To showcase the quality and durability of its latest model, Mazda has come up with an elaborate plan. They are sending a convoy of all-new Mazda3 cars on a 9,300 mile journey from the Company’s headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan, to Frankfurt, Germany. The convoy is scheduled to arrive in Frankfurt just in time for the 2013 IAA motor show.

During the “Mazda Route 3“, as this challenge is called, the new Mazda3 will cross nine time zones, five countries and two continents, traversing Russia (the world’s largest country), before crossing Belarus and Poland. The cars will be driven by journalists, bloggers and Mazda dealers, while the fans can follow the adventure online with images and videos that they post.

Mazda is looking at this trip not as a publicity tour, which it really is, but an endurance test. They want to put in perspective the Japanese build quality of the new Mazda3, which is only one of the car’s winning cards. It also has those interesting new looks, and the natural effervescence of all Mazda cars to rely on.

All the cars in the convoy will be powered by a 120ps SKYACTIV-G petrol engine mated to a six-speed SKYACTIV-MT manual transmission, which Mazda reckons will be the best-selling engine/transmission combo.