By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Mazda is bringing a new technology to its lineup for 2012 called SkyActiv. When fully implemented it will involve revised engine and transmission designs, weight reduction, and chassis tuning.

Simply put, the goal of SkyActiv is to dramatically increase gas mileage without the use of turbocharging or supercharging, and without losing the performance that Mazda has become known for over the past decade with its “Zoom Zoom” persona.