Search CarGuide.PH

July 26, 2016

2017 Mazda3 in Machine Gray Metallic: Not Your Typical 50 Shades of Gray


These are the first photos you’ll see of the 2017 Mazda3 in its new hue, Machine Gray Metallic, out in the wild. Taken during a track exercise demonstrating G-Vectoring Control at Mazda’s Mine Proving Ground, we skirted the “no photography” rule by having engineers simply park the car in a “photography safe zone”. They obliged. God bless them.

Normally, it’s hard to get excited about any shade of color in silver or gray, but Machine Gray Metallic is looking quite good on Mazda’s compact car. Designed to specifically play on the lines and surfaces of the KODO design language, Machine Gray Metallic incorporates a reflective layer with thin, high-brightness aluminum flakes applied precisely during the painting process.


During the drying process, the thickness of this layer shrinks to about 2.5 microns—one quarter the thickness of most reflective layers. This causes the aluminum flakes to lie flat with regular spacing with each flake. This high-density finish gives the entire surface sheen when illuminated, for a realistic metallic look. Jet-black pigment is used in both the reflective and color layers and is visible through the spaces between the aluminum flakes giving areas not illuminated a black hue and heightening the contrast between light and shadow.

More information about the 2017 Mazda3 is found here.

Now comes another bit of information. Mazda is already selling the 2017 Mazda3 in Japan built at the company’s Hofu plant in Yamaguchi prefecture. A chat with the same engineering team reveals that the plant has already shifted production for the Oceania market (Australia and New Zealand) with deliveries to start there as early as August. When quizzed about when Philippine units start production, they mentioned that ASEAN market production starts in September.

Though the staff doesn’t know for sure if they’ll be manufacturing left- or right-hand drive vehicles for ASEAN first (they mentioned right-hand drive with a stronger affirmative), with Mazda’s flexible Monotsukuri production process, they can easily build both simultaneously. If this information is accurate, the Philippines may very well see the 2017 Mazda3 as early as end of the year.


29 comments:

  1. Soul Red, Ceramic White, or this new Machine Gray Metallic?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Machine Gray Metallic or Snowflake White for me.

      Delete
  2. Nice. Mukhang mazda 6 na rin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To me, all Mazda's seem to look like each other

      Delete
  3. Great job Mazda!

    ReplyDelete
  4. It looks more expensive than its price. It really looks like a luxury car, no joke. I wouldn't be embarrassed parking this baby next to a lexus IS350 or a BMW 3 series.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gray is the best color. It really does make a car look more luxurious.

      Delete
    2. Why anyone should feel embarrassed parking *any* car beside a Lexus is beyond me. Self esteem issues?

      Delete
  5. Heck, im not embarassed parking my G4 next to a maseratti ghibli. This things called aplliance. To me at least. Peace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm also not ashamed to park my bike beside your G4.

      Delete
    2. You're not a car guy if you see cars as appliances. Its true that certain cars feel like appliances but some feel alive by just looking and driving them.

      Delete
    3. You are just saying that because you can't afford to buy a better car.

      Delete
    4. I have a volvo v40 my friend. and an ecoboost escape 2.0. My G4 im not ashamed to park beside my bro in law's Ghibli. Dont be so judgemental. Maybe you dont own a descent car I presume.

      Delete
    5. ^
      descent daw... LOL.

      I have a BMW M6, my yaya has a civic, my father in law has a ferrari italia, my driver has an expedition and our two housemaids own fortuners. Everything we say is true because it's on the internet right?

      Papano ba naman di magiging judgemental eh kadudua-duda na may ari ka ng sasakyan. English mo pa lang bulok na eh. Halatang di ka nag succeed sa life. LOL

      Delete
    6. talo kayo sa lolo ko.. lolo ko may eroplano!

      mga keyboard warrior!

      Delete
    7. Ah ayun pala nainggit sa Ghibli ni bro in law. Ok lang yan magkakaroon ka din nyan mas maganda pa.

      Delete
    8. medyo malulupitang kabarberohan na yang mga pinagsasabi niyo. yung medyo makatotohanan naman sana yung kwento. btw wag kayo magpayabangan ng kotse baka yung iba dyan naka dp pa hahahahaha

      Delete
  6. Pls be more realistic with your comments.
    People from all walks of life are reading this site for truthful and honest information. Mataas ang turing nila sa lahat ng narito sa website na ito. Kaya please po, huwag kayo mag comment ng walang kasustansya sustansya !

    ReplyDelete
  7. And to those who are just bluffing, and boasting, you can lie to the whole world but dont do it on this honorable and respectable site...please lang magpaka totoo kayo. Thx.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sa mga nagre request na i-block ako sa website na ito, please po huwah naman po sana. Gusto ko po muna matuto, sana maunawaan nyo po ako. Thank u po...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Matuto? Diba marami ka namang nalalaman? Meron ka pa nga ranking diba? Tapos diba sabi mo ang colorado ang pinakamabilis sa highway? So ibig sabihin pwede ka na ma block! Alam mo kasi lahat eh!

      Delete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow, for once AutoActiv said something reasonable and smart

    ReplyDelete
  11. any body here kung may alam na interior lighting sa mazda 3 2016 model, like welcoming illumination, et al

    ReplyDelete
  12. i feel cheated kakabili ko lang ng Mazda 3 noong June tinong ko yung Mazda Seller kung meron yung bagong Mazda 3 na may Dual-Zone Aircon, Sport mode at Cruise Control kahit import sa Factory sabi nila sa akin waladaw kahit sa Factory nila tapos yung binigay nila sa akin may mga Gasgas at may mga mantsya sa puting upuan nya kung pwede lang ibabalik ko sa pinagbilan kong Mazda Seller :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What year, dealer and variant? I'm planning to buy either the new CX-3 AWD or the 2017 Mazda 3 R. Don't worry, the 2017 Mazda 3 is just a facelift, but they should have told you that a new model is coming.

      Delete
    2. Mazda 3 Speed i ask the dealer for a new model but they deny it sabi nila wala daw kahit sa Factory nila binigay nila sa akin yung Mazda 3 Speed na walang Rear Camera linagyan lang nila ng Camera noong binayaran ko na parang 2015 model yung binigay sa akin kasi walang Rear Camera sa Mazda Pulilan i feel cheated :(

      Delete
  13. Good day Sir Uly. Do you have any news if the machine gray color for the mazda 3 will be available here in the Philippines?

    ReplyDelete
  14. the pictures do confirm the contrasts, highlighting indeed the car’s curves. well done :)

    ReplyDelete

Feel free to comment or share your views. Comments that are derogatory and/or spam will not be tolerated. We reserve the right to moderate and/or remove comments.