Mazda Australia's Mazda2 Extreme has capped off its Australian rally debut with a top-ten finish at the penultimate round of the NSW Rally Championship in Canberra.

Amid a field of more than 30 starters the Mazda Motorsport Mazda2 Extreme finished the weekend's National Capital Rally in ninth position outright and
second in its class.

Mazda Motorsport chief Allan Horsley was very happy with his team's performance.

"This is a brilliant result for the Mazda2's first-ever competitive outing. It proves the Mazda2 is a great base on which to build a competitive rally car."

The Mazda2 Extreme, one of the least powerful and most economical cars in the field, was piloted by motoring journalist Nathan Ponchard and ably assisted by experienced co-driver Simone Bachmann.

The hot weather conditions and 300km of slippery gravel roads across eight special stages tested the rally-prepared Mazda2 Extreme as it carved through the event.

So challenging was the event that more than half the field failed to finish, either because of off-road incidents or mechanical failure.

The Mazda2 Extreme is the fourth in Mazda Motorsport's iconic series of extreme makeovers. It is based on the obscenely popular new-generation Mazda2 small car and was unveiled to critical acclaim at the Melbourne Motor Show earlier this year.
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Glenn Butler
National Public Relations Manager