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NSBE - Wikipedia
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Automotive News
I was late for work and grateful for the light mid-morning traffic. I had switched from news on the radio to jazz on the CD player, eased back in the heated leather seats, and pushed the speedometer towards 80 miles per hour as I zipped down the interstate highway through suburban New York.
I had just entered the long, smooth curve in the left lane when it happened: The right rear tire blew, instantly dropping the station wagon onto its rims. Predictably, the wagon's rear started to fishtail, and I knew that, in all likelihood, I would probably lose control and go into a roll - possibly into the oncoming traffic.
But that did not occur. The rear swaying decreased, and within a few feet it was back riding straight. The car never even left the lane. I hit the emergency flashers, moved across three lanes to the shoulder, and stopped. I checked the rear wheel and was startled to see that the tire had not only blown, it had disintegrated. There was no rubber cushion at all. So how had the car held the road?
If you're looking for a family station wagon with grace, comfort, room, and a lot of built-in stability, a good place to start is the 2005 Mazda 6. It carries a price tag of $27,145 and gets about 26 miles per gallon in highway driving.
This is a sporty, comfortable family car with a 220-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 engine that is the bulk version of Mazda's "zoom zoom" slogan. The front-wheel-drive station wagon hugs the road like a rock star's groupie, because it was designed that way.
Mazda spokesman Jeremy Barnes says that when the car went through its paces on Mazda's winding test track in Hiroshima, Japan, "We used a radio control device and blew up the tires during the testing." The tires were exploded on inside and outside curves, on straightaways, at high speeds and low. And only when the stability was achieved at all four corners was the car's design and suspension approved.
"The car does not have dynamic stability control," says Barnes, "though it does have traction control to prevent spin. Much of the control comes from the basic suspension design, which is intended to track the 6 as straight as possible.
"There isn't much weight on any one wheel because of the way it was designed and packaged. It's well-balanced."
The 6 uses Mazda's double-wishbone suspension system in front, which is complemented by a multilink rear suspension. The test car had a five-speed manual transmission that was smooth and responsive. The 6 I drove featured 17-inch alloy wheels and four-wheel disc brakes.
Inside, the Mazda 6 has the comfort of Mazda's sedans. There is surprising room in the passenger section. Two of my colleagues, one the size of an NFL linebacker and the other built like an NBA guard, fit in the rear seats without their heads hitting the roof or their knees hitting the back of the front seats. The rear seats also fold down in a 60/40 split to enlarge the cargo area.
It has heated leather seats, which are useful in northern climes, and a sunroof that is appreciated even when it's too cold outside to open it. The leather-wrapped steering wheel both telescopes and tilts. And it has fingertip controls for an entertainment system featuring an in-dash, six-disc CD changer. The 200-watt, seven-speaker Bose sound system will comfortably rearrange your eardrums.
The armrest on the console is too far back to be useful to the driver, but the cup holders are actually deep enough for a water bottle or standard Starbucks cup. There is also a pop-up shelf on the dashboard for small items such as an electronic toll pass or handicap sticker.
The 6 is a sleek, attractive, roomy family wagon that gives the ride of a sporty model and the security of a well-built sedan.
2005 Mazda 6
MSRP: $27,145
Mileage: 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway
Performance/ Safety:
3.0 Liter DOHC, 24-valve V-6 engine; 5-speed manual transmission; independent front/rear suspension; 17-inch alloy wheels; 4-wheel disc brakes; front/rear stabilizer bars; ABS with EBD and traction control; fog lights; delayed auto-off headlights; oval exhaust outlets; rear wiper w/ washer; front and side air bags and side air curtains; latch child safety seat anchors; remote keyless entry; anti-theft alarm and immobilizer.
Interior:
Leather-trimmed seats; 3-spike, leather-wrapped steering wheel; tilt telescope steering wheel; air conditioning and pollen filter; 60/40 split fold-down rear seats; 8-way power driver's seat; AM/FM/CD in 200-watt Bose entertainment system with 6 speakers; power windows and locks.
Roger Witherspoon can be reached at RWitherspoon@ccgmag.com
To read more about Safe Six, in a Mazda see Safe Six, in a Mazda in the USBE News archive.
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A virtual spokesperson for black technology, BlackEngineer aspires to serve as leading news and information provider on the advancements in black technology with deep insights into black engineering, black entrepreneurs, black education, and historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). In fact, BlackEngineer is one of the very few to promote the achievements of black technology. The Black engineer of the year awards (BEYA) is one of our successful ventures to promote black technology, progress and achievements made in black technology, and the sentiments of the Black community in the US, the UK, Caribbean, and Africa.
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Black technology entrepreneurs are increasingly providing the horsepower that drives the global economy. Over the last two decades, black entrepreneurs have created more jobs, and contributed much more to the economic expansion of the Black community as a whole, than any black pastor or politician. Black entrepreneurs are taking risks and building businesses that generate economic growth and increase prosperity in underserved areas, as more minority-owned and minority-focused businesses emerge, willing to serve the financial needs of Black entrepreneurs. US Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine's annual list of Top Black Technology Entrepreneurs reflects the expanding scope of leading Black entrepreneurs in information technology, homeland security, and defense.
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