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Filed under: Convertibles , Coupes , Mazda Click above for high-res gallery of the Mazda MX-5 The Mazda MX-5 is one of the world's best handling cars under $25,000, and as much as we Americans want more power and size to turn the Japanese roadster into a proper pony car, that's probably not going to happen. Increased fuel economy and CO2 reductions will force the MX-5 into the same situation as larger vehicles. It has to get more efficient and lighter to stay competitive. MX-5 program manager Takao Kijima told Drive that Mazda is looking at alternative powertrains for its little roadster, but the Zoom Zoom specialists are also looking to drop 10% of the car's weight. One way to improve efficiency is with diesel technology. Diesels can be 30% more efficient than petrol powerplants, but beefier diesel parts means that total displacement must be smaller than the current engine's 2.0 liters. Another idea is a hybrid, which, like the diesel, would provide instant torque that...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Paris Motor Show , Mazda Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Mazda MX-5 We finally had the opportunity to check out the 2009 Mazda MX-5 in person, and despite the tweaks being minor, we like what we see. This is one of those instances where the press pics don't do it justice. It's difficult to see the RX-8-inspired revisions to the front end, but on closer inspection, the new headlamps, five-point air dam and blistered arches all flow effortlessly into its predecessors lines. Out back, the redesigned taillamps are easy to miss, but we'll be the first to say we prefer the outgoing models red lenses. More importantly, the 2009 model gets an extra 500 rpm before redline, new 16- and 17-inch aluminum wheels and an upgraded gearbox that has new carbon-coated synchronizers for easier, smoother shifts. Additionally, the front suspension knuckles and roll center have been revised to provide even more steering feel and a more confident ride. Sales...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Paris Motor Show , Mazda Click either image for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Mazda MX-5 The 2009 Mazda MX-5 leakage continues courtesy of km77, with a host of new images showing the facelifted roadster in both soft- and hard-top guise. These newest shots show the already revealed and revised front end , pulling a few cues from the RX-8, along with a set of new taillights and a slightly redesigned rear bumper. Engine selections remain unchanged, with buyers abroad able to choose between a 126 hp, 1.8-liter or a 160 hp, 2.0-liter. Inside the 2.0-liter four-pot, the pistons and valve springs have been replaced with lower friction parts and the intake has been revised to provide a slight increase in power along with a more aggressive note. The six-speed manual is still standard and features new synchronizers to smooth shifts, while a six-speed auto 'box with manumatic shifting will be made available in Europe for the first time. The front suspension geometry...
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Convertibles , Mazda Click to view more renderings of the 2009 Mazda MX-5 Automakers go to great lengths to keep their upcoming products secret, but sometimes leaks are out of their control. Case in point, the recent leak of the upcoming redesign of the Mazda3 and now a facelift for the Mazda MX-5/Miata. With the roadster's full replacement reportedly delayed until 2012, Mazda is apparently going to give the current model a mid-cycle refresh with some more aggressive styling tweaks. The leaked image, which Mazda apparently filed with the European Union Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHIM), shows a restyled front end and that's it. The new mesh grille borrows from the Mazdaspeed3, the headlights grow a more aggressive slant, the foglights are restyled into eye-shaped surrounds, and the turning indicators are moved to behind the flared wheel arches. Other changes to the car's design may be in store as well, however the images, which...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Convertibles , Mazda Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Mazda MX-5. Speculation has been swirling over the last two years that a Mazdaspeed version of the MX-5 was right around the corner. At first, it was rumored to be released in late 2007, then early 2008, then early 2009 and then... nothing. Speaking with Autoblog, Mazda's PR man Jeremy Barnes made it clear that the automaker has no plans to offer a Mazdaspeed version of the current MX-5. While it was originally assumed that the turbocharged 2.3-liter four-pot found in the Mazdaspeed3 would eventually find its way under the hood of the MX-5, Mazda discovered that the swap wasn't a bolt-in affair. According to Barnes, "It does theoretically fit, until you bolt on the head." A high-pressure fuel pump on the back of the head, driven off the cam, would necessitate a notch in the firewall. As such, converting the engine from a transverse (FWD) to a longitudinal (RWD) layout...
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Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage , Convertibles , Mazda , First Drive Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Mazda MX-5. Just as it appeared that winter was finally drawing to close here in Michigan, one of the definitive summertime cars turned up on our doorstep -- the Mazda MX-5 Miata . Somewhere back in the middle part of the last century, small, lightweight, roadsters flourished with a variety of models available from mostly British manufacturers. Names like MG, Triumph, Austin-Healey and Lotus defined the genre. Unfortunately, a number of factors such as random intermittent windshield wipers, intermittent headlights, intermittent ignition, persistent oil leaks and predisposition for the bodies to convert to iron oxide soured the reputation of these and other car builders. This was followed by the consolidation of the most of the British car industry into British Leyland and then the onset of safety and emissions regulations. By 1980, the classic British sports car had become...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Mazda Winding Road sat down with the newest print issue of Autocar and discovered that Mazda dealers are particularly pleased with the soap-bar aesthetic of the current MX-5. More to the point, they're hoping that Mazda designers don't nuke the fridge when the iconic roadster goes under the knife next year. According to Autocar 's sources, the new MX-5 won't benefit from the swooping Nagare theme that's expected to influence all of Mazda's future designs, primarily because dealers are happy with the current car. However, Mazda's designers want to kick up the MX-5's flavor, saying that the car was "never radical enough" for their tastes. Since we've always been split on the styling of the current MX-5, we're hoping both parties can be assuaged with a balance between mild and wild. We'll see, and we're looking forward to the clean sheet makeover the MX-5 gets in 2012. [Source: Autocar via Winding Road ]...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Convertibles , Mazda Until the Mazdaspeed version of the MX-5 makes its debut, those of us looking for forced-induction power from Mazda's NC Miata must turn to the aftermarket. Of all the tuning firms looking to turbo- or supercharge the new MX-5, Cosworth has both the reputation and technological prowess to pull it off sans drama. According to Eric Hsu, founder of XS Engineering and current Cosworth engineer, despite some set backs, Cosworth will be releasing it's bolt-on supercharger soon. The setup produces approximately 210 hp at the wheels, looks OEM clean and is designed to be legal in all 50 states. But Cosworth isn't stopping there. Hsu says that a Stage 2 version is planned that ups the boost, adds a set of headers and includes some hotter cams. We can't wait to check it out, particularly with the "1G" suspension package offered by Mazdaspeed. [Source: Beyond the Dyno ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Convertibles , Videos , Mazda Follow the jump for a video of the owner discussing and driving the car You don't need to spend much time with a Miata to "get" why so many drivers are attracted to them. Perfectly executed and relentlessly entertaining, it's no surprise that Mazda's little roadster is the track-day weapon of choice for a number of people. While countless 4-banger Miatas do their thing on the autocross circuit, one Mark Snell was interested in kicking things up a level so he could run with the big boys in their 'Vettes and similar machinery. His solution? Drop a Mazda 2.5L V6 into his blue roadster's engine bay, then modify and tune it to the point where it's pushing 180 horsepower to the rear wheels. The view underhood is plenty cool -- we especially dig those Suzuki GSX-R1000 throttle bodies he's added. The Miata sounds pretty mean, too. Follow the jump for a video in which Snell gives a tour of his car and discusses the...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Etc. , Mazda Why is this man smiling? Because he's probably as amused by what he's doing as we are. Autoblog reader Doc B sent us these photos he took when he came upon the unlikely sight of a Mazda Miata being used to haul a sofa loveseat. Here we thought a Miata was barely spacious enough to transport two adults and a couple of overnight bags, and this guy just turns the conventional wisdom on its head. Seriously, try moving that thing with, say, a MINI Clubman or a Honda Fit. Not gonna happen. When it comes to hauling couches, it looks like the Miata has all those supposedly practical small hatchbacks beat. Roadsters for everyone, we say! Help friends move in the morning, then autocross in the afternoon. It's the ideal blend of practicality and performance. U-Haul, your days are so numbered. Thanks for the pics, Doc B. Gallery: Mazda Miata: The Ultimate Hauling Machine Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Convertibles , Coupes , Sedans/Saloons , Japan , Mazda , Rendered Speculation Mazda's 6 is having a tough time finding love in its home market where it goes by the Atenza moniker. 7Tune is reporting that Mazda's going to flip the script and introduce three new variants of the Atenza; a coupe, a convertible, and a high performance version called the Mazdaspeed Atenza for JDM consumption. Mazda looked to the holy-grail BMW 3 series for inspiration, though that car is rear-wheel-drive, and hopes to achieve the same build quality with its Atenza line. The vehicles in 7Tunes renderings are more conservatively styled than the current 3-Series, though that's hardly a bad thing. We think the renderings are easy on the eyes, with clear RX-8 influences, though all suffer from a basket-handle spoiler tacked on to the trunklid. It's tough to imagine the Mazdaspeed Atenza amounting to anything other than a tasty snack for the monstrous M3, though we're sure the Mazda...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Etc. , Videos , Commercial Trucks , Mazda , Driving var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Burnout_IN_a_Uhaul_literally'; And by "in a U-Haul," we mean it in the most literal sense. This is what happens at the end of a move when enterprising lads look for something to do with their now-empty truck. Enter one Mazda Miata that fits nicely inside the box hauler and Internet gold is born. Watch it after the jump . Thanks to Dan Strohl at Hemmings for the tip! [Source: The Pansy Patrol] Continue reading VIDEO: Doing burnouts in a U-HAUL Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Convertibles , Japan , Mazda click above image to enlarge Mazda held a traditional sending off ceremony yesterday for its first shipment of vehicles to leave its headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan in the new year. This is done at the beginning of every year and all the big execs come out to watch new vehicles like the Mazda2 and CX-7 get loaded onto a shipping vessel and whisked away to markets abroad. Rotarynews.com, however, noticed something particularly interesting in the photos of the event that Mazda released. Decorated in balloons and streamers is a Mazda RX-8 Convertible, a version of the RX-8 that doesn't technically exist and which we've never seen before. Its duties appear to be parade-like in nature, slowly transporting two execs around a parking lot who are seen standing up on the back seat and holding onto a crossbar. It's probably just a one-off vehicle that was made for occasions like this, but at least you now know that an RX-8 Convertible does exist...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Coupes , Marketing/Advertising , Mazda , Lifestyle , UK Click the image above for more hi-res images of the Mazda MX-5 Niseko Mazda MX-5-mad Brits will get two more exclusive branded models to choose from: the Niseko soft top and Niseko roadster coupe, named after the Niseko ski resort on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The entry-level model soft top is a 1.8-liter 5-speed going for £17,995, while the roadster coupe gets a 2.0-liter 6-speed and will set buyers back £19,995. Both come with £2,000 worth of extras, including Icy Blue Metallic or Sunlight Silver Metallic free of charge. They also sport 17-inch alloy wheels, body-color trim, chrome all over, icy blue stitching inside, and Niseko badging. The models will go on sale January 1. Prime ordering for MX-5's in England begins in February, so get your orders in early -- there will only be 240 soft tops and 560 roadsters made. Follow the jump for the full press release, and check out...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Coupes , Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , Wagons/Estates , Etc. , Euro , Crossovers/CUVs , Supercars , Aston Martin , Audi , BMW , Lamborghini , Lexus , Maserati , Mazda , Mercedes Benz , Nissan , Volvo , Renault , Opel , Peugeot , FIAT Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the Reventón The Lamborghini Reventón has been named L'Automobile più Bella del Mondo. Translation: The World's Most Beautiful Automobile. It earned this honor in the Special Models category of this annual automotive fashion show, recently held for the fifteenth time at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, Italy. There are eleven categories in all, though the Special Models category is generally considered to be the big winner. Other cats include your various sizes of sedans, coupes, convertibles, station wagons, crossovers, sports cars and concept cars. The judging panel included artists, architects, designers, a historian, and a journalist. We like...
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