martialcomp

http://www.autotriti.gr/PAGES/44_200...7&magazineID=2

You guys may know better than me. This is a picture from a foreign magazine. Could this replace the Mazda Protege?

funkdaddysmack

Looks like the Mazda 6 wagon, me thinks

fat.elvis

I like it.
But I don't think I'm going to be kicking myself for not "waiting". It looks like a really nice compact vs. the 3rd generations which look slightly less nice versions of upmarket cars. I prefer the latter.
On the other hand the new motor....

JasonH

It definitely looks a lot like the 6. My main questions are:
1)Weight?
2)Power?
3)Cost?
Also, I wonder what the Mazdaspeed version will look like.

mopho

If you look through the text it says refers to as the Mazda3 and 323

turbonium959

I think this picture could be a very close glimpse to an original model. I think it is a computer-edited. I could be wrong though. The headlighths are similar in shape to those of Mazda6, but Mazda6 has 4 beams or bulbs inside its headlight, and this one has only 3. And with out being compared side by side it is hard to compare the scale of this car to Mazda6. Hopefully, there will be more photos.
P.S. If my girlfriend still remembers Greek, I will ask her to translate that page for me.

macdaddyslomo

wtf??? that picture isnt supposed to be public yet!!!!.....that is the p5's replacement!!!

turbonium959

Are you being serious and know this for sure, or you are just as surprised as the rest of us?

macdaddyslomo

yes,I have already seen this pic....I work for Ford Credit and I'm pretty close with one of my Mazda Dealers...he showed me the pic,but specifically said the picture cannot go public and not to post it or I'd get in trouble!!!.....that is a prototype....my best comparison would be early pics of the rx-8 prototype and now...its pretty close to production!!

martialcomp

So this IS the new model for the Protege 5??

Wow, wonder if I can find a regular Protege ES.

Wish I could read hebrew or arabic whatever the heck that language is.

martialcomp

Thanks to whoever told me it is Greek.

Here is a partial translation of the article:

existing generation of Mazda 323 anything but commercial success marked in the European market. The Mazda more generally cannot pride for her records in the European market, with her share reach hardly the 1,1% efe'tos and her alone really popular model it remains the mx-5. The leaders of company have katastrw'sej a drawing of derotation in collaboration always with the group Ford, which as we know possesses the 33,4% of Mazda. This drawing forecasts - with the aid of presentation of enough new models - the increase of sales worldwide in the 1,23 ekat. vehicles until 2004, from 948. 000 vehicles that were in 2001. Mainer objective of aggressive proj!ontjki's policy of Mazda is the European market, in which the persons of company eyelpjstoy'n that will exist increase of sales at 75% roughly the next years. Ejlimme'ni decision is considered also her narrower collaboration with the Ford in the technical sector and concretely in the growth and utilisation of common platforms, engines and other mechanic parts, so that is achieved important reduction of cost of growth and production.
In the frame of this collaboration, the substitute of Mazda 323, that will bring the name Mazda 3, will use the floor of next generation Ford Focus, which will present in 2004. This new small to medium-sized platform brings name "P1" and will be also used by new Volvo V30, the first representative of Swedish company in the category of small to medium-sized cars.
Platform P1 will constitute product of collaboration of engineers and 3 parapa'nw companies. Of course, every from them will contribute in the sector in which it is considered that it allocates technological supremacy and specialisation (for example the Volvo has undertaken the sector of passive safety that will offer the new platform). New Mazda 3 will allocate also the same geometry of suspension of new Focus, that is to say differentiated, concerning that of existing Focus, system of multiple contacts in the pj'sw axis. The regulation of in any case suspension in Mazda 3 will aim at the spor road behavior.
New person with small or medium income of Mazda it will continue being sold so much in 4cyra, what in 5cyra car bodies, the length of which is appreciated that it will be lightly bigger the existing 323. Το γεγονός αυτό φυσικά συνεπάγεται και μεγαλύτερους χώρους για τους επιβάτες του νέου μοντέλου.
The exterior designing of Mazda 3 refers immediately in Mazdas 6 and Mazda 2, kacw's it adopts all those styljstjka' elements that compose the new, dynamic shedjastjki' identity of Japanese fj'rmas. The mainer representatives the new this - charming omologoyme'nws - shedjastjki's philosophy are not other than the pentagonal mask that reminds opened feathers and the "agrjeme'na" lightning bodies with the increased length and the acute corners in utmost. The last ones allocate three cylindric headlights in line, which are distinguished immediately behind the limpid crystal of frame, creating a beautiful optically total. Additional dynamism in the car body lend the "inflated" bonnet and eymege'cejs, spor designing his imports of air front bumper. Judging no one from what we have seen in the Mazdas 6 and 2, the interior of Mazda 3 is expected to follow the himself "German" aesthetics, with beautiful and functional designing and with very good quality of materials and fjnjrj'smatos, while in every case it is much more pleasant concerning the interior of existing model.


With regard to the range of mechanic totals with which she will be provided in Europe Mazda 3, will begin from the new engine the 1. 400 k. from. with that will be provided also Mazda 2. Bigger capacity mechanic totals will concern at all probability a 1. 600a'ri engine, which is unknown still if emanates from the Mazda or is selected somebody from the Ford, the moment in deed where the last one will equip future Focus with two new engines 1,6 and 1,8 litres, output 110 and 120 horses respectively, which will make use of technology of direct discharge of petrol. Sure in any case is that will exist a "boiling hot" publication of model from the Mazdaspeed, on the movement of which it is likely attends a new petrol engine of 2,3 litres of high output. The information on the boxes of speeds makes reason for existence inter alia and a box of continuously altered relations (CVT), while the equipment passive and energetic safety is rich. H Mazda examines seriously the possibility to manufacture new small to medium-sized model (at least the 5cyri publication) and in the factory of Ford in Germany, kacw's it considers that this will contribute in it builds high quality and technology picture ana'mesa in the European consumers. The disposal of new Mazda 3 in the Anile continent is expected to begin inside 2003.



This is all I could translate. I used an Online translator.

Hope this helps...

Mach 1

Wow, Im really surprised at the number of "mazda enthusists" that couldnt tell that was a P5 with an updated grille.

It was extremely obvious to me. Did you look at all the pictures in the article?

UCSBgeek

If you're talking about the silver one, that's a regular p5... non US grille... they are illustrating the car the 3 is replacing...

The blue car does NOT look like a 3 with a different grille. Sorry. It's styled much more like the new six.

Mach 1

It DOES look like a 3 with a different grille to me. Its obviously too small to be a 6.

UCSBgeek

i meant to say the blue car doesn't look like a protege 5... sorry tired