Company car tax-busting new Mazda6 gears up for launch

The all-new Mazda6 will go on sale in the UK on December 26, 2007 with the promise of massive company car tax savings for drivers as a result of huge cuts in carbon dioxide emissions. Drivers can expect to save hundreds of pounds a year with the new Mazda6 range, which is up to five benefit-in-kind tax groups lower model-for-model than the outgoing car. This is largely due to the use of weight reducing engineering techniques – the successful ‘gram strategy’ employed on both Mazda MX-5 and Mazda2.

An estate will join launch saloon and hatchback models in February next year. A range of three petrol, (1.8, 2.0 and new 2.5), and one diesel engine (2.0 turbo diesel) will power models with a choice of five trim levels. As well as the new range promising benefit-in-kind tax savings, the ever-increasing business focus on corporate social responsibility and organisations reducing their carbon footprint is expected to contribute to demand for the CO2-efficient Mazda6.

The new car is larger than the outgoing model and model-for-model will be equipped to a higher specification. Add in Mazda’s long-established record for marketplace-leading reliability, sporty styling and performance and rock-solid residual values and the manufacturer believes it has another upper medium sector winner on its hands.

The Mazda6’s environmental credentials will be one of its strongest selling points with boards of directors, fleet decision-makers and company car drivers all having a higher consciousness about CO2 emissions, according to fleet and remarketing director James Hopkins.

“The current Mazda6 put the brand on the UK fleet map. The new car will take Mazda further into the fleet market heartland and will also, we believe, prove particularly attractive to user-choosers looking to drive a vehicle outside the mainstream.

“Among the many improvements to a multi-award winning model is the fact that the new car delivers significant reductions in CO2 emissions and that means huge savings in benefit-in-kind tax bills for company car drivers as well as Vehicle Excise Duty savings.”

The new 1.8-litre 120ps has a CO2 figure of 162g/km (hatchback) compared with the 186g/km for the current car – an amazing five-band reduction in company car tax from 24 percent to 19 percent in 2007/08.

There are similar reductions for the 2.0 147ps with CO2 emissions down from 191g/km (hatchback) to 168g/km – 25 percent down to 20 percent – and the 2.0-litre 140ps turbo diesel with CO2 emissions cut from 165g/km (hatchback) to 149g/km – 23 percent down to 19 percent. Meanwhile, CO2 emissions levels on the new 2.5-litre 170ps petrol engine are 192g/km (hatchback), significantly below the 207g/km of the 2.3-litre model it replaces – 25 percent down from 28 percent.

The 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine in the new estate emits only 151g/km (20 percent benefit-in-kind tax) and Mazda expects sales of both the estate as well as diesel models across saloon, hatchback and estate ranges to increase significantly in comparison with the current model.

In terms of Vehicle Excise Duty, the 1.8-litre model is down two bands – from Band F £205 in 2007/08 to Band D £140 – while 2.0 and 2.0 turbo diesel are all down one band on the current model to Band E £165 and Band C £115 respectively.

Mr Hopkins said: “Offering cars with low CO2 emissions is key to UK fleet market success and the development work undertaken by our engineers means that the new Mazda6 comes with powerful tax advantages over the outgoing car.

“Fleet buyers will get a substantially improved car, which is effectively cheaper for them in benefit-in-kind terms than the outgoing model, a real win-win for our fleet customers. This should ensure Mazda secures additional fleet business, particularly among user-choosers who are specific targets for us. We are sure that the overall package of greater sophistication and quality, higher specification and rewarding driving experience, while being kinder to the environment, will prove successful.