Mazda SKY-G petrol engine confirmed for Australia in 2011

By Tim Beissmann | April 22nd, 2010

Mazda Australia has confirmed the all-new direct-injection SKY-G petrol engine will become the first of a new generation of fuel-efficient powertrains offered when it debuts locally in 2011.

The Mazda2, Mazda3 and CX-7 are all expected to benefit from the new technology, although Mazda Australia is yet to confirm where we will see the SKY-G first.

Teamed with Mazda’s next generation six-speed SKY-Drive automatic transmission, the company is claiming 15 percent better torque and 20 percent improved fuel economy over the current 2.0-litre petrol engine.

That could potentially lead to torque of around 210Nm and economy of 6.6 litres/100km – similar to the efficiency figures currently achieved by the 1.5-litre Mazda2, which has only 137Nm.

The SKY-D direct-injection diesel – which offers up to 20 percent economy improvements over the current 2.2-litre unit – is expected to be next in line for Australia, but Mazda is yet to confirm its addition to the local line-up.

Mazda says many of the SKY-G’s efficiency gains are achieved through optimising combustion and minimising pumping and mechanical losses.

The SKY range is just one of Mazda’s efforts to reduce the average fuel economy of all Mazda vehicles sold globally by 30 percent from 2008 to 2015.

It is also focussing closely on weight reduction, reduced rolling resistance, improved aerodynamics and other devices including “i-stop” engine start-stop technology, regenerative braking and hybrid technology to achieve its target.

vid_ghost

If they had a mazda 3 or 2 equiped wit this engine in a showroom right now i would go out today and buy it! This is the most fuel efficient naturally aspirated 2.0L Petrol engine in the world. A job well done for mazda its just a shame its going to take until next year befor we see a benefit to the consumer.

Simon

True, if I was in the market for a Mazda, I would be having second thoughts. Imagine the depreciation of current models when the new tech hits town.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/blink_me192/crystalpearlwhite.jpg Baji

Have mazda released any specific details about these Sky engines? From what I can gather, the Sky-G would be a replacement for the current 2.0L, offering Direct Injection and i-Stop. But isnt there already a 2.0L on the market with DI and i-stop already in the European and Japanese Market?

How about the current 2.5L engines? Will they be getting DI and i-Stop as well? And then theres the 3.7L V6 in the CX9. I wonder if that will get DI as well, considering that its based on the Ford Duratec 35 and that engine was designed with DI and forced induction in mind. Mazda version of ecoboost maybe?

From what i’ve read about skydrive, its unclear whether its going to be an actual dual clutch unit, or just a regular torque converter auto with quick gear changes. Reports i’ve read have been conflicting, as some say its going to be dual clutch, some say that it will be a regular auto with DSG speed changes.

But anyway good to see mazda is doing something about the fuel economy of their cars.

Devil’s Advocate

For information Baji, IIRC the Sky engines are a complete re-design and share very little with the current MZR engines. It is more than just adding DI and “i-stop” to the MZR, which as you mentioned are already available in European markets.

http://ozmpsclub.com ozmpsclub

Congrats to Mazda for thinking about the enviroment and doing something to reduce the fuel economy…bring on 2011

Scott

He says, presumably driving an MPS fuel guzzler… haha. Just kidding mate. Mazda are one of only a couple of brands that keep making leaps and bounds in the right direction. Also think Audi..

jimmy james

I’ll bet you a million dollars there will be NO power increase. AGAIN. We’ll still have to put up with circa 124kw in the mazda 6.

140-150kw for a mid-size car please, or I’ll look elsewhere.

And lets be honest everyone, if you had a choice of a 145k 2.0 that returned 7L per 100kms or a 125kw 2.0 that returned 6.6L, which would you choose?

And while we’re at it, put a decent engine in the MX-5!

Gan Tan

USABLE power is whats important though. Look at the Honda Euro, its power figures suggest that it would destroy the 6, but since it needs to rev to get there it loses to the “meagre” 124Kw 6 on a straight line (0-100)

Scott

This may be true with the new Euro which put on circa 150kg, however the original shape euro exhibited a significant edge in acceleration over the 6.. The new one is just too heavy, and the more weight you have to haul the more torque required. Bang on about the Usable power though, power is all torque and revs, get the torque nice and flat and the power will follow… Keeping the torque flat towards the higher revs is what costs money but ultimately makes big power..

Bezza

Maybe you should start looking at Torque instead of Kilowatts. kW are expensvive to develop but Torque is cheap

Turbos on petrol and diesel when done well give you so much more go with less gas used.

vti07

The extra torque would be welcome in the 2L as NA 4 cyl motors under 2L typically don’t have much low down torque, especially when coupled with an auto box. This car should be good with a manual.

While they’re at it, can Mazda also increase the power as well? A certain Korean car with a 2L engine has outputs of 115kw and 194Nm….

If Mazda can price the updated models competitively, then I’ll be buying Mazda next time. Zoom Zoom.
carl

If they have this engine and the DSG like transmission on all models with the fuel consumption close to diesel, my next car will be Mazda, not VW.
Valet Dabess

i hope they match it with a manual too not just the auto
ABMPSV

Renault had GDI since 1999 and VW since 2000. It took Japanese 10 years to catch up. I hope the result will be good and no price increase!!

phil

Actually both Mitsubishi’s GDI (1996) and Toyota’s D-4 (1998) came before Renault and VW. Unfortunately many of these engines were Japanese only.

Something to do with petrol quality in the 90′s perhaps?
Kenn

U r ignorant Japanese had GDI more than 15 years ago. Mitsubishi had the patent on GDI & since 1996 sold GDI cars in Europe & Japan. In 1997 Nissan introduced a GDI engine to some domestic models. In 1998 Toyota introduced GDI on many models.
Devil’s Advocate

On top of that ABMPSV, Mazda have had GDI since since at least 2005 with the 6MPS. My maths is not the best, but that to me doesn’t equal 10 years. Mazda were also ONE OF the first manufacturers to release a mass produced engine with GDI and a Turbo. Note I said ONE OF and not THE first!!

vid_ghost

The mazda 3 isnt the best on petrol its going to make the most amount of change on this model car. the 6 and CX7, 9 probably could do with it also.
Shak

How do you put DI in a diesel. Isnt it just Direct Common Rail Injection

Devil’s Advocate

Diesels don’t have to have a common fuel rail to have direct injection. Direct injection has been in some diesels (not all) for quite some time.

Shak

Yes but how?

Devil’s Advocate

Please note this is only a basic description or operation with many manufacturers using proprietary technology to achieve the same final outcome.

The injector nozzles of a Direct Injection diesel fire directly into the combustion chamber as opposed to somewhere behind the valve as per indirect/port injection, hence being called “Direct Injection”. “Common Rail” in a diesel simply means that the injectors are fed diesel from a common fuel rail like the majority of petrol injected engines and in most modern diesels they are now fired electronically. This has nothing to do with if the engine is direct injected or not.
This differs from “non-common rail” diesels where each injector is fed diesel from a separate fuel line directly from the fuel pump. These systems are mostly mechanical and the individual injector is “fired” from the pump itself. Pump timing is similar to how you used to time the ignition on a distributor equipped petrol powered car. Again, this had nothing to do with whether the engine had direct injection or not.
Manufacturers are using the common fuel rail in diesels, in conjunction with direct injection, to allow more accurate injector timing and greater control of the large pump pressures used. For example BMW and VW run injection pressures upwards of 30,000psi. These measures increase engine performance and efficiency etc.

I hope this helps a little.

Shak

Thanks that cleared up most of my confusion.

ABMPSV

Go to HowStuffWorks website.

In 1893, Rudolf Diesel determined to prove his theory that a fuel could be made to burn by subjecting it to extreme pressure, without an ignition source. Furthermore, he demonstrated, the resulting energy could be transferred to a machine for the purpose of performing work. Diesel nearly killed himself perfecting his method, which is known as compression combustion. But it ultimately made him a millionaire [source: Energy Information Administration].

The diesel engine evolved in the 1920s to incorporate direct injection as a hallmark of its design. Diesels are built quite sturdily to survive the high stresses generated when they operate.
http://ford vid_ghost

I want one in my lawnmower! it uses to much petrol!

This is sooo going to hurt resale value on the second hand mazda’s using the old engines. Mostly the higher up models like SP25′s and Maxx sports, Genki’s and Luxury models. Like for example you could buy a Bran new 3 neo with one of these engines for the same price as a second hand Maxx sport or SP25 but the Neo 2.0L will have more power and use half as much fuel LOL haha
Shak

A new diesel has been invented. It is synthesised woth Natural Gas and produces about 30% less emmissions and anout 15% more power. It can also run in all modern diesel engined cars, and it uses waste Gas, mostly comprised of Mathane.