L.A. Auto Show: 2011 Mazda 2&#39;s North American debut

Mazda introduced its 2011 Mazda 2 to North America at this week's L.A. Auto Show. And possibly a new take on brand rebadging.

Historically, Mazda and Ford have been good practitioners of sharing
platforms, chassis, engines and other components, without it being
immediately obvious to the consumer. Think Mazda 6 and Ford Fusion or
Mazda 3 and Ford Focus. Park either of those cousins next to one
another, and an automotive neophyte could be forgiven for thinking they
have nothing in common. That all changed this week when Mazda unveiled
its 2 and Ford pulled the wraps off its 2011 Fiesta (for the 2011th time).

Though no one with proper vision is going to think they're the same car,
the Mazda 2 and Ford Fiesta are so similar, it will be interesting to
see which demographic each attracts. Regardless of the people the 2 pulls into
showrooms, if the global reception of the car is any indication, there
will be plenty of takers. Mazda's 2 has been on sale worldwide since
2007 and in that time, has snagged enough awards (48) to fill its
adorable little trunket and reach sales of about 370,000.

Mazda was mum on details like horsepower, though it did reveal that the
engine would be a 1.5 liter unit mated to your choice of a four-speed
automatic or a five-speed manual. For comparison's sake, the
aFORDmentioned Fiesta (see what I did there?) is a 1.6 liter unit and
it pumps out 119 horsepower, so expect similar numbers for the Mazda.
Mazda also declined to reveal gas mileage, but again, the Ford has a
projected highway fuel economy of about 40 mpg, so it's reasonable to
expect the same from a Mazda 2 with a similar drive train and curb
weight. If Mazda does hit that number, it would put its highway mileage
well above similar subcompacts like the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and
Nissan Versa.

As Mazda North America President and Chief Executive Jim O'Sullivan said, "It's the
right Mazda for the right time." It may also be the right Ford for the
right time.

The 2011 Mazda 2 will be available in the U.S. in the late summer of 2010.

-- David Undercoffler

Photos: (Top) Mazda President Takashi Yamanouchi, left, and Mazda North America President Jim O'Sullivan flank the 2011 Mazda 2. Credit: David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times