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Mazda on sales upswing in Europe but won't build there

Auto sales in Europe have been a tricky proposition for some years, but Mazda has seen some success on the backs of the CX-5 and new Mazda6. According to a report form Automotive News Europe, though, that doesn't mean we should be looking for the Japanese manufacturer to set up production operations there.
Mazda's European CEO, Jeff Guyton, explained to AN that "Our intention is to have manufacturing scale. That gives you scale economy and quality through repeatability." In other words, a big honking plant in one part of the world is preferable to a half dozen small factories building the same vehicles.
European sales for Mazda are up 5.4 percent in the first half of 2013, with 74,000 units sold. That kicked the Zoom-Zoom brand's market share up from one to 1.2 percent. Small gains, but gains nonetheless. According to Guyton, Mazda would need to sell 200,000 units of just one model in Europe for local production to make sense. Mazda's best European year saw 320,000 units sold across the entire range.

2018 Mazda6 gets more power, efficiency to go with updated looks

The 2018 Mazda Mazda6 will debut at the L.A. Auto Show later this month, and the company released teaser images of the exterior and interior Wednesday – both of which tell us a lot about the new car. Mazda also said the sedan will have more efficient and more powerful engines. Starting with the visuals, the car doesn't look extraordinarily different from the current model, but there are notable changes. Up front, the Mazda6 now has a deeper-set grille with a 3D mesh instead of slats. The chrome strip that wraps around the lower part of the grille extends across the width of the headlights, too. Both of these cues are pulled from the Mazda CX-5. From what we can tell in the image, it looks like most of the sheetmetal along the sides and top are roughly the same as the current model. The interior also isn't a major departure from the current car, but the changes do make it cleaner and more elegant. All of the air vents sit along one slender plane that stretches across the interior. It leaves the top of the dash uncluttered and makes the vents look like a more integrated part of the design. Below the vent strip is another line of what appears to be vinyl or leather trim, and below that are the climate controls. The updated looks are accompanied by significant mechanical upgrades. While the current model offers just one engine, a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder, the new car will have two options. The first is again a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine, but it now has cylinder deactivation, allowing it to run on just two cylinders at times. For those who prefer power to efficiency, the Mazda6 will also be available with the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder from the CX-9 crossover. In that application, it makes 250 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. The full reveal of the car happens on November 29 at the L.A. Auto Show. Be sure to check back then for more photos of and details about the car. Related Video: Image Credit: Mazda LA Auto Show Mazda Sedan

2016 Mazda CX-9 caught on video

We already know from earlier spy shots that the second-generation Mazda CX-9 is advancing in development, but here's an opportunity to actually see the crossover on the road. The video shows the CX-9's rear, but wait 50 seconds for a good look at it in profile and from the front. The CX-9 is no longer wearing the same camouflage from the last spy photos, but this time it has more cladding to hide the lines. Even with the obfuscation, you can still get a sense of the general shape. The CUV largely looks like a stretched version of the CX-5, which is a great place to start. Rumors suggest the new CX-9 will debut in November at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show and to launch in 2016 for the 2017 model year. Power is tipped to come from a turbocharged, 2.5-liter Skyactiv four-cylinder, and all-wheel drive is expected to be available. Related Video: