Mazda Millenia

1998-2000 Mazda Millenia
Manufacturer	Mazda
Also called	Eunos 800 Mazda Xedos 9
Production	1993–2003
Assembly	Hiroshima, Japan
Class	Mid-size Executive car
Body style	4-door sedan
Layout	FF layout
Platform	Mazda T platform
Engine	2.0L 140 hp (104 kW) V6 2.5L 170 hp (127 kW) V6 2.3L 210 hp (157 kW) Miller cycle V6
Transmission	4-speed automatic , 5-speed manual (European 2-liter and 2.5 liter only)
Wheelbase	108.3 in (2,751 mm)
Length	189.8 in (4,821 mm) (1995-2000) 191.6 in (4,867 mm) (2001-02)
Width	69.7 in (1,770 mm)
Height	54.9 in (1,394 mm)

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The Mazda Millenia is an automobile which was manufactured by Mazda in Japan from 1993 to 2003.

The Millenia was originally planned as the second of three models for Mazda’s proposed luxury brand Amati. As the company’s dwindling finances prevented the launch of the Amati brand, the Millenia was released in the autumn of 1993 in Europe as the Mazda Xedos 9 and in Japan as the Eunos 800. The car was launched in North America in 1995 as the Mazda Millenia and in 1997 the Japanese market Eunos 800 was also renamed to Mazda Millenia as Mazda discontinued the Eunos brand. There was no model link to the other Mazda marque, Ẽfini.

Having been developed for a separate market from typical Mazda customers, the Millenia boasted a myriad of finer details. It was engineered to far greater levels of perceived quality than existing Mazda cars, such as interior plastic, panel gap and thicker paint coating. The Millenia/Eunos 800/Xedos 9 was assembled along with the smaller Eunos 500/Mazda Xedos 6 in a new production line, presumably set up for Amati cars.

The Millenia does not have a direct predecessor or replacement in the Mazda product line, though production concluded with the introduction of the Mazda 6. It appears to have received a brand-new platform, although the multi-link suspension at both ends strongly resembled that of the 1991 Mazda Sentia, with minor changes such as replacing the lower I-arm with an A-arm for front wheel drive. It was the only production car in the world to employ a Miller cycle engine (The current Demio/Mazda2 features Miller Cycle on one of its engines). Yaw-sensitive 4-wheel steering was available as an option in Japan; Mazda claimed that with this feature, the Millenia was capable of passing the elk test at speeds comparable to the BMW 850i and Nissan 300ZX.

The 1997 Japanese market name change from Eunos 800 to Mazda Millenia was accompanied by a significant facelift that included some cost-saving measures. For instance, the hood was downgraded from aluminum to steel. The Millenia was again facelifted for the 2000 model year.

European designation

The Mazda Xedos 9 was a luxury car for Mazda of Europe. Sold between 1993 and 2002, the Xedos 9 was the export version of Mazda's upscale Eunos 800 on the Mazda T platform.

Engines:

• 2.5 L KL-DE V6
• 2.25 L KJ-ZEM V6 (Miller cycle)
• 2.0 L V6, same as the unit found in the Xedos6

Japanese designation

The Eunos 800 was a luxury car from Mazda's Eunos marque in Japan. Sold only from 1993 through 1998, the Eunos 800 exported as the Xedos 9 and used the Mazda T platform. It was also sold as a Eunos 800 in Australia, as both the 800M, with the Miller Cycle engine and the base 800, with the 2.5 litre engine. Both engines are slightly derated compared to the Japanese spec engines, probably to handle the inferior fuels available in Australia.

Engines:

• 2.5 L KL-ZE V6
• 2.25 L KJ-ZEM V6 (Miller cycle)

North American market

The car was launched in North America in 1995 as the Mazda Millenia, and replaced the 929 as Mazda's flagship sedan offering there. The 929 had been the last rear-wheel drive Japanese import sedan since the discontinuation of the Toyota Cressida in 1992, whereas the Millenia was front-wheel drive, and thus only capable of giving rivalry to the Nissan Maxima at the time. The Millenia was available in the USA with (The "Millenia S" spec) or without the Miller Cycle engine.

• 

  Eunos 800 2.5 (pre-facelift)

• 

  1998-2000 Mazda Millenia

• 

  2001-2002 Mazda Millenia (US)

References

The first mention of the Amati luxury brand was in Motor Trend magazine February 1992 page 118, the article written by Maryann N. Keller. In the June 1992 issue, the Amati logo was displayed in green, and they mentioned that the advertising campaign was to be handled by Los Angeles based Lord, Dentsu & Partners who had an advertising campaign budget of $75 million, with a launch to be slated at the end of 1993. The November 1993 issue on page 18 stated that after Amati had been cancelled due to recession, the Millenia was originally to be sold as an Amati.

Production for the Millenia ended after 2002, without replacement.

Engines:

• 2.5 L KL-DE V6
• 2.3 L KJ-ZEM V6 (Miller cycle) - 217 bhp (162 kW)

2.0 L also available in Europe at launch

http://www.japan-partner.com/Auto/849/Mazda/EUNOS/car-for-sale.html Eunos 800 retrieved 2/11/08
http://www.fastlane.com.au/Reviews/mazdaeunos.htm Australian review of Eunos 800 retrieved 2/11/08

Specifications and performance