TCC Spies 2009 Mazda6

The Mazda6 has been quite a successful car for both Mazda - making it a legitimate player in the mid-sized sedan game, and Ford - server as the basis for most of their new mid-sized product (Fusion, Milan, Edge).

So, the redesign of the Mazda6 is a big deal - and the folks over at the Car Connection have spotted the new car in disguise.

Ford's versions of the platform were stretched and the new 6 takes advantage of the extra room in the 2nd generation car seen here.

Expect stronger family resemblance to the RX-8, MX-5 (Miata), and the CX crossovers with defined front fender bulges and swoopy light clusters front and rear.

Expect the new 6 to debut later this year.

Read all about it over at:

The Car Connection: 2009 Mazda6 Spied

2009 Ford Flex

Ford is in desperate need of product that shows that they are not ready to go just yet to go belly-up.

They need something that shows that they have intelligent minds behind the scenes that know exactly what customers really want and are working late nights to bring it to them before all the money runs out and Ford becomes a footnote in the early 21st century automotive history.

The Flex...unfortunately, is not that product.

Looking like a, somehow, less attractive version of the Fairlane concept, the Flex is being billed as a crossover for families (neo-minivan). While it has a few unique elements (incredibly angular styling, available refrigerator, etc...it comes across, especially with blacked out pillars and a white roof as Ford's 7-seat answer to the Mini Cooper.

Also, the obvious question is 'does Ford need _another_ 3-row, available AWD, V-6 crossover/wagon/thing? Exactly how is this serving a different need than the Freestyle (or as it is now known - Taurus X). Now Ford has 2 5-seat people movers in the Escape and Edge and 2 7-seaters in the Flex and Taurus X...wouldn't the duplicated development have been better spent in improving the products that _don't_ compete with other Ford products?

Oh well...I guess time will tell.

See more pics over at:

Winding Road: New York Auto Show: A Fairlane by any Other Name - Ford Debuts '09 Flex

I guess that explains the naming...new baby crossover CX-5 coming from Mazda

I wondered when Mazda brought out the CX-7 based loosely on Mazda3 components, why they went with such a high number.

Then, they brought out a Mazda6 based CX-9 (cousin to the Ford Edge) and I wondered the same thing all over again.

Now, Auto Express is showing a rendering based on the recent Hakaze concept that shows what a sub-CX-7 crossover with Mazda's new design language could look like.

Expect this to be more in line, size-wise, with the Mazda3 (the CX-7 is a bit bigger), seating for 4, comfortably, powered by a non-turbo 4-cylinder. It would be available in front or all-wheel drive with either a manual or automatic tranny. Instead of 4 conventional doors, expect a very RX-8 like treatment with suicide rear-doors offering exceptional access to the back seat.

While AE expects the CX-5 to hit the ground as a 2010 vehicle, we've been hearing from Mazda that the concepts they have shown this year would culminate with a production-ish vehicle at the end. Given that, I'd expect to see a CX-5 early in the next auto show season (which starts in September 2007). Then again, the Hakaze could have been the 'production-ish' one also.

Of course, why these crossovers aren't named CX-3, CX-6, CX-9 in keeping with Mazda tradition is beyond me.

AutoExpress.com: Baby Mazda to face Freelander