Question about a/c on 12'

[destrux]

Just had a 12' Focus (I know it's not a 3 but they're closely related so it seems this is a good place to ask) in the shop today and I was surprised to see they moved the a/c compressor to the BOTTOM of the OIL PAN. Well the guy tagged a pothole with it and cracked the A/C compressor wide open.

Comparing it to my 07' MS3 it looks like they moved the alternator to where the A/C was (why?!?) and that forced them to find a new home for the A/C compressor.

Are the newer Mazda 3's like the Focus with the A/C mounted on the bottom now?

 

[loosenut]

Basically all Mazda 3's (non-Speed) up to 2010 had the compressor mounted in the same location as the Focus you saw. In 2010 only the 2.0l retained that lower mounting point as the 2.5l and the Speed have it mounted on the side of the block. The new Skyactiv engine also has it located on the side of the block. I don't know about the Focus, but the Mazda 3 had a fairly heavy gauge metal plate bolted to the bottom of the compressor to try and protect it.