The Hiroshima-based automaker plans to introduce the CX-60 in Europe and Japan. It will be the lead-off model for a line of four crossovers built on a newly developed architecture for large vehicles that can accommodated inline 6-cylinder engines and rear-wheel drive setups.

Mazda launches several new crossovers this year, in an upmarket shift betting that going bigger is better.

The rollout makes good on a promise to resurrect the blade-twirling powerplant after retiring the technology with the discontinued RX-8 in 2012.

The product surge comes as Mazda repositions its lineup toward the hot-selling utility vehicle segment and tries to move upmarket with bigger, more powerful offerings.