Lexus Getting Straight Six Engine From Mazda?

Rumor has it

Rumor has it that Toyota, Mazda, and Lexus might share a 6-cylinder engine housed under the same architecture. This is according to Best Car magazine that's based in Japan. The automotive industry has seen a lot of collaboration between carmakers as they strive to achieve greater efficiency for their vehicles. For Toyota, this is not new. It partnered with Subaru to bring us 'Toyobaru', a nickname given to the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 GT that shared a common platform. 

New Engines

Earlier on, Jalopnik had discovered information revealed by Mazda that was hidden in the automaker's financial results in March, 2019. According to that information, Mazda plans to build a new rear-wheel-drive platform, a diesel-powered engine built with Skyactiv-D technology, and a gasoline-powered inline-6 counterpart built with Skyactiv-X technology. 

>>Join the conversation about the Toyota/Mazda partnership right here in Club Lexus forum.

Power

Mazda is expected to add 2 more cylinders to its 4-cylinder SkyActiv-X engine built with compression-ignition technology. The 4-cylinder is currently available in the Mazda 3 and produces 178 horsepower. With the new architecture and additional cylinders, the new engine is expected to produce more grunt and power.

>>Join the conversation about the Toyota/Mazda partnership right here in Club Lexus forum.

First Appearance

The straight-6 is rumored to appear in 2022 in what will be the successor of the Mazda 6/Mazda Atenza. It will be a little under 3 liters. Mazda will also include a 48-volt hybrid system within its powertrain to assist with fuel economy. The automaker is also said to be taking a plug-in hybrid system into consideration. 

>>Join the conversation about the Toyota/Mazda partnership right here in Club Lexus forum.

Where Toyota Comes in

The first car in Toyota's lineup that's expected to get the new straight-six is what will be the successor of the Mark X. In the US, the Mark X was sold as the Toyota Cressida. It's currently available in Japan as the rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive alternative to the Toyota Camry. Production of the Mark X is expected to come to a halt in December this year. Toyota will replace it with a sporty 4-door coupe that will house the Mazda engine and platform. 

>>Join the conversation about the Toyota/Mazda partnership right here in Club Lexus forum.

Lexus IS

Lexus is also rumored to benefit from the new Mazda developments. For starters, the Lexus IS is expected to migrate to Toyota's TNGA platform. It will move from its current sedan to a better version that's powered by a Lexus V6. After that, Best Car claims that it will take up the new Mazda platform and engine in 2026. 

>>Join the conversation about the Toyota/Mazda partnership right here in Club Lexus forum.

Lexus RC Replacement

Before Lexus works on the IS, the 2020 RC will have received a replacement that will house Mazda's inline-6 as well as its architecture. We are yet to know if it will be a 2-door or a 4-door coupe. But, according to Best Car, it will rival the Audi A7. The article takes things a notch higher by suggesting that the 2022 RC will be the first Lexus/Mazda partnership. 

>>Join the conversation about the Toyota/Mazda partnership right here in Club Lexus forum.

Picking from Suitable Sources

Toyota first partnered with Mazda in 2016. The idea was to share notes on the technology developed. According to Best Car, Toyota is continuously looking for suitable sources that can help with developing models that would otherwise be challenging or costly to develop alone. This can be seen in the latest Supra. In addition, Mazda and Toyota have already built their rapport. They are currently working on building a factory in Alabama. The project is expected to cost $1.6 billion and will help with the production of a Mazda crossover as well as the Toyota Corolla. 

>>Join the conversation about the Toyota/Mazda partnership right here in Club Lexus forum.