Mazda North American Operations has apparently learned the hard way that, while it is one thing to ‘tease’ the media with sparse information on a new model, the dearth of same can cause confusion.
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On Tuesday it announced the V6-powered, seven-seat CX-9 ‘crossover SUV’ would make its debut at next month’s New York motor show. Most writers, j-a included, looked at the pictures, saw the styling was almost identical, and, not unreasonably, assumed the CX-9 was simply a longer, re-engined version of the CX-7, launched at Los Angeles and Detroit at the beginning of the year.
On Wednesday came the clarification. A second press release said the CX-9 has all-new unibody platform architecture to go with the new 3.5-litre V6 and a new six-speed automatic transmission.
“While styling echoes the recently introduced CX-7 crossover SUV, CX-9 is not a lengthened three-row CX-7, and CX-7 should not be considered to be a shorter-wheelbase CX-9,” the statement said.
Maybe it would have been a good idea to include that sort of information in Tuesday’s sparse announcement.
