In an interview with Automotive News, Mazda USA CEO Jim O’Sullivan said, “[the company is] still very much committed to diesel” despite falling gasoline prices and the well-received efficiency of Mazda’s SKYACTIV-G lineup of gasoline engines.
The Japanese automaker has been teasing a U.S.-market diesel engine for the 6 since the debut of the current-generation car in early 2013. What was originally planned as a late-availability option has since been pushed back several times as Mazda has struggled to engineer a solution that meets United States diesel emissions regulations without sacrificing performance.
Mazda’s original goal of delivering a diesel powertrain that does not rely on costly after-treatment solutions to meet CAFE regulations appears to be completely off the table at this point.
Mazda just debuted its 2016 refresh for the 6 sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and made no mention of diesel availability. Rumors of a coupe variant have also surfaced.
Photo by Brian Williams.
Leave a Reply