Piece by piece, the new CX-90 is being unboxed before our very eyes.
Mazda continues its Mazda CX-90 unboxing teasers with a second video; this time, it's more revealing than before and features Ant Anstead giving us some driving impressions. Japanese actor and martial artist Hiroyuki Sanada returns as the presenter, following up on the promise: “Over the next few weeks, we will assemble Mazda's most ambitious vehicle ever.”
There are a few takeaways from this video, particularly car builder and master mechanic Anstead's surprise at how small Mazda's new 3.3-liter, 340-horsepower inline-six engine is.
“How has Mazda crammed six pistons in that?” asks Anstead – who knows a thing or two about longitudinal Mazda platforms – breaking the quiet, arty ambiance of the film.
Packaging is something Mazda is focusing on for the three-row CX-90 SUV, which it claims is the brand's “most powerful, ambitious project yet.” That's a bold statement, but as far as we know, the new inline-six engine makes 340 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. That's not crazy powerful, but Mazda's road cars have always been more about the chassis than raw power.
In this case, Powertrain Performance Manager Jay Chen talks about how engineers developed a compact arrangement using multi-plate clutches, planetary gears, and an integrated electric motor to replace the large, bell-shaped torque converter traditionally used with automatic transmissions. As well as giving faster gear shifts, the arrangement allows Mazda to shift the engine further back.
“That opened up some of the space for the front area to have more steering angle, proper sports car suspension,” Chen explains.
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In a cut to Anstead driving an Artisan Red CX-90 on a track, he says, “This thing just turns in – absolutely beautifully.” Chen then explains that Mazda is using its remarkably-effective Kinematic Posture Control (KPC) on the new CX-90. Essentially, KPC applies a small amount of braking force to the outside rear tire to keep the vehicle more stable and “planted” while exiting a corner.
The overwhelming impression from the video is that Mazda is aiming to take its ability to imbue any size passenger vehicle with performance and handling dynamics that a driver can enjoy and exploit and enjoy to a whole new level.
We still haven't seen a clear shot in the videos of the all-new CX-90, but we'll be there for the big reveal on January 31, 2023 when the successor to the current CX-9 is introduced to the world.
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Keyword: Watch Mazda Unbox The CX-90's Epic 340-HP Straight-Six Engine