With the official voice for the CX-70, the puzzle of the "mid-to-high-end SUV" product line created by Mazda is nearing completion. In addition to the sturdy body that can solve the space problem of Mazda, the design and texture are comparable to those of first-line luxury brands. The 3The 3T inline six-cylinder turbocharged engine can be said to have played with the nerves of "horse fans" many times. However, the next point of view is not the sour grape mentality, from a technical point of view, Mazda's turbocharged engine, in fact, may not have its naturally aspirated engine, suitable for the domestic market.
Technology is always in the same vein, with the Mazda 2Looking at the specifications of the 5L naturally aspirated engine, we can push the perspective back to the era of EFI 10 years ago. The Mazda 2 with the era number L55L engine, i.e. that classic 2An updated version of the 3L power. It has already brought the black technology of the variable intake manifold. By adapting different lengths of intake manifolds at high and low speeds, the output power at low rpm and the air intake at high rpm can be adjusted. This allows the vehicle to achieve a wider torque output range, creating a supercharger-like effect. As for the 89mm bore and 100mm stroke, it was inherited by the subsequent famous Skyactiv engine.
With an aluminium block and alloy cylinder liners, as well as new connecting rods, crankshafts, aluminium pistons and other components, the SKYACTIV engine is lighter and more powerful than its predecessor, the L5 series. Of course, the most important changes to the new engine are the application of high-pressure direct injection technology and the matching 4-2-1 exhaust manifold. The former can help the engine "burn more fully", and the latter helps the engine "breathe more easily". The result is a naturally aspirated engine capable of achieving a maximum compression ratio of 14 (13 in China) and an excellent balance between fuel economy and performance.
But balance also means not being "extreme" enough. To this 2One of the unavoidable problems with the 5-liter Skyactiv engine is that it is difficult to adapt to larger models. In other words, it is difficult to provide a more aggressive driving experience on a relatively large model. To be more precise, the power output of naturally aspirated engines in low-rpm scenarios naturally has disadvantages. Blindly increasing the displacement does not have a universal operational basis. Then the remaining answer is turbocharging, or supercharging, or even a combination of the two. Of course, the superimposed solution is not suitable for Mazda's product positioning. The input-output ratio of mechanical supercharging is also low, and it is contrary to the technical characteristics of SKYACTIV. Turbocharging became a natural option, but don't forget that Mazda was looking for ways to help the car stay on track at low revs. So Mazda uses turbocharging, and it doesn't care about the so-called performance reserve at all.
According to the parameters of overseas adapted models, on the basis of using high-quality fuel, Mazda 2The 5-liter engine achieves a maximum output of approximately 186 kW and a maximum torque of approximately 420 Nm. Judging from the parameters alone, this performance is almost surpassed by the BMW B48 20t catch-up. However, at that time, Mazda used a dynamic turbocharging system to simulate the operation effect of a variable-geometry turbine. The specially designed exhaust gas channel and butterfly valve allow the exhaust gas to pass through the narrow channel quickly at low speed, minimizing turbine lag. On top of this, Mazda also added a cooling exhaust gas recirculation system to push the compression ratio of the turbocharged engine to 105 at a high level. Although it was not as good as the naturally aspirated version, it was already quite exaggerated at the time. This also makes Mazda's 2The 5-ton engine has an acceptable fuel consumption performance under high loads.
To put it simply, whether naturally aspirated or turbocharged, Mazda's mass-produced engines (non-rotors) in ordinary civilian sectors mainly provide a more follow-up (that is, the so-called human-horse integration) driving experience for daily working conditions, giving more driving pleasure that can be experienced in daily life. However, under high-intensity working conditions, more emphasis is placed on maintaining the economic attributes of the power system, and it is clear that it is still an "ordinary civilian vehicle". With this in mind, look back at the 3With a 3T inline-six turbocharged engine, we will find that the theoretical basis of Mazda remains unchanged. Its high-power version, with premium fuel, is capable of delivering a maximum of 340 hp and a maximum torque of 500 Nm. Obviously, judging from the data, it is not as good as the BMW B58B30P codename 30t straight six engine. But it still doesn't matter, it's about what you want, not what you want to do.
But as mentioned earlier, the turbo is Mazda's solution to the low-rpm power output of its large-size models. At present, this batch of SUV products positioned as standard B-class, or even C-class, can be done if turbocharging is bypassed? Combined with the changes in the Chinese market, the answer, of course, is "electrified". The longitudinal platform provided a stage for Mazda to make big news, and so the inline six-cylinder turbocharger was born. But this stage is equally suitable for 25L naturally aspirated engine, as it leaves plenty of room for the intervention of the P2 motor. The characteristics of the motor at low speed directly wiped out Mazda's original intention of making turbines. Judging by the parameters, Mazda 2The maximum power of the 5L plug-in hybrid power reaches 323 horsepower, and the maximum torque is 500 Nm, which is the same as its own 3The high-power version of the 3T is basically at a horizontal line.
Of course, there is no denying the advantages of the in-line six-cylinder's ride and power texture. But from the point of view of most daily working conditions in the country, Mazda 25L plug-in mix with its own 3The performance of the 3t straight six will at least be much smaller than the difference after their potential landing. To take the simplest example, in a market where the vast majority of car enthusiasts do not actively use high-grade gasoline (the impact of fuel labeling on some Mazda engines has been repeatedly mentioned earlier). The large-scale promotion of a more complex and expensive solution (inline six-cylinder) is far less simple than a set, more affordable (especially with a relatively small battery), and more in line with regional needs.
Looking back, Mazda is by no means a car company that does not understand the mysteries. Whether it is the localization of the compression ratio of the Skyactiv engine, or the 25t, and earlier 2The prudence of the 3T turbocharged engine, all the same. Focusing on the future, we will face a mid-to-high-end SUV product matrix from CX-60 to CX-90. After all, they are based on a completely new longitudinal platform and use highly mechanical hardware such as 8ATs. Jokingly, even if it's 25L naturally aspirated with a set of ISG's 48V mild hybrid system, as long as it is suitable, the force is also sufficient. What's more, with the addition of a plug-in hybrid system, this is probably the most suitable answer for the current domestic auto market. As for the six-cylinder in that dream, if it can be introduced in small quantities with full imports, it can even land in the form of CKD. For domestic "horse fans", it can be regarded as meeting emotional needs.