Mazda Kazamai Concept Packs Fuel-Efficient Turbo

There’s no doubt the Kazamai concept that debuted at the 2008 Moscow auto show today is wildly futuristic and will likely never see the light of day as a production model. However, the turbocharged four-cylinder engine that Mazda says powers it will in fact be the next-generation engine that the company will roll out in production models as early as 2011.

Based on the engine that powers the CX-7 crossover, the new version will get 30% better mileage, Mazda says. Currently, a FWD CX-7 gets 17/23 mpg, so a 30% increase would bring those figures to 22/30 mpg, which is better than any non-hybrid SUV on the market in terms of highway mileage. Plus, the CX-7’s current engine is a blast to drive. We’d expect this new turbo, along with a next-generation six-speed automatic transmission, to spread to other models, including the new Mazda6 and perhaps a future version of the Mazdaspeed3 performance hatchback. 

The move follows a trend we’ve covered before where, by simply adding existing technology, like turbocharging, to gasoline engines, mileage is greatly increased. An increase of 30% in three years is pretty good — although two years would be better. A few more photos below.