Mazda6 diesel confirmed for 2013 Australian Grand Prix celebrity race | CarAdvice

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Mazda6 diesel confirmed for 2013 Australian Grand Prix celebrity race

MAZDA MAZDA6
By Tim Beissmann
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Diesel power is coming to Formula One, with Mazda Australia confirming its all-new Mazda6 oil-burner will hit the Albert Park circuit for the Celebrity Challenge during the 2013 Australian Grand Prix in March.

After embracing hybrid power in 2011 with the Lexus CT200h, next year’s race will mark the first time diesel technology has been used in the Celebrity Challenge, with 20 cars set to lap the Melbourne street track between March 14-17.

Mazda Australia says the Australian Grand Prix Celebrity Challenge will be a core part of the launch activities for the all-new Mazda6 mid-size car, which will go on sale across the country in sedan and wagon form with the option of both petrol and diesel engines during the first quarter of 2013.

The 2013 Mazda6 diesel headed for Albert Park and national showrooms features a twin-turbocharged 2.2-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 129kW of power (at 4500rpm) and 420Nm of torque (at 2000rpm).

The engine can be teamed with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, with both sending power to the front wheels.

The Mazda6 diesel manual sedan accelerates from 0-100km/h in 7.8 seconds (8.4sec for the auto) and has a top speed of 223km/h (216km/h auto).

And although the celebrities aren’t likely to be too interested, the diesel’s combined cycle fuel consumption ranges between 4.5-4.9 litres per 100km across both transmissions and body styles.

Mazda Australia is spruiking the Celebrity Challenge as a post-Olympics, pre-Ashes showdown, with Australia’s greatest ever Paralympian, swimmer Matthew Cowdrey, and London Olympics track cycling gold medallist Anna Meares (both pictured above) taking on Britain’s six-time Olympic cycling champion, Sir Chris Hoy.

The remaining 17 competing celebrities will be revealed closer to the start of next year’s Australian F1 Grand Prix.


 

  • Devil666

    It’s far more expensive to get into a Benz, but their 2.1 TT diesel 4cyl really does crap all over this engine.

  • trololololol

    Uh……….what?

    • falcodore

      The article says the new Mazda6 diesel will be the car used in the celebrity race at the 2013 Aus grand prix. Now sit up straight, face the front and pay attention!

  • Zaccy16

    very economical racing!

  • JooberJCW

    Is it me or is the celeb race cars getting more mundane every year? Ever since the cooper challenge its gone downhill… id say scrap the race and replace it with something more entertaining

    • Force-15

      May I suggest Reliant Robins. Now THAT would be something I’d watch.

  • Pauly

    So it was Mini Cooper’s, then Fiat 500′s, then Lexus CT200h and now Mazda 6 Diesel.

    Next year we can have the Suzuki Alto?

    • Amlohac

      Next year they are on roller skates. Havent you heard?

    • Sydlocal

       I would say the Mazda6 diesel would be quicker than the CT200h!

      • JooberJCW

        Definately in a sprint, but being a ‘large’ car, assumptions say the CT200h will outhandle the Mazda6 around a track.

        • Sydlocal

          …..a large car that weighs about the same as the CT200h, That is the problem with assumptions!!!! ;-)
          Both cars are around the 1450kg mark. As a side note the top of the line petrol Mazda6 is only about 1420kg with lower models sub 1400kg. Not bad for an almost Commodore sized car.
           I would still put my money on the Mazda6 when it comes to handling, it only has to be similar to the heavier first two generations to know that it would absolutely slaughter a CT200h around corners!

  • Barry on the tray top .

    Good move mazda , lots of thinking people at F1 , sales should build nicely , good looking car .

  • http://ozmazda.com/ OZM

    but a bloody auto diesel…..what happened Mazda you have gone soft……no manual..

    • Barry on the tray top .

      You kiddimg me , no manuals , might as well send a bunch of  latte sipping auto falcoon XR6′s around the track .

    • Labrys

      No they have gone smart. Let’s face it manuals are a dieing bread of car that will soon only be of interest to the enthusiast market. 

      It is much smarter for Mazda to concentrate on auto’s for these cars since that’s what will mostly sell anyway and they can save some money by not running two transmission types.

      • http://ozmazda.com/ OZM

        What aload of yuppie crap….who wants to steer a car as thats why we buy them to have fun. For those that think a car is for getting from A-B go buy a Camry…..once the MX5 looses its sweet short throw manual gearbox is the day that Mazda should surrender the right to use Zoom Zoom….

        The percentage of drivers that still want a manual gearbox hasn’t decreased its the manufactures that have made this decession for us and as for cost a manual box is far cheaper to fix and maintain then an auto. 

        • roo

          I was pretty sure I read some figures recently that showed autos far outweigh manuals when option is given. 3/4 of golf gti were dsg, not manuals. I don’t like the way we are heading, prefer manual everyday, but I think it’s happening.

  • Waggaclint

    Mazda would have been better of letting them run the MPS-3, it would be alot better to watch..But id say running the new 6 should help get it out there and generate a few sales..

  • Luke Brinsmead

    How come it took this long for diesel autos to come from Japan?

    • Amlohac

      Mazda didnt have a gearbox suitable to handle the torque, dunno about the other jap brands?

      • JooberJCW

        I’m suprised with that as, if they really wanted so, they could have used the partnership with Ford to procure one.

  • Gimp

    Will the race require a pitstop so the Mazda’s can get their diluted oil replaced?

    • Sydlocal

       It shouldn’t be a problem with these cars Gimp because they will be driven/thrashed hard enough to stop it from causing issues. It is only short distance, stop/start low rpm/load driving where it becomes a problem. Just like any other diesel fitted with a DPF with in-cyl method of fueling for the DPF burn cycle. Like most of these diesels they are more suited to country driving rather than the “cut and thrust” of the city. People who do mostly country kms hardly have any of these issues. It is not just isolated to Mazda (their popularity is part of the reason why you hear more about Mazda diesel oil dilution than others like Subaru etc), however we can’t let the facts get in the way of a good story/bit of Mazda bashing now can we! ;-)

  • Pauly

    Japan is much like the USA, they are not really into Diesel cars at all. Its Petrol and Hybrid.

    Europe is where Diesel is most popular.

    Australia is much like Europe, our Hybrid sales are quite small compared to our Diesel sales.

  • Sydlocal

     In what ways? Blanket statements like that need evidence. I am not saying I agree or disagree with you, it is just a silly statement to make without backing it up with credible evidence.

    • roo

      150kw and 500nm I think for the benz. Though figures don’t talk of power spread which makes a big difference too. I’d rather the Benz based on the figures though!