These are the first pictures of the new Mazda 6 estate in testing. The new load-lugger, caught here in Germany, is tipped to make its public debut at the Paris motor show in September, around a month after the four-door saloon takes its bow at the Moscow motor show.
The look of the new Mazda 6 was previewed by the Mazda Takeri concept at the 2011 Tokyo motor show. The disguise of the test car hides the final look of the new 6, but sources have confirmed only minor detail changes including door handles, wing mirrors and wheels will change from the concept to production.
Much of the front-end styling has been previewed on the Mazda CX-5, the first car to be spun off the new modular SkyActiv platform that will also be used to underpin the 6.
The estate variant spied has a sleek profile thanks to its sloping roofline, raked tailgate and narrow glasshouse. Closer inspection of the rear also reveals a very wide boot opening and a flat load level to the boot. Maximum load capacity is expected to at least match the 1751-litre seat-down space of the current 6 estate.
The Mazda 6 line-up will include saloon and estate models, with no five-door hatchback planned.
Engines will be taken from the new CX-5, so expect a 162bhp 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.2-litre diesel with 148bhp or 173bhp. Sub-105g/km CO2 emissions are expected from the most frugal version thanks to the adoption of a clever new regenerative braking system called i—ELOOP.
