Confirmed: Turbocharged Mazda3 zooming-in on 8 July

The rumoured turbocharged Mazda3 is set to become a reality next month based on a fresh teaser video posted by Hiroshima on its YouTube page.

Titled “Prepare for Launch”, the 14 second clip doesn’t show any details apart from an engine revving in the background, as well as the mentioned date of 8 July. Whether the newcomer revives the iconic MPS moniker as previously alleged remains to be seen though.

Earlier this month, it was reported that a leaked screenshot of a dealer’s extranet system had showcased there being an entry called ‘Mazda3 HB PP Turbo’. According to automotive forum Jalopnik to how the screenshot was posted, the ‘HB’ possibly made reference to the newcomer being a hatchback, while the PP likely refers to a specification level of sorts.

As it stands, the engine could be the same 169kW/420Nm 2.5-litre unit used in the 6, CX-5 and CX-9, but unlike the MPS, the mentioned screen grab only makes reference to an automatic gearbox, which in the stated models comes in the form of a six-speed unit. Despite the vague hints, don’t be surprised if full details or indeed images are uncovered before the 3’s debut on said date.

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