Mazda has announced that the diesel version of its Mazda6 mid-size sedan has been postponed until April 2014, because of delays in emissions testing and certification, according to an Autonews report.
The Mazda6 diesel was supposed to arrive in U.S. dealerships before the end of this year, powered by the Skyactiv-D 2.2-liter turbodiesel engine. However, Robert Davis, senior vice president of U.S. operations for Mazda North American Operations, sent a letter today to Mazda employees informing them of the decision to postpone the launch.
“I know we had discussed it being in showrooms before the end of the year, and everyone involved in the program is disappointed it will not be, but final certification testing – the results of which are looking encouraging – is taking longer than we had initially expected,” Davis wrote.
After the letter was obtained by Automotive News, Mazda issued a brief statement saying the Mazda6 diesel launch would be delayed until late-spring 2014, “to accommodate final emissions testing and certification.”
The launch delay overshadows Mazda’s plan to become the only Japanese automaker to sell a diesel car in the United States. Mazda has played the diesel card in order to meet stricter fuel economy standards, while its Japanese competitors have chosen the path of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.
To make up for the lost volume, Mazda is said to supplement the U.S. supply of Mazda6 gasoline models in the first quarter next year by about 4,000 units. Demand for the Mazda6 is strong in the United States, with sales more than doubling in June, July and August compared to the same period last year.
By Dan Mihalascu
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