Meet Mazda's Brand New Inline-6 Engine

The present day is a mixed bag for Mazda fans. On the one hand, theMX-5 Miata still exists, Mazda remains at least somewhat committed to furnishing cars with manual transmissions, the Mazda3 is available with turbo power, and the company has confirmed that it will be introducing a new Wankel rotary engine in the coming years. On the other hand, the number of Mazdas offering manual gearboxes has shrunk over the past years, the automaker is strangely opposed tobringing back its storied MazdaSpeedbrand, and the rotary will be nothing more than a range extender for an EV. But there's a glimmer of hope in a new inline-six engine that Mazda confirmed back in 2019; and now, we finally have our first glimpse of the new motor that will feature in the next-generationMazda 6sedan.

Since the original announcement, the automaker has stayed relatively quiet on the matter, but recently, we got our first look as Mazda included a photo of several upcoming powertrain technologies in a presentation relating to its third-quarter financials, including the new six-cylinder, a new four-cylinder, and a plug-in hybrid system.

Mazda says the inline-6 will be available in gasoline, diesel, andSkyactiv-Xforms, although the company is still stopping short of disclosing where the engine will be deployed. It'll likely feature in thenext-gen Mazda 6but could also feature in the CX-5 and the larger CX-9. The longitudinal mounting of the motor means RWD is in the cards, but the Mazda presentation only confirms the development of a new AWD system alongside the six-pot.