By Nick Syn

LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR MAZDA Singapore is taking orders for two new hotly-anticipated models, the high-performance Mazda 6 MPS and the latest version of the iconic MX-5. The MX-5 originally debuted in 1989, and according to the Guinness Book of Records, it’s since gone on to become the best-selling two-seater sportscar in the world. The all-new version had its first public airing at the Geneva Motor Show in March this year, and it’s got much to live up to.

It’s considerably larger than the car it replaces for starters, and adopts many of Mazda’s current styling cues. The growth in size has come with a small 10 kilogramme weight penalty (it would’ve been larger were it not for strict weight-watching on the part of Mazda’s engineers), but the benefits of the larger chassis include much improved structural rigidity and crash-worthiness. One engine is available at launch, a 2.0-litre 163bhp four-cylinder unit, but transmission options will include a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic. Prices start at $113,988 with COE for the manual gearbox-equipped version, and expect to pay $3,000 more for the automatic. Deliveries are expected in October.

Buyers looking for an alternative to the current crop of turbocharged, four-wheel drive sedans now have the Mazda 6 MPS (above, right) to consider. The company has gone to great lengths to ensure that the MPS is far more than just a warmer Mazda 6. Body rigidity is up 50 percent over a standard 6, and the chassis has received substantial tweaks.

The MPS is powered by a 2.3-litre turbocharged direct injection four-cylinder engine that develops 258hp, enough to enable the car to dispatch the 0-100km/h sprint in just 6.6 seconds. Also new is Mazda’s Active Torque Split All-Wheel Drive System. Using an array of sensors, this feature allows torque distribution between the front and rear axles to be apportioned anywhere between 100 and zero percent, depending on conditions. A six-speed manual gearbox will be the only transmission available at launch, so only committed drivers need apply. The MPS lists at $129,988 with COE and deliveries are expected in November.