AN headlined today that the partnership between Toyota and Mazda, long rumored in Japan, is now official; now let's see if the rumor that the Prius C is passed off to Mazda at their new plant in Mexico based on the Mazda 2. Even better, there is a new rumor that Mazda will offer a hot version of the Prius C called the RS with a 150 hp engine possibly based on the senior Prius engine and still getting 50 mpg. Poor GM, they still think hot compacts like the Civic Si is meaningless.(pg 37 same issue) wait'll they get a load of a Prius RS. and a Civic Si with dual shift auto. Surely they must attend SEMA shows. or watch TOP Gear.
We are yet to see Mazda2 in US, so M2 based Prius C is a pipe dream at this point, no? And M2 would not have space to pack battery under the seat, so they will either have to stretch it or reduce already smallish tank.
more like futureware? They're running at near 100% capacity, and why to make a 14K M2 if for as much you can make a 20K CX-3? It will be on hold as long as we keep buying SUVs
I'm thinking that it's more Mazda wanting Toyota's hybrid cred than Toyota wanting Mazda's track savy . Mazda To Lean On Toyota For Hybrid, Fuel-Cell Expertise Japan actually thinks that FCVs are viable, and in Japan they might actually be. As much as Toyota could use a little Zoom-Zoom in their product line-up, it's not a DNA thing. Honda and Nissan use Acura and Infinity to let automotive engineers answer the "what if we....?" questions where performance is concerned. Even GM has the Corvette line. Toyota has Lexus, which is clearly an upper shelf brand but they're more about being comfy than they are about generating smoke, noise, and heat. In other words.....Toyota stodgy because they WANT to be. You don't have to have a 4600#, 707BHP, supercharged beast that can reach 200MPH and suck an 18.5 gallon tank dry in 12 minutes flat to squirt a little adrenaline into your product lineup. Mazda usually does it with less than 200BHP.
You can also say opposite Toyota realizes that hybrid is still near future and wants Mazdas engine build expertise. Mazda's SkyActive thermal efficiency on par with Prius. What is interesting when they took 2.0L SkyActiv, put it in Mazda3 hybrid (Gen3 hybrid license) and did similar to Prius optimization (lowering RPMs, running engine at WOT to reduce pumping losses) they end up easily beating Prius efficiency ratings. So Toyota is getting more than a share out of this marriage: - small car platform (Scion iA, next Yaris and possibly Prius C) - diesel-electric hybrid, co-developed using Toyota's HSD and Mazda's 1.5L oil burner - Miata platform for next hatchi-rocku (FR-S) In exchange Mazda is getting access to: - hybrid technology (latest not to expired Gen3) - access to latest battery tech (Panasonic) - access to FC It isn't bad of the marriage for either as you see.
^ Most good marriages are like that. If I'm wrong? We get a rear-wheel drive, properly balanced two-seat convertible that doesn't look like it was designed by a tweenager and gets 50-MPG.............and maybe has a plug. I hope I'm wrong!
That is a possibility. Miata is rated at 36MPG on hyway. It would not be a stretch to take it to 50 with diesel hybrid. I am guessing Mazda would keep roadster and FR-S will get the hardtop option in this case. Then there will be also the rotory coupe option for Mazda for those aging GenXers and GenYers going through midlife crisis
No Miata driver is ever going to want anything to do with a diesel! Even diesel dorks have to admit that 7500 rpm up-shifts just aren't their thing. It's just possible that Mazda will hybridize their soccer-mom cars to boose their CAFE scores, and LORD KNOWS that Toyota could use just about everything that Mazda does well. Interestingly thing about the MX-5.....it only has 21BHP more than a Prius! I expect that that number to rise.....
Well as is Mazda is already at the top of CAFE list, so if they use hybrid tech it would be in soccer-mom-mobiles the CX-3/5/9 and Mazda3/6. Would be nice if they get hybrid Mazda2 just for bragging rights but IMHO the NA Mazda CEO is too pragmatic, their strategy is all about bottom line. If it weren't we would have seen diesel 6 and 3 by now. And there is no money to make on Prius C-sized car in US, at least with current gas prices. They do need the EV credits to keep selling cars in California, so this is probably what they are getting from Toyota in a fist place. That and steady OEM market to pay off the Mexico plant loans. It is also 800lbs lighter than Prius. /And much much more fun to drive/ There are persistent rumors about re-introduction of MiataSpeed, not sure if it will be turbo or just 2.5. Mazda had built MX-5 platform to be shared with RX-9 and Alpha-Romeo Spider, but the Fiat deal when up in the air after Sergio Marchionne went public to say that "all Alphas will be build in Italy". So it looks like it will be FIAT 123 Spider and Abarth instead. Interesting if it gets 1.4T from Abarth or 1.7t from Alpha 4C. My money on 1.4t as 240hp plant will likely make Miata better than Alpha. There is also a possibility of Chrysler getting Miata to replace Viper (this could be really interesting). Die hard Viper fans will be spinning in their nursing home beds.
Yeah, but CAFE scores are like paddling after a beach ball in the surf. I'm sure that my beloved government is going to keep forcing higher and higher standards to replace the ones that are currently being met. Lol! Concur! Interesting thing about money..... Chrysler will keep meeting the CAFE standards......and keep making some pretty cool cars!!! They might not be reliable, or even smart but you have to love a company that produces and sells every copy of a car like the Hellcat!
