Mazda’s Gram strategy is a pursuit of lightness, but how far do they go? – Jalopnik

It may not seem obvious just by looking at their cars, but Japanese automaker Mazda is obsessed with cutting weight to make their cars and SUVs sportier and more fun to drive. Mazda’s “Gram Strategy” is about reducing the weight of every part of the car, right down to optimizing the nuts and bolts that hold it all together. That’s why the iconic FD Mazda RX-7 weighed just 2,888kg, while competitors like the Mitsubishi 3000GT and A80 Toyota Supra paled in comparison with their curb weights of 3,814kg and 3,560kg respectively.

Toyota’s two-door GR86 sports car has a curb weight between 2,811 and 2,833 lbs in manual. Meanwhile, the iconic Mazda Miata soft top tips the scales at 2,366kg. Sure, the Toyota is a larger hardtop car and has what we call an “occasional rear seat,” but the decision to forego a metal roof and rear seat is a testament to Mazda’s commitment to lightweight engineering, and this doesn’t just apply to sports cars or coupes.

Mazda’s “Gram Strategy” is about reducing the weight of every part of the car, from the lug nuts in the wheels to the size of the seats. This strategy even goes as far as redesigning or redesigning parts to achieve the automaker’s mission of lightweight simplicity. Mazda’s passion for lightweight engineering and construction began back in the 1960s with a small car known as the R360. That strategy continues today and appears in many places in Mazda’s history.

In addition to bodywork, the 2.0-liter engine received an aluminum block, lightweight plastic manifolds and plastic cam covers to save weight. We all talk about the cacophony of plastic in the engine compartment of a modern car, but in some cases it’s done to save weight. That’s not all. That’s not all. In an interview with Engine1Chief designer Masashi Nakayama noted that engineers were advised to create a new HVAC system, one that would be the lightest and most compact in its class. However, it remains unclear whether this was actually successful. Combined with the MX-5’s exceptional balance and near 50:50 weight distribution, it’s no wonder it remains one of the most legendary and useful roadsters of the modern era. Mazda’s Gram Strategy laid the foundation for the automaker’s existing Skyactiv technologies, which focus on efficiency gains across the car.

Following Mizuno’s instructions, the Mazda 2’s engineering team managed to lighten the body by 66 kg, while the chassis and engine were 44 kg and 22 kg lighter respectively. However, the weight savings didn’t materialize, so they went even deeper and redesigned every part of the car to achieve its goal. They looked at every part, big or small, to meet lightweight standards. Gram Strategy is still going strong and is in every Mazda car on the road. It’s not just small cars like the Miata or Mazda 2; it even applies to its large SUVs, including the big and beautiful Mazda CX-9.