Mazda V6

[C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

The Mazda V6 (1.8 litres) would have been perfect for the Miata, except it 
cost more to build and produced essentially the same power as the four. 
What is even less well known is that the 2.5 litre V6  has a split cast 
aluminum crankcase. This little jewel of a motor has been overlooked for 
too long. As far as I know, outside exotics like Ferrari and near exotics 
like Porsche, only Mazda went to the expense of designing a mass produced 
engine with the crank captured between two halves of the crankcase casting. 
Beautiful. Mazda also uses an identical suspension layout to the Alfa 164, 
and I think they may have used it first. On both the 323/Protege and the 
bigger 626, they use the McPherson strut front and "twin trapezoid" rear 
strut suspension. Mazda makes a sweet handling econobox, streets ahead of 
any other car available for the money.
Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta,Canada
91 Alfa 164L
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