The Next Gen Pro, the wait may be over soon

[JasonH]

Strange that nobody posted this before (I just ran across it...)

It's apparently the 2004 Focus. It came from a Chinese news site from last July. It mentioned that the Volvo S40/V40 and Mazda 3 would also use the new platform (which we all knew) but also said that the Mondeo would use a stretched version of the same platform.

Also, here's another interesting bit of news:

New Volvo hides in Focus skin

Don't let this odd-looking Ford Focus fool you - this is actually the next Volvo S40 in hiding!

Squeezed into the current -- but obviously modified Focus shell -- is the all-new S40 on its P1 platform. Sharing the platform with the next Focus, as well as the Mazda 3, the newest sedan from Volvo is expected to make its official appearance next summer, followed by other variants including an AWD wagon and coupe.

Copied from here.

 

[MP5s Make Ready]

Wow that volvo thing....crazy, they'll do just about anything to keep the spies from taking pictures of their cars.

Next thing you know they'll be disguising civics as integras......

 

[Equinox]

this year they tried disguising the integras as accord... they called it the RSX

 

[NegatiZE]

Here are some new pics of the sedan:

 

[low_psi]

if that's what the 3 is gonna look like, the DX might be my last non-rotory mazda...

 

[JasonH]

Looks like a Mazda 6 and a Jetta had a baby.

In fact, I had the same complaint about the other "enhanced" spy pic: The German magazine made it look like a VW. I wonder how much of this one is real and how much is the German Photoshoppers expressing their desire for everything to look like a VW.

 

[kenoka]

Don't forget the RX-8 rear end they grafted on. Awww. What a cute little Frankenbaby.

 

[PhyschoMP3]

I hope they dont look like that they look like old lady cars... SHeeze.. I do like the one with the camo on it cuz' it looks like a CRX! mauaha

 

[MarkSpark]

The bumper looks too much like the mazda6

 

[slug420]

i dont like it either, but ill be the first to admit that i will probably be drooling over the mazdaspeed 3

 

[mouseOfMars]

in regards to the makin' the protege look like a vw

if you think the new protege sedan looks like a VW....go over to http://vwvortex.com and read the story on the All-New Audi A3. It looks like a Hyundai. Imagine that....modeling a 30k car to look like a 10k car?

 

[mouseOfMars]

oops....forgot pic...sorry

New Audi A3 =Hyundai?

 

[MarkSpark]

which hyundai?, because it looks almost exactly like a golf to me..

 

[Equinox]

I think the reason they look similiar is because big H copied the headlights and tail lights of big name cars a few years back - and now, those cars are coming back to those styles and people think they are copying big H.

 

[JasonH]

Isn't "big H" Honda? Wouldn't Hyundai be "little H"?

 

[Equinox]

notice it's big italic H

 

[JasonH]

Yes, you're very clever.

 

[D C]

Does anyone know the predicted engine specs on the mk4? Is there a Mazdaspeed version already in the works? Any information on whether it would be smarter to buy a current Mazdaspeed Protege or to wait for the mk4.

 

[JasonH]

Does anyone know the predicted engine specs on the mk4? Is there a Mazdaspeed version already in the works? Any information on whether it would be smarter to buy a current Mazdaspeed Protege or to wait for the mk4.

Best info for now is that a 2.0L will be the base engine and will be either the current engine or a smaller version of the new 2.3L. The high line engine should be the 2.3L which is the base engine in the Mazda6. The 2.3L makes 160HP, so for the Mazdaspeed version I would expect a single-turbo 2.3L making about 190-200HP.

Other than the fact that there will be a Mazdaspeed3, this is all speculation at this point. I'm sure we'll know more before the 2003.5 Mazdaspeed Proteges start showing up on dealer lots.