Mazda to Bring New Fuel-Efficient Gas and Diesel Powertrains to the U.S. Market in 2011 and 2012

NEW YORK, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- At its press conference at the New York International Auto Show, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced it plans to launch its all-new SKY Concept* powertrains into the U.S. market, beginning as early as 2011.

"By launching our SKY technologies into the global market place, beginning in 2011, we will take a huge step toward accomplishing our stated goal of achieving a 30-percent improvement in global fuel economy by 2015," said Takashi Yamanouchi, representative director, president and CEO, Mazda Motor Corporation.

The first of the two engines to be initially introduced in the U.S. in 2011 – the Mazda SKY-G – is Mazda's next-generation gasoline engine and will be the core powertrain in future Mazda vehicles. SKY-G is expected to boost fuel efficiency by approximately 15 percent while also increasing engine power.

Yamanouchi also announced that Mazda intends to carry out the global launch of the SKY-G engine mated to the SKY-Drive transmission in the U.S. market in 2011. Following the U.S. launch, Mazda then intends to roll out this all-new powertrain to global markets.  The new automatic SKY-Drive transmission is expected to improve fuel economy by an additional five percent, while achieving a direct-performance feel like that of a dual-clutch transmission.

As a follow-up to SKY-G and SKY-Drive, Yamanouchi added, "We plan to launch the SKY-D engine mated to Sky-Drive in the U.S. in 2012." Mazda plans to incorporate the extremely fuel-efficient SKY-D engine into its next-generation mid-sized diesel car, allowing highway fuel economy of up to 43 miles per gallon – which is better than today's mid-sized hybrids – and a 20-percent improvement in fuel efficiency over Mazda's current 2.2-liter diesel. When launched in the U.S., SKY-D will meet Tier 2 BIN 5 regulations, one of the toughest emissions standards in the world.  Because of Mazda's proprietary catalyst technology, SKY-D does not require urea after-treatment to meet the strict North American emissions standards.

"By optimizing our existing technologies – engines, transmissions, weight reduction and aerodynamics – we aim to benefit all our customers and minimize the cost of ownership," said Yamanouchi.  "The phased introduction of these new technologies will form the building blocks of Mazda's future."

*These are concept names given to engines and transmissions scheduled for introduction from 2011 onward, and not the names of the actual products.

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in the United States in 2010, Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers.  Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

SOURCE Mazda North American Operations