Mazda’s SKYACTIV-D Diesel Engine
Lovers of diesel vehicles are in dire straits lately, largely thanks to Volkswagen’s diesel cheating scandal bringing much closer scrutiny on diesel cars of all varieties. However, if that diesel-lover is also a fan of Mazda‘s vehicles, that sad time stretches far, far back, to November of 2012, when Mazda unveiled the 2014 Mazda6 and announced that it would be bringing its diesel cars to the states by the summer of 2013.
That didn’t happen. The date was pushed back by a year to 2014, due to a delay in the emissions certification process, and then again to an indeterminate time, made all the longer since the diesel scandal. Despite these delays, Mazda’s Robert Davis, senior vice president for US operations, said that the plan to bring in diesel cars is still on.
Davis told Automotive News that Mazda is still considering diesel engines for two of its vehicles, which would boost Mazda’s fleet-wide fuel economy numbers, as well as help differentiate it from the other (much larger) Japanese car brands and align it more with Europe’s luxury carmakers.
However, after being burned a few times in a row by quoting delivery dates, Davis said the brand is definitely not saying when these might or might not arrive.
“I don’t speak timing because I made three commitments and missed all three, so I keep my mouth shut,” Davis told Automotive News with a laugh. “We’re still committed to it.”
News Sources: Jalopnik, Automotive News (subscription required)
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