Mazda 3 to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show

Aug 29, 2003 – As an outsider in the coming Golf/Astra war, the new Mazda 3 will be launched on the European market at the end of October. Designed mainly in Japan, it has been on the market there for some time already under the name of Axela. The car is built on the platform developed for the next Focus which will be the basis for many other Ford models or Ford-owned marques.

The five door hatchback will be the main protagonist, but other body styles are expected to follow, a four door version will be available from launch date. We see the new, pronounced, corporate face on this model too, as presented in concept form at Geneva on the MX Sportif. The pentastar-formed grille drawn far down, the trapezoid-shaped headlight units that continue around the corners and the large mesh-covered air intake all give the new C-segment car a distinguised shape. As expressive as the new Astra.

The rear part as well as the profile breaks with Mazda tradition and may also be called adventurous by some observers. Development of the car would obviously have been started before Moray Callum was hired as Mazda’s head of design, but some details here are typical Callum touches.

For the launch the Mazda3 will present a choice between two petrol engines, 1.6 and 2.0 litre, plus one 1.6 common rail diesel. Give Mazda half a year and the drive-train program will also be much greater.

	Mazda 3 to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show by Jon Winding-Sørensen
	Click for larger images	Aug 29, 2003 – As an outsider in the coming Golf/Astra war, the new Mazda 3 will be launched on the European market at the end of October. Designed mainly in Japan, it has been on the market there for some time already under the name of Axela. The car is built on the platform developed for the next Focus which will be the basis for many other Ford models or Ford-owned marques. The five door hatchback will be the main protagonist, but other body styles are expected to follow, a four door version will be available from launch date. We see the new, pronounced, corporate face on this model too, as presented in concept form at Geneva on the MX Sportif. The pentastar-formed grille drawn far down, the trapezoid-shaped headlight units that continue around the corners and the large mesh-covered air intake all give the new C-segment car a distinguised shape. As expressive as the new Astra. The rear part as well as the profile breaks with Mazda tradition and may also be called adventurous by some observers. Development of the car would obviously have been started before Moray Callum was hired as Mazda’s head of design, but some details here are typical Callum touches. For the launch the Mazda3 will present a choice between two petrol engines, 1.6 and 2.0 litre, plus one 1.6 common rail diesel. Give Mazda half a year and the drive-train program will also be much greater.