ROME (ITALPRESS) – On Jan. 21, Mazda announced the CX-60 2025, an updated version of the first European SUV based on the large platform, which was joined by the CX-80 model launched in September last year. Both cars are the result of a continuous improvement process, with updates responding to feedback received from customers around the world. The large platform, which not only houses the European models but is also the basis for the CX-70 and CX-90 destined for the U.S. market, is at the heart of a project that stands out for its attention to detail and innovation. The Kaizen philosophy that guides design and production is reflected at every stage of construction, with every component of the platform made in-house by Mazda. An approach that results in a constant pursuit of perfection, where every update is designed to improve the driving experience and product quality, while maintaining a focus on customer satisfaction. Underlying Mazda’s new models is a clear and ambitious vision, which is built around distinctive goals: to create cars with unique design and superior habitability, to ensure the highest safety standards, and to minimize fuel consumption and emissions, without ever compromising the driving pleasure that characterizes each of the brand’s vehicles.Mazda engineers have thus designed a new longitudinal platform, conceived to meet all these requirements. Every component, from suspension to engines to transmissions, has been developed with the intention of evolving over time, offering superior performance and the ability to be upgraded to adapt to increasingly stringent regulations, particularly European ones. Special attention was given to customer demands, with the goal of offering not only a performance car, but also one that is environmentally advanced and ready to meet the challenges of the future. A perfect example of Mazda’s “Crafted in Japan” construction philosophy, which combines craftsmanship and industrial innovation, is the 3.3 e-Skyactiv D straight-six engine. This component represents the state of the art of the Japanese brand’s engineering capability, where every detail, from the first to the last component, is the result of independent and focused technical choices. The goal is clear: to provide customers with superior performance and maximum benefits while respecting the environment. A concrete demonstration of Mazda’s commitment to combining design excellence with low environmental impact.Mazda’s 3.3 e-Skyactiv D engine was created to deliver outstanding performance by integrating a 48V mild hybrid engine and an electrified drivetrain, all housed in a chassis designed to enhance the benefits of the straight-six configuration. This design, while delivering unparalleled power, compromises neither the driving position nor the roominess, which set a worldwide benchmark. Every component of this engine tells a story of passion for cars, ingenious solutions, and meticulous attention to detail. The deep technical knowledge and holistic vision that guided the design is reflected in the care of every element. Mazda Italia wanted to celebrate this excellence with a series of photo shoots, where a skillful play of light transforms these components into true works of art, showing the beauty and innovation of a creation that goes beyond mere functionality.Mazda’s 3.3 e-Skyactiv D inline-six engine is distinguished by a series of unique details and solutions that make it truly special. Every aspect of the engine is the result of ingenuity and construction skill, with a focus on precision and efficiency. The six pistons, for example, are designed with a double-chambered top shape that allows them to approach ideal combustion. This is made possible by the unique DCPCI controlled pre-mix distribution system, which optimizes the combustion process. The construction with inert and resistant steels ensures excellent coupling precision under all operating conditions, while the lubrication, designed to be precise and uniform, minimizes friction and increases engine efficiency and durability. The ingenious solutions adopted, made with obsessive attention to detail, are reminiscent of those used in racing engines.But the real innovation is not just about performance. The large engine displacement is not only designed to offer more torque and driving pleasure, but also to keep fuel consumption and emissions down. A significant example is the emissions of NOx, the most difficult pollutant to control in diesel engines, which with the 3.3 e-Skyactiv D engine reach only 20.7 mg/km, well below the current limit of 80 mg/km imposed by the Euro6d standard. A figure that testifies to how this engine is already ready to cope with future, more stringent Euro7 regulations, focusing on exceptional efficiency and minimized environmental impact. A further example of Mazda’s 100% in-house construction philosophy can be found in the innovative positioning of the timing system. Placed on the opposite side of the services pulley, this design choice aims to increase the compactness of the engine and optimize the distribution of stresses on the crankshaft. This expedient also allows a perfect coupling with the dual-clutch transmission, one of which is dedicated to decoupling the mild hybrid engine from the transmission itself.This solution not only contributes to greater efficiency, but also allows the vehicle to sail, reducing fuel consumption and improving overall efficiency. As a result of this innovation, the engine is able to provide soaring up to 37 percent of the time during the WLTP cycle, leading to record fuel consumption of only 5 liters per 100 km, an achievement that underscores Mazda’s commitment to optimizing every aspect of the engine to reduce environmental impact without sacrificing performance.The most hidden details of the 3.3 e-Skyactiv D engine are tangible evidence of technological know-how that builds on more than a century of experience and an approach to design that leaves no room for compromise. Elements such as the second conical seal band and the bushings, which are made of different materials depending on their positioning, testify to Mazda’s technical prowess, always striving to ensure the ultimate in reliability and performance. Another example of ingenuity is found in the through-hole in the oil pan, designed to pass the drive shaft through. A novel solution that recalls a custom practice adopted in the past in rally cars to lower the center of gravity and improve stability. A detail that is surprising today, especially considering how other automakers tend to outsource production of key components such as transmissions, limiting themselves to making minor modifications on global platforms.
photo: Mazda Motor Italia press office
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