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MAZDA3 TO SET NEW CLASS STANDARDS

MAZDA3 TO SET NEW CLASS STANDARDS

The new Mazda3 is built on all the best qualities of its predecessors which have been further refined from the experience and attributes of the new generation Mazda product line-up.

It represents a fresh and confident alternative in a segment that has left the customers of other brands wanting more. Mazda3 is Mazda’s answer to Europeans looking for a car that redefines the style, build quality and performance of a segment that has traditionally been focused on functionality and sales volumes.

The new Mazda3 will initially be launched in a dynamic five-door hatchback version, with a saloon to follow a few months later. The outstanding attributes of both versions combine to deliver a unique combination of sporty exterior design, outstanding dynamic performance, a large and flexible interior and one of the segment’s best safety packages.

In the UK, the Mazda3 range will follow the same naming strategy as the Mazda6 and Mazda2, starting with the Mazda3 S model, with TS, TS2 and Sport models completing the line-up. The Mazda3 petrol goes on sale in the UK in January 2004 with the diesel following in May. Final specification, pricing and sales strategy will be available closer to the on-sale date.

The new Mazda3 five-door hatchback introduces unmistakable Mazda styling and high levels of build quality to the European C-Segment and offers a car that is both fun and functional.

The new Mazda3 hatchback exterior is another example of Mazda’s fresh approach to designing and building cars with the very best in Japanese manufacturing quality. The Mazda3 hatchback’s outward appearance is designed to express movement combined with muscular solidity and stability and is another tangible expression of the "emotion of motion", successfully evoked by the Mazda6, Mazda2 and Mazda RX-8.

Dynamic, solid proportions – created by a long wheelbase and cabin, short overhangs and large-diameter wheels, and aggressively flared fenders – give the five-door hatchback an assertive presence, even when viewed from a distance. The solid build quality of its exterior is instantly apparent by excellent fit and finish that features consistently small shut lines between abutting body panels and components.

Building on methods used to develop the flagship Mazda RX-8, Mazda3’s hatchback interior is far roomier than the car’s sporty exterior indicates. It is sporty yet comfortable, with intelligent functionality and storage solutions so important to a vehicle in this segment.

The Mazda3 hatchback is one of the largest vehicles in its class, despite its aggressive, sporty design. It has a spacious, airy cabin with generous shoulder room front and rear, while its long wheelbase and the optimal shape of the rear seats ensure plenty of knee clearance. Together, these deliver ample space for five adults to travel in comfort.

Add to this a host of intelligent storage compartments, a large and flexible luggage compartment, all built to Mazda's high levels of craftsmanship, and the result is a car that is not only fun to drive, but also fun to use.

The look, touch and operating feel of Mazda3’s large interior were designed and built to deliver a vehicle that rivals Europe’s top C-segment models when it comes to quality and craftmanship.

Mazda3’s petrol engine line-up was developed to deliver the spirited driving experience that epitomizes Zoom-Zoom and to meet the diverse demands of the European market. A product of Mazda’s innovative approach to engineering, the engines deliver linear, lively power combined with low fuel consumption and emissions. The new Mazda3 hatchback also features a redesigned five-speed manual transmission and a smooth and sporty-shifting electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission called "Activematic" (1.6-litre only), available from May 2004.

The Mazda3 h

MAZDA3 TO SET NEW CLASS STANDARDS