24 May 2012

2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Named A 10 Best Road Trip Car By Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com

 

 

Mo

The 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata today was named a 10 Best Road Trip Car in this year's convertible-themed list by the editors of Kelley Blue Book's www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new and used car information. Also, earlier in the year, MX-5 was the recipient of another Kelley Blue Book distinction - the inaugural Total Cost of Ownership Award in the Sports Car category - as the vehicle was calculated to have the lowest average costs in the first five years of ownership.

According to editors from Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, MX-5 earned a spot on the short list, now in its ninth year, because "whether tracing sinuous back roads or circling simple freeway on-ramps, few cars can better transform those arcs into pure joy than the Mazda MX-5 Miata." This is MX-5's second appearance on the 10 Best list, previously being named in 2007.

"Time and time again, the MX-5 Miata proves why it is the best-selling two-seat roadster in the world and Mazda is proud to receive this recent honor from kbb.com," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). "Not only can the vehicle handle the Point A-to-Point B needs of a daily driver yet still offer the performance and athleticism demands to be a road racing champion, but all drivers can enjoy getting behind the wheel of a genuine sports convertible that is safe, dynamic, luxurious and attainable."

Available in four trims, the MX-5 is a lightweight, low-slung, rear-wheel-drive sports car with happiness-inducing handling, features and pricing. With a slender starting curb weight of 2,447 pounds, all MX-5s are equipped with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine and produce 167 horsepower (158 horsepower for automatic transmission-equipped models) and 140 lb-ft of torque. The roadster starts at $23,470[1] MSRP with a soft top and at $27,540 when outfitted with the Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT).

 

Courtesy of Market Watch

22 May 2012

Car Review: 2012 Mazda CX-9 keeps its much-loved design

Mo

While the 2012 Mazda CX-9 is unchanged this year, it’s still one to consider that offers a sporty feel even though it is just as much a family-friendly crossover as ever.

Competition includes the Ford Flex, Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, and the GMC Acadia all with third-row seat options.  Otherwise, for a smaller piece of the competition look at the Dodge Durango or the Ford Explorer, which offer similar features whether larger or smaller, but for this choice, it might really just be a matter of brand loyalty.

All the features you’d expect on the Mazda makes the CX-9 impressive in any of the three trims: the Sport, Touring or Grand Touring.

The Sport trim is the entry-level option with 18-inch alloy wheels, three-zone automatic climate control, power accessories, a remote keyless entry, leather-wrapped steering wheel and a trip computer along with audio highlights like Bluetooth and a six-speaker sound system.

The jump up is the Touring trim with the added automatic headlights, heated mirrors, leather upholstery, and comfy heated power front seats. For the top-of-the-line, the Grand Touring will give you 20-inch wheels, xenon headlights, fog lights, automatic wipers, keyless ignition/entry, driver-seat memory presets, a second-row armrest, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a blind-spot warning system.

There are a number of options on the various trims as well as a sunroof, power tailgate, a navigation system that includes a rearview camera or the stand-alone rearview camera, remote ignition, and a back-seat entertainment system.

For audio junkies, you can also opt for an upgraded Bose surround-sound audio system, satellite radio and an audio display in the dash.

Safety in the CX-9 comes with antilock disc brakes, stability control including a rollover sensor, front-seat side and full-length side curtain airbags, and head restraints.

Once inside the 2012 Mazda CX-9, you will find an interior that offers style and design that you can’t argue with, including high end bells and whistles. The console in the middle has a split opening and there is plenty of room for storage inside.

There is also good space in the front and second rows, but for taller passengers the third row is not recommended. The second row seats also recline for added comfort and slide back for more legroom. 

The third row is also easy to get in and out of since the doors are spacious and the second row seats are easy to manipulate folding down and sliding.

Overall, the cargo space is 101 cubic feet at the maximum in this vehicle when the second and third row seats are both flat.

For driving, you won’t get a more comfy ride with easier handling than in this Mazda, and for long trips it’s a no-brainer. Not clunky like some SUV crossovers, the Mazda CX-9 takes the road with grace and ease, just as we have all come to expect in this brand.

 

Courtesy of Washington Times

17 May 2012

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Moreal

In addition to American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and Pirelli World Challenge competition,  Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was ripe with Playboy MX-5 Cup and Cooper Tires Prototype Lites action last weekend.

Perhaps best known for their drifting prowess, Sick Sideways teammates John Dean and Christian Szymczak clinched First and Second in the second of two MX-5 Cup races for the weekend (Dean Copeland nailing Third), with Elliott Skeer, Stevan McAleer, and Ara Malkhassian from top to bottom on the podium in the first race.

But the real sweep was in Cooper Tires Prototype Lites, where Mazdaspeed's Tristan Nunez—at 16 years old, the youngest racer in the history of the series—won the pole, and First Place, in each of the weekend's two races.

 

Courtesy of Mazda

16 May 2012

Your Weekly Maintenance Tip: Prevent your engine from overheating on sunny days

  • Sd
    Engine Overheating may cause breakdowns, especially on a hot day.
  • Check the level, condition, and concentration of the coolant periodically.
  • If your car overheats, do not drive any more.  Never remove the radiator cap until the engine has thoroughly cooled.
  • Check your tires regularly
  • Be sure the tires are properly inflated
  • Don’t drive at a high rate of speed for a long time, particularly in hot weather
  • Do not overload your car
15 May 2012

Mazda MX-5 Miata Named Favorite Fun Entry-Level Convertible

 

 

Mazdaarticle

Just in time for summer top-down driving, the New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA) has named the Mazda MX-5 Miata its 2012 Favorite Fun Entry-Level Convertible.

For more than 20 years, the MX-5 Miata has offered sports car enthusiasts a pure, uncomplicated and fun-focused roadster at an affordable price. Sticking to that simple concept has made the MX-5 the most popular two-seat convertible sports car in the world with more than 900,000 units produced, qualifying it as a Guinness World Record holder.

"It is an honor to receive this award for the MX-5 Miata," said Jim O'Sullivan, Mazda North American Operations' (MNAO) President and CEO. "Whether you are commuting to work or taking a relaxing drive on the weekend, driving the Miata will put a smile on your face."

NEMPA President Keith Griffin said, "Mazda continues to stay true to its winning formula of fun-to-drive, affordable, light weight, sports cars with its third-generation Miata. It was an easy choice to name the Miata NEMPA's Favorite Fun Entry-Level Convertible for the second consecutive year."

The New England Motor Press Association was founded in 1987 to coordinate professional media coverage of the auto industry in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, whose 14.5 million citizens have unique demographics and automotive preferences.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through more than 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

 

SOURCE Mazda North American Operations

14 May 2012

Be sure to stop in for the Mazda Memorial Day Sales Event! You won't want to miss it.

10 May 2012

Takeri Concept Car — 2012 New York International Auto Show | Mazda USA

Hey, fans!  Watch this great video to get acquainted with the KODO-styled Takeri, Mazda's newest concept car, straight from the 2012 New York International Auto Show.

9 May 2012

April showers bring May DEALS!

Mazda
We are now offering special May financing on select Mazdas!  Click here for more details.

8 May 2012

How Mazda's rotary came about

In May 1967 Mazda began to produce a diminutive and stunningly elegant coupe powered by a twin rotor engine - the first such production car in the world.

The rotary engine had been developed by Felix Wankel in 1957 in conjunction with the West German motorcycle manufacturer NSU.

In July 1961, the Japanese machine tool manufacturer Toyo Kogyo bought the rights to the engine. The company had only begun producing cars the year before, with a diminutive 360cc coupe sold under the Mazda brand name, and the company president was keen to gain a technological edge over Toyota and Nissan with a signature engine.

One of the first challenges for the company's engineers was developing a replacement for the NSU's cast iron apex seals, which tended to wear out prematurely - resulting in a drastic loss of power and appalling fuel economy. As the legend would have it, a Mazda engineer was idly looking at the carbon tip of his pencil and was immediately struck with inspiration for a new form of rotor coating - a carbon-aluminum hybrid.

Extensive testing also demonstrated that a dual-rotor setup was far superior to the original single-rotor unit in terms of torque stability, so Mazda replaced the NSU's single spark plug with two units - the first mounted in the most logical place to ignite the fuel mixture at the optimum point for low speeds while the second achieved ignition for maximum performance in all weathers.

Meanwhile, at the 1963 All Japan Motor Show, NSU launched the Spider - a small, rear-engined, two-seater roadster - becoming the first manufacturer to introduce a Wankel-powered car. At the same event, a brace of Twin Rotor engines were proudly on display at the Mazda stand.

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Mazda Cosmo 110S.

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There was also another publicity coup d'état.

This happened when Mazda's president drove into the venue behind the wheel of a twin rotor-powered, front-engined, rear-wheel drive coupe. The styling of the new 110S Cosmo may have sported overtones of the Jaguar E-Type and the Ford Thunderbird, but the coachwork was devised entirely in-house. The Cosmo was theoretically ready for production by January 1965, but Mazda was still constantly refining the project.

In 1966, 60 pre-production models were issued to dealers across Japan for a ruthless evaluation, the Cosmos being driven by literally thousands of drivers for nearly half a million miles to ensure that their forthcoming range-topper was suited for both urban motoring and cruising along the Meishin Expressway. Mazda was also hoping to make sure it's vehicle would be devoid of the clatter that was already all too familiar to owners of the single rotor NSU Spyder.

After three years of intense testing, and 8 billion yen spent on rotary engine research the Cosmo became the second most expensive sports car made in Japan - the first being Toyota's 2000GT.

PERFORMANCE BELIED ITS ENGINE SIZE

The Cosmo's top speed was 185km/h and could do 0-96km/h in 11.5 seconds - performance figures that completely belied its 982cc power plant. The new Mazda boasted rack-and-pinion steering, disc brakes and coil spring suspension up front, while the four-speed transmission fed power to the rear wheels through a De Dion axle with leaf springs and trailing arms.

The cabin was fully equipped with telescopic steering, reclining seats and even adjustable extractor vents in the B-pillar - a sharp contrast to the likes of the MGB with its optional heater.

The launch of the Cosmo managed to steal a march on NSU's twin rotor Ro 80 by several months and a 1968 facelift brought a longer wheelbase, a five-speed gearbox, the option of power assisted brakes and a top speed of 193km/h. Such a car was destined to be an object of desire rather than an everyday sight - a vehicle worthy of no less a screen superhero than Ultraman.

Toyota's 2000 GT may have been in You Only Live Twice, but 007 never actually takes the wheel, whereas the very sight of Ultraman driving his red and white Cosmo regularly caused rubber-suited monsters to surrender on the spot.

Production of the original Cosmo ceased in 1972, after only 1519 were made. Only six of them were sold in the USA.

Kenichi Yamamoto, the engineer who led the rotary development project, would eventually become the chairman of Mazda and, to this day, the firm is automatically associated with rotary powered motoring.

And with Ultraman leading the Monster Attack Team in his Cosmo 110S. -The Independent

3 May 2012

"Better.Stronger.Smarter" - Mazda CX-5 MPG

What do you think of this spectacular video, fans?

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