2014 Mazda6 Sedan Coming Early 2013

In its bid for continued relevance, Mazda will debut a radically redesigned Mazda6 midsize sedan in September, the carmaker said today. The 2014 Mazda6 will be strongly influenced by the Takeri Concept, which made its North American introduction at the 2012 New York International Auto Show today.

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The redesigned Mazda6 will feature the carmaker’s new SkyActiv engines, transmissions and suspension systems. Mazda elaborated by saying that the 2.0-liter engine architecture found in the 2013 Mazda3 and 2013 Mazda CX-5 will show up in the Mazda6 mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The carmaker is targeting best-in-class fuel-economy figures; that’s a tall order considering the just-announced 2013 Nissan Altima gets 27/38/31 mpg city/highway/combined.

The current Mazda6 is built in Flat Rock, Mich., at a plant Mazda shares with Ford (the Mustang also is built there), but the next generation will be made in Japan, according to Ask.cars.com. Mazda announced in June that it will halt U.S. production of the Mazda6 at the end of its current product cycle, likely near the end of 2012.

The 2014 Mazda6 will debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show in September and will go on sale shortly thereafter, in early 2013, according to the automaker.