20 March 2002: The Mazda6 replacement for the 626 will arrive in Ireland in June, powered by a choice from three petrol engines and a pair of common rail turbodiesels.

Speaking in Rome at the international press launch of the car last evening, MDL Mazda division MD John Coffey told irishcar.com that he expected the vehicle will help bring Mazda in Ireland back to the good days of the early 90s when the brand had 6% of the market.

"We've become a product-led brand again," he said, adding that the 6 will be followed next year by a Mazda2 replacement for the Demio based on the MX Runabout (left), a new RX-8 sports rotary engined car, and a 323 replacement due in October of 2003.

The new Mazda MPV, seen at Geneva earlier this month (below), will arrive in Ireland during the summer.

The new Mazda6 is the same length as the Ford MOndeo, making it larger than the other key players in the segment - the Renault Laguna II and the Nissan Primera. The upcoming Opel Vectra will also stand at the Mondeo/Mazda6 end of the segment, responsible for 23% of car sales in Ireland.

Though prices for the new Mazda have not been disclosed, it is believed that the 1.8-litre entry model will be targeted at the equivalent 1.8-litre Mondeo.

Engines for the new Mazda include a 120bhp 1.8-litre petrol, which is expected to account for 60% of sales; a 2-litre and a 2.3-litre, expected to take 35% and 5% of petrol sales respectively. There will also be a brace of 2-litre turbodiesels, outputting 120bhp and 136bhp.

John Coffey says he expects to sell some 3,000 Mazda6s in 2003. The car will arrive in saloon form first, then in hatchback a month later. Some 55% of sales will be hatchbacks. A sportwagon version (above) will be here in August along with the diesel engines.

Coffey expects the 2002 car market to peak at around 145,000 vehicles.

©2002irishcar.com