
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Rick 2:32PM (1/23/2008)
The Yaris only wish it drove like a Mazda. The Yaris is for those who could care less about style or drivability. The M2 would be for those who like to drive.
Seoultrain 1:40PM (1/23/2008)
This is surely puzzling. Wouldn't it be in Mazda's best interest to bring this to market in the US and move the 3 a bit upscale? If Ford is blocking this because it would cannibalize their sales, that's a gross miscalculation. Most people don't even know Ford owns Mazda. Totally different markets.
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Gary Blomquist 6:08PM (1/23/2008)
I only wish that somehow, Mazda could disconnect itself from Ford, and flourish on their own.
No doubt they could work out deals for platforms from other manufacturers and at the same time they could buy engines and tweek them, to the Mazda level of performance as they've done in the past.
I really think at times that Ford is Mazda's ball and chain.
Robert 7:42PM (1/23/2008)
Ford isn't blocking Mazda's introduction of the 2. Ford never blocks any Mazda efforts unless Mazda is relying on Ford for parts/platforms/technology that they would have not otherwise built or introduced as quickly (the 3.7 was one example).
Ford is hardly Mazda's ball and chain. They have probably contributed more to Mazda in the past ten years than the previous 20 years of their relationship. Much of Mazda's product renaissance has been on the back of platforms and technology developed by or with Ford.
jgp 1:50PM (1/23/2008)
Wow, that's actually pretty.
This'll beat the Yaris and the Fit on looks alone.
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Tom 2:28PM (1/23/2008)
We're supposed to be getting the new Ford Fiesta which will share the Mazda 2's platform. And from looking at the Verve concept, it should be fairly attractive.
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/182/scan0060001sm4.jpg
Jared 2:30PM (1/23/2008)
They're going to bring the Verve to the US. But Ford I expect Ford to 1) wait a couple years first, and 2) put an ugly 3-bar grill on it.
naggs 2:46PM (1/23/2008)
it is a pretty safe bet that i will want the mazda2 more than what ever 'just for us' ford version we get years later
i expect it to pick up a few hundred pounds negating the most appealing aspect of the mazda
styling is not important, if its fun, nimble, efficient and cheap then it can look like something the muppets would drive, i would still want one.
Alex 1:52PM (1/23/2008)
Do want! This is the car i want. I'll settle for the verve, but if i had my choice i'd take the Mazda2 in a heart-beat.
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Bill 1:55PM (1/23/2008)
For the love of god Mazda, PLEEZ bring this to the US. In the next couple of years my life is going to change, and I plan to do some downsizing and I mean more than just cars. I actually found myself looking at a Yaris online yesterday. I need small, hatchback, inexpensive, and good quality. (no cruise + center guages on Yaris hatch = dealbreaker) Please give me an alternative!
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KnightRider 1:55PM (1/23/2008)
Please bring this into the US market with a sub 10k price tag.
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MikeW 1:59PM (1/23/2008)
Yeah right. With inflation, Mazda would be lucky to bring this to market at 15K.
Seoultrain 3:25PM (1/23/2008)
no way it's sub 10k, and no way it's 15k, maybe fully loaded. Starting it at around 12-13k with a decent number of standard features will be likely.
Punkcrisis 2:10PM (1/23/2008)
Damn this would be a sweet ride to have, Mazda could really stick it to Honda and Nissan, and the like especially if they brought it with different drive trains I think that would be a segment first in North America.
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BC 2:37PM (1/23/2008)
I'm trying to figure out why you think that this looks so much better than the 5-door when there appears to be no significant difference other than not having the rear doors cut out.
I wouldn't be surprised to see this here eventually, but Mazda's small sales volume compared to Toyota, Honda and Nissan makes reluctance to add a low-margin model at this time reasonable without Ford conspiracy theories. Once Ford establishes manufacturing of the Fiesta/Verve for North America and federalizes the powerplants, Mazda can more easily justify the incremental costs of adding a model like the 2. If gas prices go significantly higher for a sustained period, don't be surprised if plans change again.
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DKB_SATX 4:19PM (1/23/2008)
Same reason Americans buy the Mazda3 sedan. We seem to hate practicality.
naggs 2:27PM (1/23/2008)
awesome, i want
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