Mazda has announced the launch of a new saloon, the Mazda6 MPS.

Aimed at the company car market, the new car is a significantly modified version of the existing Mazda6, a car that has accrued no fewer than 80 automotive awards since it came on the market in 2002.

'The Mazda6 has been the pathfinder for the brand in the fleet sector and has performed superbly," said Mazda fleet and remarketing director Adam Pumfrey.

"User-choosers will be attracted to the Mazda6 MPS as a real performance alternative to offerings from the likes of Audi and BMW."

Expected to be on sale by the third quarter of this year, the Mazda6 MPS aims to build on the success of the present model, forging a distinctive identity of its own at the same time.

Its newly developed direct-injection 2.3-litre MZR petrol engine offers improved performance, and manages to do so without sacrificing the car's fuel economy.

The full specifications and UK price of Mazda6 MPS will be unveiled closer to its launch.

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