MAZDASPEED6 - BYE

The next Mazda 6 built for North America will not be the same as the Mazda 6 seen on other continents. Apparently, this means the future existence of the North American MazdaSpeed 6 has been called into question. And apparently, the answer to that question is......

No more MazdaSpeed 6. Had Mazda done a better job on the first tuned 6 than they'd see there was and is reason to have another try. But the Speed 6 has only a touch more zip than a V6 Honda Accord or V6 Toyota Camry and equivalent power to the six-cylinder Nissan Altima.

Sure, all-wheel drive was a pleasing extra but supplying the consumer with four driven wheels meant added weight thereby slowing the car and worsening fuel efficiency. The front-end styling wasn't exactly 'pretty' and the marketing department seemed to know of only one colour: silver.

Many also found the driving experience relatively uninspiring, an odd result for a car that in regular 4 and 6-cylinder configurations was fun-to-drive. So in an age where fuel economy is becoming more and more important and under constraints that would increase the cost of development, it appears that MazdaSpeed 6 has bid farewell.

That's sad news for a car that only just joined the BMW 328i, Infiniti G, Acura TSX, and Subaru Impreza WRX in an attempt to prove the Honda Civic Mugen Si to be overpriced.