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Mazda has announced plans to cut its fuel consumption by 30 per cent by 2015 with a whole new line-up of lighter and more efficient vehicles.
Some of the firm’s new initiatives include the widespread use of direct-injection engines and stop-start technology on its fleet of models. But Mazda also hopes to build on its recent gains in weight saving.
By 2011 the firm hopes to reduce the weight of each of its vehicles by at least 100kg, by moving each new model to a new platform. The first of these new vehicle architectures already underpins the current Mazda 2, which weighs 100kg less than its predecessor.
The new platforms will also allow engineers to reduce suspension components and use thinner materials on door panels and the bonnet, as well as using ultra-high-tensile steel for the body construction.
If the ambitious plan comes to fruition then we could see even more driver-focused and harder versions of the popular MX-5 (due in 2012) and RX-8. Mazda’s new mantra shows the brand’s flexibility and independence from Ford, which has so far focused exclusively on greener engines to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Ian Tonkin
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