Mazda Prototype Sky-G Engine Increases Economy
A few years ago, when the hybrid bandwagon was heavily overloaded with the efforts of Ford, GM, Chrysler, Mercedes, BMW, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda, a single manufacturer stood apart, championing the cause of conventional, but more efficient internal combustion engines. That manufacturer? Mazda.
Claiming that modern technology could increase the efficiency of an engine as well as the drivetrain behind it, Mazda’s engineers have trotted out their single most efficient creation yet; the Sky-G 2.0L four-cylinder. Recently sampled in a Mazda3 equipped with the equally new Sky-Drive six-speed automatic transmission, early reports indicate a city-borne fuel economy figure of 7.l litres per one hundred, with highway driving returning a consumption figure of just 5.8 litres per hundred. Besting such diminutive vehicles as Mazda’s own Mazda2 (on the highway at least) the Sky-G engine will be first found under the hood of an equally important vehicle for the brand; the next-generation Mazda6 sedan slated to debut next year. Coincidentally, a Sky-D diesel engine will also appear on the next Mazda6’s options list with a highway fuel economy rating that may top 5.6 L/100 km.
