Japan Gets New Mazda3 Mazda Axela. You Get The Pictures

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Japanese customers can now buy the facelifted Mazda3 with its fuel-efficient SkyActiv technology. Except that it’s called Axela in Japan and has the steering wheel on the wrong side. Pretty much everything that needs to be said about the car already has been. If you missed it, here is the English version of the Japanese press kit. (Now how is that for service?) Mother of all Mazda3 picture collections follows.







Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Bertel Schmitt Bertel Schmitt on Sep 27, 2011

    I heard it's already here, but maybe I was wrong.

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    • Redav Redav on Sep 27, 2011

      The '12 is on sale--I've seen dealerships with them. However, I have not seen a SkyActiv yet, so I don't think it has made it here yet. Most reports say it will debut in Oct, but that may be optimistic. It seems reasonable that Mazda is keeping most in Japan at first, and then they will start trickling in over here--so give it a couple months and they should become more available. The SkyActiv in the '12 Mazda3 will be a watered-down version. It doesn't have the room for the 4-2-1 exaust, so it will only have a 12:1 compression ratio instead of 13:1 (rest of the world will have 14:1). I don't think the frame/chasis changes will be in this Mazda3, either. The first FULL SkyActiv will be the CX-5 scheduled to be released "early 2012" (probably Mar/Apr). The CX-5 specs will be revealed at the LA Auto Show in Nov. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtc2EofaRJI This is a video of various styles for a Mazda3 using the Kodo design language. There's no telling when it will be done, but I'm hoping for '14 model year.

  • Elusivellama Elusivellama on Sep 27, 2011

    Official Canadian info is already out for the 2.0 SkyActiv. Here: http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?54973-Official-2012-Mazda3-Specs-amp-Features-and-Pricing I see this as more of a gradual intro of SkyActiv tech, with everything becoming available in the next model year when the Kodo design language is used. I really want to see the 3rd gen MS3 though.

  • Ajla On the Mach-E, I still don't like it but my understanding is that it helps allow Ford to continue offering a V8 in the Mustang and F-150. Considering Dodge and Ram jumped off a cliff into 6-cylinder land there's probably some credibility to that story.
  • Ajla If I was Ford I would just troll Stellantis at all times.
  • Ronin It's one thing to stay tried and true to loyal past customers; you'll ensure a stream of revenue from your installed base- maybe every several years or so.It's another to attract net-new customers, who are dazzled by so many other attractive offerings that have more cargo capacity than that high-floored 4-Runner bed, and are not so scrunched in scrunchy front seats.Like with the FJ Cruiser: don't bother to update it, thereby saving money while explaining customers like it that way, all the way into oblivion. Not recognizing some customers like to actually have right rear visibility in their SUVs.
  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
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