AdminAF July 1st, 2009
We wouldn’t go so far as to say that the folks at AutoExpress are just making stuff up, but the prospect of a smaller MX-5 Miata (the MX-2) does sound unlikely.
Still, the British auto pub is reporting that such a vehicle is in the works and could be here as early as 2012. This would put ensure it arrived well ahead of possible competitors like the MINI Speedster or Nissan Urge. For the record, however, the Speedster is still just a rumor and the Urge, which debuted at the North American International Auto Show back in 2006, has reportedly been scrapped. Continue Reading »
AdminAF May 26th, 2009
It appears as though Mazda will offer its RX-8 sports car with a rotary engine in the future and as the all-new second generation model is just around the corner, the Japanese automaker has been busy making improvements to the pistonless wonder.
Last October Mazda filed for a patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a new twin-spark, direct-injection rotary engine, which was approved last month.
According to the patent it’s possible the new motor will be of a slightly larger displacement and we expect a little extra power. The new twin-spark direct-injection system should also help in the power department, although its main benefit will be in terms of fuel-economy.
More: Next Gen Mazda RX-8 May Get Twin-Spark Direct-Injection Rotary Engine on AutoGuide.com
AdminAF May 5th, 2009
Jason Saini raced to the top of the podium in his Mazda6 this weekend, during the SCCA’s SPEED World Challenge Touring Car series event at New Jersey Motorsports Park’s Thunderbolt Raceway. Saini placed third in qualifying but quickly made it to second place off the standing start, and spent much of the rest of the race fender to fender with defending series champion Peter Cunningham in his RealTime Racing TSX.
Saini passed Cunningham on the third lap but only secured some distance when Cunningham got tied up defending his position from Andrew Aquilante in the Phoenix Performance Inc. Subaru WRX.
When the checkered flag flew, however, Saini had secured an almost three second advantage after Cunningham, giving him not only the race victory but also the lead in the points race. Continue Reading »
AdminAF April 28th, 2009
When I first saw the 2010 Mazda3 all I could think was that the gaping front mouth had been lifted directly from a Peugeot. After having spent a week in the car I can now see the redesign has significant elements of Mazda’s Nagar design philosophy – specifically in regards to the RX-8.
At first, and from a distance, the rest of the car looks mostly unchanged, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The new design is more aggressive all around with sharper edges and a strong line that runs the length of the car. The new bodywork actually gives the Mazda3 a more European look and also makes it appear like something more than just a compact car. Mazda, we should note, has done many things with the 3 to push the boundaries of the compact car class; but we’ll get to those later. Continue Reading »
