Autoblog

Click on the image above for our high-res gallery of the 2009 Mazda6

The 2009 Mazda6 is an all-new midsize sedan from Mazda that was designed, engineered, developed, and will be manufactured completely on U.S. soil. While the Japanese and European markets have been enjoying the new 6 (Atenza) since late last year, the North American market finally gets to bask in the sleek new bodywork, along with a bigger engine under the hood. Follow the jump to see if the latest product from team "Zoom-Zoom" can compete head-to-head with the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Nissan Altima.

All photos copyright Michael Harley / Weblogs Inc.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Mazda6.

While you'll have to wait another day to get our initial impressions of the 2009 Mazda6, the automaker has released the pricing details on its redesigned mid-level sedan.

The base "i" model starts at $19,220 (including the $670 destination charge) and comes equipped with a 170 hp, 2.5-liter inline-four sending power to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed auto with a manual shift mode. The range-topping SV, Sport, Touring and Grand Touring models will be packing a 272 hp, 3.7-liter V6 and will start off at $24,800 (again, destination charge included).

Mazda hasn't released a comprehensive break down of each model, their corresponding features and specific prices, but you can hit the jump for the official press release.

Click above for high-res gallery of all-new Mazda6 shots

Few cars have generated as much traffic for Autoblog lately as the all-new 2009 Mazda6. We have been talking about this car for a long time, sharing pics and renderings, rumors and speculation. While Mazda shared some official pics of the U.S. version recently, we just received some shots of one sitting out in the open that we wanted to share. Submitted by avid Autoblog reader Andre R., these dozen or so shots show a beautiful blue (blue is the new white apparently) sample parked next to a current generation Mazda6. The differences are pretty striking when these two vehicles can be viewed together. The front fascia and wheels are a touch busy, but what a beautiful shape Mazda designers have given the new 6.

Although similar to the Japanese and European-market versions, the USDM car gets the signature bisected grille with foglamps housed in silver pots at the lower corners of the front air dam. As we pointed out when the first official shots were released, the trunk, rear bumper, and exhaust are also different and arguably better looking than the simpler Japanese and Europeans versions. These photos also give us a glimpse of the interior, and we'll reserve judgment on how it functions until we get some seat time. The dash isn't the best we've seen and the seat material looks odd, but it could be the glass giving odd reflections. Thanks for the pics, Andre!



[Source: Mazda]

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Mazda6

Mazda recently sent out a survey request to potential customers, the purpose of which was to allow these survey takers to build a 2009 Mazda6 with whatever options, packages and colors they wanted so that the automaker could gauge which will be most popular when the car goes on sale. Unfortunately, Mazda was smart and the survey can only be taken once, but one person recorded all the information he saw and posted it on the Mazda6club.com forum. His notes after the jump give us an idea of what trim levels, options and pricing will be available when the car does go on sale, though none of it is written in stone.

It appears that the 2009 Mazda6 will be available in two basic versions: the Mazda6 i that comes with a 170-hp 2.5L four-cylinder with VVT and the more powerful Mazda6 s that's motivated by a 272-hp 3.7L V6. The Mazda6 i will be offered in SV, Sport, Touring and Grand Touring models, while the Mazda6 s will be available as Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. As far as pricing goes, the Mazda6 i SV kicks things off with a base price of $19,850 while the Mazda6 s Grand Touring tops the range with a base price of $29,150. That's quite a large range that should satisfy the wants and needs of most buyers, and features like Xenon headlamps, Bluetooth, a Blind Spot Monitoring system, rain-sensing wipers and wheels up to 18-inches in diameter should position the new Zoom-Zoom sedan well against its mid-size family sedan competition.

Check out all the packages, standard features and pricing info after the jump, but remember they may not be the same when the car officially goes on sale. Thanks for the tip, Joel!


[Source: Mazda6club.com]

It's been two weeks since our last podcast -- we tried to do one last week, but technical difficulties scuttled the effort. With that in mind, we packed some extra content into Autoblog Podcast #93. It's the usual rollicking good time where we discuss our current Autoblog Garage occupants, hit a few news items like the neo-M1 concept from BMW, Suzuki's content addition to the SX4, and the unveiling of the new Mazda6. Most importantly, we burn a healthy amount of minutes on the new Knight Rider suckfest. We also take a few emails from our podcast at autoblog dot com address. Thanks for your hour and seven minutes!

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Click above for a photo gallery of the 2009 Mazda6

Mazda has released the first photos and initial details on the new 2009 Mazda6. Designed specifically for North America, the car shares many cues with the Japanese and European-market cars that hit the scene over the last year. The car Americans and Canadians will drive is, in fact, bigger than its overseas counterparts. Visually, the front and rear fascias differ from the Japanese and European models as well. The USDM car gets a bisected grille and has its foglamps pushed out to the corners below the bumper. As we'd seen in spy photos, the car gets a completely different trunk, rear bumper, and exhaust treatment that's more appealing than the plainer setup Japanese and Europeans get.

Since Mazda released only exterior shots, we'll have to wait to see what the passenger accomodations look like. Base power comes from the same 2.5L four-cylinder base engine used in the Japan/Euro car, mated to either a 6-speed stick or 5-speed auto. The step-up 3.7L V6 is the same one you'll find under the hood of the CX-9. It's only transmission option is a six-speed auto with a manumatic sport shift feature. Horsepower and torque numbers for the USDM car haven't been released yet, but figure on seeing something in the neighborhood of 170 hp/166 lb-ft from the four. The six produces 273 horses and 270 lb-ft in CX-9 trim, so we'd expect something along those lines. Mazda's press release is pasted after the jump, in which you'll find no mention of either a wagon or 5-door hatchback variant. The '09 Mazda6 arrives as a sedan only, and it'll land in your local dealer showrooms later this summer.



[Source: Mazda]

Click above to view high-res spy shots of the 2009 Mazda6

Last September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, we made the claim that the new Euro-spec Mazda6 was bringing sexy back to the midsize sedan market. The version slated for sale in the United States will do the same, but not because it's identical to the one designed for Europe. It's not. These spy shots from Brenda Priddy & Co. show a completely naked prototype that was caught in Detroit. Though at first glance it looks exactly like the 6 that debuted in Frankfurt last year, closer inspection reveals many changes to the car, which corroborates reports we've heard that the U.S. version is also markedly different underneath its skin. Follow the jump for a review of the changes in store for U.S. customers.



[Source: Brian Williams for Brenda Priddy & Co.]

Another day, another dose of spy pics of the new Mazda6. Bigger than the previous model, the new 6 is rumored to be sitting on the CD3-2 platform found under the Ford Mondeo and Volvo S80. We expect some version of Ford's 3.5L Cyclone V6 in top models, and a 2.5L four cylinder in the base 6. One of the most versatile and fun to drive vehicles in its class, we're hoping to see similar sedan, hatchback, and wagon versions of the new 6 return to showrooms when the model debuts next year as a 2009 model. There's even talk of a hybrid version in the works.

The new platform couldn't come at a better time for Mazda. Even though it has been an engaging ride, competition in this segment is cutthroat and just about every competitor has surpassed this mid-size Mazda in power, size and driving dynamics. Still pretty heavily camouflaged, these new pics offer a few more glimpses of exposed sheetmetal. The Car Connection spies found this advanced prototype just outside Ford's Detroit engineering operations. They said to expect familial styling, with the prominent front fenders a lá Mazda's RX-8, MX-5, CX-7 and CX-9.

Click the read link for several larger photos.

[Source: The Car Connection]