UK-market Mazda CX-60 to showcase Kodo design, hybrid powertrain

MANILA: The Mazda CX-60 will be sold in Exclusive-Line, Homura and Takumi grades in the UK. Priced from £43,950 (around P2.8 million) the CX-60 is available to order there for arrival in the autumn.

The all-new Mazda CX-60 flagship SUV is launched with Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid technology powertrain, and visually, the new SUV reflects the latest enhancement of Kodo design — a design philosophy that debuted a decade ago with the launch of the first-generation Mazda CX-5, which was the first production car to feature Kodo design. 

Having entered Phase Two with the Mazda 3 in 2019, the launch of Mazda’s very latest SUV sees Mazda’s designers take on the challenge of creating a design that would instantly reflect the advancement of the "Kodo-Soul of Motion" design philosophy. 

Conceived under the design concept "Noble Toughness," the imposing strength of the Mazda CX-60’s beautiful and dynamic styling conveys the intelligence and elegance of the latest developments in Kodo design. That development is the Japanese concept of Ma, which is the calm and dignified beauty of empty space — woven into the toughness of the striking front-engine, rear-wheel drive SUV architecture.

The CX-60’s deeply sculpted face, long nose and short rear silhouette creates a powerful and dynamic framework and an imposing SUV-like presence in a form with the simple beauty and elegance that Kodo design has become famed for. At the same time, the Mazda CX-60’s powerful and dynamic shape follows the Kodo concept of  ‘breathing life into a car’ by creating a form in which the car as a moving object resembles a living creature running at full speed.

The CX-60’s form expresses stability, much as a living organism uses its skeletal structure and muscles to firmly grip the ground. This is the essence of Kodo design. The Mazda CX-60 uses its strong framework to convey its skeletal appeal when viewed from any angle. 

The front grille adopts an adjusted aspect ratio which shows off the height of the grille more than on other Mazdas, while the signature wing now features illumination functionality with incorporated indicators to further accentuate the powerful look of the grille. The front lamp design is also new for Mazda. Unlike previous models, the Mazda CX-60 headlight arrangement features vertically stacked lamps and an L-shaped lighting signature to create a new expression that conveys the strength of an SUV.

In profile, the relatively rearward positioning of the cabin on the body lends the vehicle a dynamic sense of movement. The SUV’s sense of commanding toughness is enlivened by elegant surface treatment, with a streak of light which beams down from the cabin’s rear edge and grazes the rear wheel arch before reaching the ground. This simple yet powerful motion represents a boldness seen in Japanese calligraphy and modern art, in refusing to be bound by the frame of the canvas. 

In keeping with the practice of adding an emblem to the front wing of sports cars, the Mazda CX-60 features a side signature to reflect the excellent driving performance offered by its front-engine, rear-wheel drive architecture.

Created through a further evolution of Mazda’s Takuminuri painting technology, a new Rhodium White color joins the company’s Soul Red Crystal and Machine Grey as a third signature body color. In contrast to a conventional white pearl finish, Rhodium White has a hard shine with an even more dense particle texture, accentuating the Mazda CX-60’s powerful, graceful form. In all, a choice of eight body hues are available: Jet Black, Deep Crystal Blue, Sonic Silver, Platinum Quartz, Arctic White, Rhodium White, Machine Grey and Soul Red Crystal.

The all-new Mazda CX-60 is the first of two new models from the company’s Large Product group to be introduced throughout Europe during the next two years, with the second being the three-row Mazda CX-80. In addition, joining the 2.5-liter e-Skyactiv PHEV drivetrain in the CX-60 line-up at a later date will be two brand new Mazda engines that have been developed using the ‘right sizing’ concept which calls for optimised displacement for improved fuel and power efficiency.

The new-generation straight-six 3.0-liter e-Skyactiv X petrol and 3.3-liter Skyactiv-D diesel engines, which feature M Hybrid Boost consisting of Mazda’s 48V mild hybrid system, will join the CX-60 range in the future. Both power plants are mated to the same eight-speed automatic transmission and i-Activ All-Wheel Drive system as the PHEV, but the e-Skyactiv D diesel unit and the e-Skyactiv X petrol engine have also been developed to be equipped with rear-wheel drive only.

Available to order now for delivery in early autumn, the all-new Mazda CX-60’s e-Skyactiv PHEV drivetrain combines a Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with a 100 kW electric motor and a 17.8 kWh high-capacity battery. This combination of engine and motor delivers a total system output of 327ps and an abundant torque output of 500Nm. Mazda’s first PHEV also displays outstanding environmental credentials with a claimed combined fuel consumption of 188 mpg and combined CO2 emissions of only 33g/km. 

Photos from Mazda

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