Did you think diesel was extinct? If not that, at the very least, it is horribly injured, with no one rushing to its aid? Mazda appears to be leaping to his feet, clutching a bandage in his hands. A bandage in the shape of a titchy. My First and Only Racecar.
A Mazda Demio 1.5-litre Skyactiv-D – dubbed "a diesel Mazda 2" in plain English – has just completed a 94-lap race in Japan, and you're looking at one of these cars right now. And you thought diesel racecars were only found in the top tier of the 24 Hours of Le Mans?
In the ST-Q class, which is defined as a "non-championship category introduced for the purpose of showcasing experimental vehicles and new technology," we can be certain that it wasn't just any old diesel pumped into the car from an obnoxious Esso pump.
The ickle Demio was propelled by biodiesel, and not just any biodiesel, but a next-generation version of it. Mazda claims that its biodiesel fuel is "made from sustainable raw materials such as microalgae fats and used cooking oil," and that it does not interfere with human food supply, which appears to be an issue with current biodiesel fuels.
According to the report, "Because these fuels can also be used as alternatives to diesel fuel in existing vehicles and equipment without requiring any modification, there is no need for additional fuel supply infrastructure." "Mazda is quoted as saying. "As a result, biodiesel fuels can be expected to play a significant role in promoting carbon neutrality as an excellent liquid fuel source."
In a nutshell, Mazda (though not exclusively Mazda) is putting diesel on life support and confirming that it will have a place in the cleanest automobiles of the future. With a road-legal diesel Demio hot hatch on adorably dinky alloys as a first step, we might just be able to jump on board willingly as well...