In Europe, Mazda is building a Mazda6 coupe to compete against the Audi A5 and S5. In boxing, this is called “punching above your weight.” In skeptic’s terms, this is called “nonsense.”
Or is it? A rendering from AutoExpress shows that the styling of the 6 sedan translates surprisingly well to losing two doors. Mazda will transform the 6 into a flagship of their lineup, as they want to get the most of it: “the CX-5 heightened the brand position,” said Mazda’s program manager Hiroshi Kajiyama. “This car has to raise it further again.”
That includes a MazdaSpeed version, for the sedan and possibly for the coupe. (It’s all speculation at this point.) All-wheel drive would be a neat trick, like the last MazdaSpeed 6, a fearsome turbocharged all-wheel sport sedan that can rightfully be labeled as achieving cult status today. If Mazda truly wants to add a halo to its lineup, it’ll do a MazdaSpeed 6 coupe with the all-wheel drive system from its CX-5 relative and a turbocharged SKYACTIV engine.
Of course, Mazda could put a rotary engine in the 6 coupe and label it a Eunos Cosmo. Or chop the back off and bring back the REPU. All seems up for grabs at this point.
Mazda may not be a luxury brand, but this is as close as it gets to its “Phaeton moment.” Hopefully it’ll be more successful than Volkswagen’s foray into welterweight boxing.
Source: AutoExpress
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