cjb200

Recently saw this on the "other" board. Obviously looks like BS (look at the part about the engines), but I thought I would share.

"A redesigned Protege has reportedly been postponed from 2004 to the '05 model year. Renamed Mazda3, it will be an underskin sister of the next-generation Ford Focus and a new entry-level Volvo 40-Series. All share a clean-sheet unibody platform, various chassis components and electronic systems under Ford Motor Company's worldwide "C1" small-car program. Styling, features and performance will be matched to each nameplate's "brand values." Mazda3 apparently bows with carryover Protege powertrains per Ford's current cost-cutting program. A 4-door hatchback may join the wagon and notchback sedan down the road. A Mazda engineer recently put wheelbase at 103.9 inches, two inches longer than Protégé's. He also says Mazda3 will look much like the swoopy MX Sportif concept shown at the March 2003 Geneva Auto Salon."


http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/n...m/id/23279.htm

TheMAN

uhh no.. the car is in its testing phases already

UCSBgeek

we already know these aren't recycled drivetrains / powertrains... outdated info.

martialcomp

"the curse of the good act caught up, says me faster than expected" Martin Leach, and it does not know probably so quite whether it is to be pleased or annoy about it. "as I still with Mazda was, had I the ambition to build always better cars as Fords. Now am I a boss of Ford OF Europe, but I cannot carry it for me out nevertheless to leave Mazda from the eyes? particularly since I know exactly, which arrows have the Japanese still in the koecher... " In the black the team from Hiroshima with the new Mazda6 met, and also the Mazda2 has that things to the success model. In October 2003 the third caper follows with the Mazda3. The successor 323 is the first car on the new C-platform (compact class)? the Ford focus and the second edition of the Volvo S40/V40 are not series ripe against it before end of 2004. Martin Leach knows exactly, what comes to him: "much driving dynamics for relatively little money? we will have ourselves to exert." Itself the new Mazda3 will sell also over just as balanced as salient form. The draft originates from the branch office in the hessian Oberursel, but the speech from a "global Design strategy", whose fruits shortly one wants to harvest, is official. Quite global also the technical concept of the development number is J49. At the body structure the safety experts of Volvo have cooperated, which became platform considerably with Fords in Cologne conceived, the diesel engines by Peugeot are supplied, the new gasoline direct A splashes originate from the internal HP pS-Schmiede."


Looks like it is the Volvo/Focus variant that will not come out until 2004, the Mazda 3 is supposed to be introduced in October of this year.

TheMAN

In case no one knows yet, the engines used in the Mazda3 will be the 2.3l L3-VE, 2.0l LF-DE, and in Europe and Japan the 1.8l (engine code unknown.. but following classic mazda nomenclature, it's most likely "L8-DE"). It's also possible that the 1.3l ZJ-VE and 1.5l ZY-VE from the Mazda2 will be used for the European and Japanese markets.

The new "L" engines are also known as the "MZR" engines, and the new "Z" engines are revolutionarily different from the old Z5, ZL, and ZM engines

Transmission used with the L engines will be the tried and true FN4A-EL 4 speed auto used in the 3rd gen and either the G15M-R or G35M-R 5 speed manual will be used (it's likely that they'll use the G35M-R for cost cutting purposes because it's used in the Mazda6; it's all good if they do that because it has some revised internals). I highly doubt the JA5A-EL 5 speed auto will be used.

reefruner5

does anyone know anything about the 2003.5 changes???

TheMAN

ditto

cjb200

Umm, no ****. This thread wasn't about the powertrains, I was just using that point to discredit this rumor. Geez, read before you post .