The best way to convince consumers about a new technology is to showcase it on the track or at least put a racing spin on it. Diesel engines aren’t anything new by any means, but the push to get American buyers to give them yet one more chance is.
Together with next year’s launch of the new 2014 Mazda6 equipped with a 2.2-liter Skyactiv-D diesel engine in the States, Mazda will also field a racing version of the sedan during the 2013 Grand-Am series.
The Mazda6 Skyactiv-D racer, which was teased through the above rendering, will make its motorsports debut at the Rolex 24 endurance race on January 26-27, 2013 in Daytona Beach, Florida. It will be the first time a diesel-powered vehicle of any kind has ever competed at the Rolex 24.
The announcement was made today at the Los Angeles Auto Show where Mazda is displaying its new mid-size sedan for the first time to the American public.
“We have been eager to announce this car for months, but had to wait until the production car was revealed,” commented John Doonan, Motorsports Director, Mazda North American Operations.
“We’re happy to report that the engine is meeting the performance targets for both power and endurance. That means 400+ hp for over 50 hours, with an engine that includes a very long list of production Mazda parts. This is not a pure race engine; it is a production block SKYACTIV-D. We’re excited about having our newest engine powering our newest car,” he added.
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