2004 Pro (Mazda3) Pix!!!!!!

[<Melanizm>]

Ok....I have found these pics of the new Mazda 3 (The car formerly known as the Protege) There are two artists renderings, one actual car pic, and the Volvo that is going to be on the same platform along with the next gen Ford Focus.

http://imagehost.auctionwatch.com/preview/me/melanizm/12307.jpg
http://imagehost.auctionwatch.com/preview/me/melanizm/s31323sedan150.jpg
http://imagehost.auctionwatch.com/preview/me/melanizm/12456.jpg
http://imagehost.auctionwatch.com/preview/me/melanizm/01.jpg

[StuttersC]

I have trouble believing Mazda will change the name of an established car (the Protege) in this market...

[Puccio]

Sadly enough, yes, they are changing the name. Mazda NA is trying to make themselves more upscale. They feel re-naming their cars with numbers will help. Think about it, BMWs, MBs, they have names like M3, 325iL, E 55...Mazda will now have the 3 and 6. Sounds kinda funny actually.

Question is will they call it a 4th gen..

[gonzoATX]

well they talk about the new mazda6 at web page (http://www.speedoption.com) at it looks all right

[C Rae]

is'nt that last one a volvo

[gonzoATX]

looks like one and the blue one looks like an acura???? :confused:

[<Melanizm>]

Yes...the last one is a Volvo. I just posted it because it will reside on the same platform along with the Focus and Protege (Mazda3) I think I know cars well enough to know thats a Volvo.

[<kcagle>]

I was at the local Mazda dealership yesterday getting my 626's belts tightened and I asked the sales manager about the future of the MP3 and he told me about the mazda3. He said that he saw a 'production' version at a conference recently and it will have 180hp :D . I believe they'll just be using the japanese sport20 engine from the familia(just my assumption). Edmunds claims otherwise, they say that it will feature an all new 2.3l engine. He said that the new model will have a different Kenwood system that is bigger and has all those crazy crappy lights jumping around on it :mad: I hate that crap though the younger crowd seem to love it.

It will be featured on the S-plan special pricing plan according to him, b/c it will not be limited production. He said that the only way a dealer will be allowed to sell it is if they sign a contract committing to sell it for 2 years. So not all dealers will be getting this new version. This is all the info I have for now. Later.

[jonlisle20]

Yeah I just read about a show (in the latest issue of Sport Compact Car) that had a concept miata with 197 hp, the RX-8, and some info on the Mazda6. It said that the 6 will (more than likely) have a inline six that is competitive to the 3.0 BMW as an optional engine. The base engine, they said, would be a 2.3l (could be 2.4l) inline four that puts out 178 hp. So I think the sales manager could be right. Who knows, nothing is set in stone needless to say. I wish they would come out with a turbocharged version of the 2.0 FS-DE engine. (For my greedy purposes of course) I'll post the page numbers when I come back to school tom. Jon.

[StuttersC]

Originally posted by Puccio:
<STRONG>Sadly enough, yes, they are changing the name. Mazda NA is trying to make themselves more upscale. They feel re-naming their cars with numbers will help. Think about it, BMWs, MBs, they have names like M3, 325iL, E 55...Mazda will now have the 3 and 6. Sounds kinda funny actually.

Question is will they call it a 4th gen..</STRONG>


I doubt that...Mazda changed all the names of the cars for the N/A market from numbers to names becuase US buyers don't like buying numbers so much. It might be called the Mazda 3 elsewhere, but i wonder about that here.

The Mazda 6 is changing from the 626 because of declining sales on the 626. Every Mazda car in the US right now has a name on it, and most people associate with the name more. An example, the MX-5 Miata. Nobody really calls it an MX-5.

I don't know, I guess we'll just have to sit back and see what happens.