Refining the Mazda 6e

SPEAKING with Australian motoring media this week, Mazda Motor Europe senior manager of product development and engineering Alexander Fritsche explained the various challenges that accompanied the re-engineering of a vehicle designed for the Chinese market.

“Initially, it was a surprise that we in Europe had the chance to work together with a third-party and be involved. We understood the vehicle was coming, but we were unsure how well it would cope with European requirements,” he explained.

“It turned out to be a larger program than was initially expected from our small team, which gave us full insight into the development process for the European market.

Mr Fritsche said the program became far larger than was originally anticipated when it was realised how different in character the donor vehicle was from the Mazda6 it intended to replace.

He said that is because the driving experience of the Deepal E07 was so at odds with the expectations of European drivers, a simple rebadging of the model would result in a vehicle that was too far separated from Mazda’s core DNA to be considered acceptable for markets outside of China.

“In Europe, we were looking particularly at the philosophy requirements – the DNA – of the car. It was important that it offered the same impression that a Mazda vehicle should offer,” he stressed.

“We had to ensure this vehicle offered a familiar chassis feel, braking performance, sound emission, and drivability, so that was our starting point when assessing the Deepal L07.

“We recognised quickly that the Chinese tuning approach is very different to what we need here in Europe. We understood that we had a rework it, especially the firmness (of the ride), chassis rigidity, and road feel.

“We actually had to make some very deep changes in these regards.

Those changes extended not only to the usual spring and damper changes as is familiar in models that are retuned for global markets, but a complete reworking of the structure supporting the L07’s rear suspension.

Mr Fritsche explained how significant hardpoint geometry changes were necessary to improve the vehicle’s stability at higher speeds, while at the same time delivering Mazda’s requisite cornering character, road feel, and ride comfort levels.

“The rear subframe had to be completely reworked and remade because the rear (end of the vehicle) was completely different to what we expect,” he recalled.

“There was also a very deep rework of the dampers and bushings, the EPAS (electrically assisted power steering), and also the vehicle’s drivability characteristics (because) European driving scenarios are very different to other markets, as is the expectation of our customers.

“We have high speed markets, we have undulating road markets, and we have narrow road markets.

“We also have very emotional drivers, and some calmer drivers, (where) the Chinese market prefers a very mild, soft (level of) ride comfort and lower speeds. So, we really had to bring all of these requirements into the vehicle.

While the changes made were appreciable, there were others that could not be made without completely starting from scratch.

As is often the case when adapting a production vehicle to alternate markets, engineers are required to essentially ‘work with what they have’ in order to keep the delivery timeframe and development cost of the vehicle in check.

“There were of course some pre-existing factors and limitations of the structure we could not change, but our Chinese partners were very cooperative in helping to reset the hardware we required,” he enthused, noting several differences between the Chinese market and his own.

“The Chinese have a much higher focus on comfort and electronic devices, and on HMI interfacing (where) European drivers are more conservative on that front – we like to drive.

“That’s why the focus (of the 6e) was shifted toward higher speeds, and the interaction between the driver and the machine.

Outlining several of the changes made to ensure the 6e worked as a European entrant, Mr Fritsche listed several component and geometry changes he said were crucial in delivering Mazda’s trademark jinba ittai driving feel.

“The damping forces were of course changed, as was the alignment at the front and rear to make the vehicle feel more stable, while still providing (ride) comfort,” he said.

“We also decided to change the tyres as the base tyre from China did not meet European requirements. We have opted for a Michelin tyre that offers improved rigidity, better absorption, less harshness, and more control, as well as improved roll resistance characteristics.

“We also had to implement some special measures for the European market to reduce low frequency noise, and to change the sound used to alert pedestrians when the car is moving at low speeds … the Chinese vehicle was very artificial and ‘spacey’.

China’s restrictive take on the tuning of electronic chassis aids and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) also came in for a retune at the hands of Mazda Motor Europe.

Mr Fritsche said it was important that the level of safety offered in the donor vehicle was maintained while giving Mazda customers an experience that was more in keeping with the brand’s homegrown model range.

“There has to be a certain level of fun, but also confidence and stability. It had to feel like a Mazda6” he said emphatically.

“The Chinese stability control and ADAS settings are very conservative, I must admit, and we have worked very hard to ensure the chassis settings are enjoyable while remaining safe in every driving scenario.

It was a similar ethos Mazda Motor Europe applied to the steering tune of the Deepal L07.

Chinese preferences vary considerably from those of Western markets in this regard, meaning any direct adoption of the EPAS tune from the donor model would be at odds with Mazda’s Zoom Zoom philosophy.

“The Chinese taste is for very light steering with low (levels of) feedback. We increased the build-up and linearity, keeping that build-up relatively smooth in Normal mode, and a bit more aggressive in Sport mode,” he enthused.

“We wanted to ensure we could offer the 6e customer the best possible steering feedback.

“The results have given the 6e the level of rigidity and firmness we wanted. (Combined with) the rear subframe, which is completely new and made for European markets, we feel the chassis and offers between control and compliance.

To that end, Mr Fritsche said Mazda Motor Europe studied a range of competitors in tuning the 6e for European tastes, including those from Tesla and Volkswagen – the latter acknowledged as offering very good examples of what local buyers expect.

“I think this is done very well by Audi and Volkswagen (and these vehicles) provided a good base requirement for what European customers want from an electric vehicle,” he continued.

“In Europe, Volkswagen Group vehicles are very well perceived and cope with most of the requirements European drivers expect very well. So, we tried to make this a base that we added our own taste on top.

“We looked at the ID.3 and ID.4, and of course the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y (in developing the Mazda 6e for Europe).

While the changes between the Deepal L07 and Mazda 6e noted here are of crucial importance to the model’s success in global markets, they are part of a suite of changes that include aesthetic and detailing changes, human-machine interfacing, noise attenuation, and of course model variant configuration.

Mazda Australia has said previously that the 6e will start from less than $55,000 when it goes on sale locally next year, indicating at the same time the model range will be offered with generous specification and equipment levels comparable to higher grade offerings from within the existing line-up.

While these details are yet to be fully communicated by Mazda Australia, it is understood the left-hand drive model showcased at a recent media and dealer event in Melbourne is very close to what buyers can expect when the 6e arrives in local showrooms early next year.

Visit GoAuto again soon for our local evaluation drive of the European-spec Mazda 6e soon.