Mazda? Are you memeing us?

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by why?

V engines are only good for packaging.

This reminds me of Homer trying to get a deal on a matter transporter at a yard sale: "Hmm, 2 bucks? And it only transports matter?"

Packaging is of course pretty damn important in vehicle design... I *love* inline 6s, but you can get better weight distribution with a shorter wheelbase and a lower hoodline and cowl in an FR sports car with a V6. And of course in an MR sports car a V6 is kind of the way to go (Ferrari Dino, Lancia Stratos), despite the awesomeness of the BMW M1.

Inline is so much better in every other way.

Is it? Torque and power, I don't see any inherent inline advantage. Already noted but a longer crankshaft is inherently more torsionally sproingy, so you have to add weight/stiffness to it to have the same rev capability. In the instance of the 6-cylinder there are inherent balance benefits to an I6 over a V6 but these can be addressed in the V6 with balance shafts. Of course with 8 or more cylinders, a V8 is just the only way to go vs. an I-8, I-10, I12(!) which would be kind of silly.

Personally I think a V4 would be about the ideal small lightweight FR sports car powerplant. Short wheelbase, low hood and cowl, better weight distribution, lower c.g., etc vs. I-4. That's what I wish Mazda would make, a 2.5(ish) liter 250hp V4 sports car.

Again, I LOVE inline 6s, but for an actual modern sports car there are very real benefits to going with a V.

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by ZDan

Of course with 8 or more cylinders, a V8 is just the only way to go vs. an I-8, I-10, I12(!) which would be kind of silly.

Looks normal to me

[fatoni]

whats the meme? am i missing something?

[reeves]

Originally Posted by ZDan

Do they? It is not at all apparent to me that the Mazda3 and Mazda6 have particularly longer hoods/engine bays...

Are you aware of how the engine is oriented in Mazda's cars other than the Miata? Why should hood length even matter when the engine is transverse?!

Lol I own a Mazda3.. of course I'm aware! I'm guessing you've never seen one up close.. It has a longer hood than most mid-size sedans.

Originally Posted by ZDan

None of Mazda's cars is at all ripe for an I-6 engine transplant. IF any of them is it actually is the Miata. But they'd either have to elongate the wheelbase or give it a proboscis monkey nose...

There's plenty of

explaining the longer hood.

Mazda pushes the entire cabin back a bit (and stretches the engine bay) to make room for their [relatively] long-tube headers on their skyactiv engines. The I-4 is transversely mounted, with headers extending towards the firewall. They could easily fit a longitudinal I-6 in there with the headers coming out one side of the engine. That's what I meant by 'ripe'.

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by reeves

Lol I own a Mazda3.. of course I'm aware! I'm guessing you've never seen one up close.. It has a longer hood than most mid-size sedans.

??? I've seen plenty of Mazda3's plenty close up enough, it's not like they're rare beasts... Wife has '05 fwiw.

Mazda pushes the entire cabin back a bit (and stretches the engine bay) to make room for their [relatively] long-tube headers on their skyactiv engines. The I-4 is transversely mounted, with headers extending towards the firewall. They could easily fit a longitudinal I-6 in there with the headers coming out one side of the engine. That's what I meant by 'ripe'.

A transverse I-4 front-drive car like the Mazda3 is *hardly* "ripe" for having an inline 6 transplanted in there. Best bet would be to make the I6 transverse also like that weird Volvo some years back, in which case length is irrelevant anyway.

[Irace86.2.0]

^^^Agreed. Their global architecture wouldn't really work; they don't have another RWD platform for a straight six. I don't know if they could modify the cabin to make room for a transmission tunnel on an existing platform. I can see how the hood proportions could be maintained if they did do a one off platform, so the new model could fit into their design aesthetic, but this seems unlikely. Definitely not ripe.

[86MLR]

Won't see it for years, and when we do it will be a hybrid, if it happens at all.

[Atmo]

Originally Posted by ZDan

Is it? Torque and power, I don't see any inherent inline advantage. Already noted but a longer crankshaft is inherently more torsionally sproingy, so you have to add weight/stiffness to it to have the same rev capability. In the instance of the 6-cylinder there are inherent balance benefits to an I6 over a V6 but these can be addressed in the V6 with balance shafts. Of course with 8 or more cylinders, a V8 is just the only way to go vs. an I-8, I-10, I12(!) which would be kind of silly.

Personally I think a V4 would be about the ideal small lightweight FR sports car powerplant. Short wheelbase, low hood and cowl, better weight distribution, lower c.g., etc vs. I-4. That's what I wish Mazda would make, a 2.5(ish) liter 250hp V4 sports car.

Again, I LOVE inline 6s, but for an actual modern sports car there are very real benefits to going with a V.

I'm still trying to recall any supercar from the relatively modern era that relied on an inline 6, whether Ferrari, Lambo, McLaren, Porsche (obviously), any WRC or IMSA LeMans car, all have relied on a V configuration, nevermind open wheel racers.

But, having owned many inline 6 cars I agree, for street application, the sound alone is worth it.

[AdmiralAhab]

Shouldn't be too surprising. Easier to adapt their I-4 into a I-6 than it is to design a V-6.

[86MLR]

Balance and harmonics

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_balance

And the winner is..........

[NARFALICIOUS]

Well Toyota & Mazda are partnering together now and possibly into the future for more vehicles.... So. There's that.

[Jordanwolf]

Originally Posted by NARFALICIOUS

Well Toyota & Mazda are partnering together now and possibly into the future for more vehicles.... So. There's that.

?! What!?

I would like to see a skyactiv X Yamaha tuned 5 cylinder engine with a redline of 9500 please and thank you.

[NARFALICIOUS]

Originally Posted by Jordanwolf

?! What!?

I thought this was common knowledge?
There's a Mazda/Toyota plant being built in Huntsville.
Plus you know both Yaris' are now Mazdas.
One can only speculate on future collab vehicles


https://pressroom.toyota.com/release...ing+future.htm

[reni]

Originally Posted by NARFALICIOUS

Well Toyota & Mazda are partnering together now and possibly into the future for more vehicles.... So. There's that.

well shit, then if Mazda has an I-6 and RWD platform why couldn't Toyota use that for the new Supra....