Seems to me that mazda is putting more cards into fuel efficiency without the use of hybrid technology. and, unfortunately by the numbers, us "speedy" types arent the majority of car buyers out there
im gonna go out on a limb and say MOST ppl who are in the market for a new car are putting mileage and vehicle price at the top of their list. and when you have hybrids going around like crazy in almost every manufacturer in almost every model they have, except mazda, the fat has to be trimmed somewhere
Also understand that the ppl who are generally buying the sport cars nowadays are the baby boomers since they are retiring and looking for a new toy. and are they buying cheap japanese 4 bangers? They are going to the healthy production rwd V8s that are essentially a staple of america
all that leaves is the demographic for the little japanese sports cars. unfortunately college students and fresh high school graduates are the most broke ppl on earth, and they are the ones who would buy them. so if a sports car is going to be sold to someone like that its either going to be super cheap quality, or have no power, or both
so i tbink mazda is marketing towards quality, efficiency, and some fun around turns (they seem to always have the most fun driveability aspect out of all the other manufacturers). im still wondering if they are going to bring a deisel over in multiple models. their gas mileage in the skyactiv g stuff is good, but theyre no hybrid. and diesel is hybrid market worthy