Press Release
Powertrain
High-Performance and Euro Stage V
The acclaimed MZR 2.3-litre direct-injection turbo petrol of the original model has been updated for the new-generation MPS. It features an evolved torque control system for a more refined driving experience, and meets strict Euro V emission requirements without a loss of power or torque.
MZR 2.3-litre DISI Turbo – Enhanced Drivability
Using high-pressure, direct-injection petrol technology has a host of advantages over classic injection systems.
Torque of the 2.3-litre DISI engine is about 10 percent higher at 3,000 rpm, because of the cooling effect caused by injecting petrol directly into the combustion chamber. The engine is optimized even further by the introduction of a new bonnet scoop for the new-generation MPS. Its cooling efficiency results in a smooth, linear increase in the rotation speed of the blades of the single-scroll turbo charger for more power at lower engine speeds.
The 2.3-litre DISI Turbo produces 191 kW/260 PS of maximum power at 5,500 rpm. It responds quickly to pedal movement, thanks to high maximum torque of 380 Nm at a low 3,000 rpm, sprints from 0-100 km/h in just 6.1 seconds and has a top speed of 250 km/h.
But the way all this power develops has been refined to better suppress sudden torque peaks that can occur in high-performance vehicles.
To realize this, engineers adjusted the electronic throttle and intake volume, readjusted how the electronic boost pressure system interacts with the car’s torque-sensitive super-limited slip differential (LSD) and optimized the left and right drive shafts to minimize torque steer. For the new Mazda3 MPS driver, this translates into a more refined driving experience without sacrificing power. This is truly an everyday sports car with driving fun guaranteed.
Lower Emissions
The new Mazda3 MPS improves upon its predecessor and meets strict Euro Stage V emission standards, without any loss of power or driving fun. The manual six-speed transmission has each gear set to a slightly higher ratio than the original model, and electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering is introduced.
Both contribute to keep fuel consumption at a minimum. The new MPS is also lighter (by around 25 kg), has an optimised aerodynamic design with a low drag coefficient of 0.32, and new engine calibration.
All this results in a slight improvement in overall fuel economy (0.1 litre less per 100 km combined) and 7 grams less CO2 per km (224 g/km). The direct injection system, which delivers a very homogenous fuel/ air mixture around the spark plugs, allowed engineers to retard ignition timing and raise exhaust-gas temperatures at cold start to quickly heat up the new, single-nanotechnology catalytic converter (see below). The engine’s lightweight, single-scroll turbocharger also contributes to this by limiting heat loss in the exhaust system.
The manual six-speed transmission completes the sports car experience delivering smooth and precise shifting that the Mazda3 is famous for. It has a three-shaft design with triple-cone synchronizers for first, second and third gears, and a double-cone synchronizer for fourth gear, and it uses low-viscosity transmission fluid for easy shifting when the engine is cold.
New Single-nanotechnology Catalyst for Mazda3 MPS
The second-generation Mazda3 MPS uses a new under-floor catalyst that employs single-nanotechnology, a global first aboard the all-new Mazda3. This new Mazda technology is contributing to Mazda’s “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom” strategy and helps reduce quantities of expensive precious metals to make catalytic converters for petrol engines.
Precious metals are used in catalysts because they cause chemical reactions on their surfaces that purify exhaust gasses. However, exposure to high exhaust gas heat can cause these particles to move and combine into larger particles. Large amounts of precious metals have always been used to counteract this, which is expensive and not an efficient use of rare natural resources.
Mazda has solved this problem by developing a new catalyst material structure that allows precious metal particles smaller than 5 nanometres (nm) in diameter to be embedded in it. These so-called “single-nano particles“ remain fixed in their original positions when exposed to hot exhaust gasses, no longer move and no longer form larger particles. And their surface area is preserved, even when the particles experience natural degradation over a period of years. As a result, the three-way catalyst used on the new Mazda3 MPS has up to 90 percent less precious metals in it – from 0.55 g/litre to only 0.15 g/ litre – and it delivers minimal deterioration in purifying performance over a long period of time. The savings here can be passed onto the customer, and being able to use less amounts of precious metals means less of an impact on our natural resources.
