Mazda's all new midsize car, the Atenza, is destined for sale in Japan in mid-2002, and will ultimately be considered as the 626 successor in the United States. The five-seat sedan is powered by a 2.3-liter DOHC inline-four featuring S-VT (Sequential Valve Timing), a variable induction system mounted in the resin-made intake manifold, TSCV (Tumble Swirl Control Valves), a single catalyst converter located under the floor, and a dual-pipe exhaust manifold. Uplevel power is expected to come from a 3.0-liter V-6 with variable-valve timing, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.
