Some of the adjustments made include the use of high and ultra-high tensile steels for lighter (and stronger) body and joint reinforcements, eliminating the underfloor catalyst, and changing the door-mounted speaker magnets to neodymium types.
We just hope other car manufacturers take notice of these changes and implement them in new models. It’s getting a little bit ridiculous for “sports” coupes to be nudging 1500+ kilos.
Click ahead for the full list of Mazda's weight saving techniques.
Mazda2 engineers reduced weight by:
• use of high and ultra-high tensile steels for lighter (and stronger) body and joint reinforcements
• shortening the trailing arm of the rear suspension and giving the front lower arms an open-section design
• making the bonnet striker assembly smaller, the hinges thinner
• eliminating the underfloor catalyst (1.3-litre model)
• moving the fresh-air inlet to the top of the radiator shroud (doing away with the need for a resonator and baffle)
• making the wiring harness shorter
• changing the door-mounted speaker magnets to neodymium types and making the plastic moulding single-piece
• decreasing the length of the vehicle by 40 mm and height by 55 mm