For close to two decades, Mazda has relied on the MX-5’s bankability to become one of the top-selling convertibles in history. The secret behind the MX-5’s success was largely due to it keeping a tried-and-tested formula: light weight and awesome dynamics.
And now that the MX-5 - the Miata in the US - is celebrating its 20th birthday, Mazda is releasing a special edition MX-5 that takes all the elements of past MX-5’s and tinkering with it to make it lighter and faster. The concept car, which is being called the MX-5 Superlight, is set to be introduced to the world at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where Mazda fans are already buzzing in anticipation for the car’s unveiling.
While details behind the MX-5 Superlight remains sketchy, the name ‘Superlight’ does give off the idea that the car would be stripped lighter to make it faster than it already is. Renderings of the concept car have also surfaced and judging from the sketches, the car underwent a number of structural changes, which includes the absence of A-pillars and the inclusion of front and rear decks that would help control the airflow surrounding the vehicle.
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The automaker from Hiroshima, Mazda makes sure to put a little Zoom-Zoom into all their products, and has just put a 20th anniversary version of the world’s best selling two passenger roadster. It looks like the Japanese engineers could be working on using the same fun to drive formula from the Miata into a smaller rear wheel drive roadster.
With the future entry level open-air roadster Mazda is hoping to capitalize on the smaller in size only Kei car market, dominated by diminutive vehicles like the Suzuki Cappuccino. These cars are powered by engines no larger than 660 cc but offer the sort of light weight handling that would make Colin Chapman proud, think smaller car on winding mountain road makes for a more fun ride and costs a lot less to maintain.
Mazda would introduce this more efficient Miata underneath the current MX-5, however the power hungry U.S. market would demand something bigger than a three cylinder in order to be sporty, the automaker would probably power it with something displacing a slightly larger than Kei, 1.0 to 1.3 Liters.
Mazda of Japan has just revealed a special edition MX-5 in celebration of the lightweight roadster’s 20th Anniversary as a member of the automaker’s lineup. Since its inception, the Mazda Miata has been awarded the title of world’s highest production two seater roadster by the Guiness Book of World Records. All of the double decade Miatas will be covered in Crystal White Pearl Mica, a color that is being used for the first time on the fun to drive roadster that will be sold for around $30,000.
The new special edition MX-5 is is offered in two flavors, the first example is based on the Roadster RS version featuring a rag top and six speed manual transmission, while the other will be built upon the VS platform taking full advantage of the vehicle’s power assisted retractable hard top and six speed automatic gearbox.
Setting the 20th Anniversary Miata apart from the rest of the crowd are a set of functional Recaro racing buckets wrapped in red and black leather, exclusive 20th Anniversary badges, clear fog light covers, a glass window for the soft top model and a set of stylish multi spoke 17 inch aluminum wheels
Press release after the jump.
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Mazda Europe has just revealed a facelifted version of the RX-8 sports car. For 2010 the RX-8 receives a new front bumper design, a larger grille opening, new headlamps, new front fenders, new LED rear lamps and a redesigned rear bumper with larger exhaust tips.
The interior benefits from new trim materials making a sportier cockpit with a new center console design. The tachometer now features a variable red-zone that rises as the engine comes to operating temperature much like the new BMW M3. Overall the redesigned instrument cluster was developed with colors to help minimize strain on the driver’s eyes.
Under the hood the 13B twin rotor RENESIS rotary engine delivers 231 HP at 8,200 RPM and 155 lb-ft of torque at 5,500 RPM. The compact power plant accelerates the redesigned RX-8 0 to 60 MPH in just 6.4 seconds and allows the four door sports car to reach a top speed of 145 MPH.
Press release after the jump.
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Six years after its official launch, the Mazda RX-8 is about to receive its first major facelift. With improved aerodynamics, new tail lights and a modernized interior, the new RX-8 will make its world debut in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
For the interior, the new RX8 receives better quality materials, a modified instrument display, the new three-spoke leather sport steering wheel with red decorative stitching, the standard Recaro sport seats (front) with black cloth leather references, a Bluetooth handsfree for mobile phones, Bose audio system with nine speakers. Safety features will include like ABS, dynamic stability and traction control.
The new RX8 will remain a mid-engine design model with rear wheel drive system, but will drop the 192 hp system. The 0 to 60 mph sprint will be made in 6,4 seconds and top speed will go up to 234 km/h.
The automaker from Hiroshima dropped a bomb on the automotive market when they came up with the new Mazda3, styled heavily with Nagare inspired lines and bulges this was truly an economy car that you would aspire to own. The exterior of the Mazda3 is interesting to say the least, made up of a multitude of complex curves and detailed lines evidence that the Japanese design team put a good amount of their own blood, sweat and tears into the economy car car’s design. Starting at just under $16,000 for a sedan and closer to $20,000 for the hatchback, the Mazda3 packs a whole lot of car into an affordable package. If you upgrade the sadden to the touring model, not only do you get wave mesh grills, Bi-Xenon headlamps and sporty front and rear bumpers complete with a lip spoiler, but you also get the wonderful 2.5 Liter four cylinder that makes 167 HP and 168 lb-ft of torque to go along with your beautifully sculpted people mover.
The exterior is highlighted by a sense of depth added by the hollow emblem on the front bumper and our car’s Crystal White Pearl Mica paint covered the wide wheel arches that housed a set of stylish 17 inch rims. The Mazda screams style, filled with playful bodylines. When compared to another automobile that we recently tested based on the same platform. We liked the Focus Coupe, and it reminded us of a serious Ford of the past, but the Focus is as plain Jane as sporty can try to be, but the Ford’s exterior was just flat. There was no depth like the Mazda, whereas the Focus is definitely for the person who wants the most car for their buck, while the 3 screams fun for a few dollars more.
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Here at Top Speed we love anything and everything that goes fast, so during our weekend on the Monterey peninsula we had to make a stop at the legendary Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the MotoGP Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. Once there we were pleasantly surprised when the track staff offered us the opportunity to take a ride around the prestigious racing circuit aboard one of Mazda’s modified safety cars. The lineup of matte black and white pace cars included an RX-8 four door sports coupe, a CX-7 crossover and the all new Mazda 6.
At first we were a little disappointed not to see a Miata wearing the pace car livery, equipped with the fancy amber light bar and beefier tires allowing the trio of Mazdas to corner like champions and stay ahead of the two wheeled racers. However, after a quick trip in the CX-7 and Mazda 6, we were absolutely convinced that the Miata’s fun to drive DNA runs rich throughout the entire automaker’s lineup.
When the track marshall told me to get into the CX-7, our thoughts were limited to, “what a bummer, we come all the way to California and we get stuck riding in the cow of the group", boy were we wrong. Inside the crossover everything was stock except for a circuit board to control the flashing lights and a roll bar that gave the bright blue Scroth 4 point racing harnesses a place to secure themselves to while we were strapped in tight to the leather wrapped seat. The only modification to the drive train of the Euro-spec CX-7 were a set of Brembo brakes and a set of plus sized forged TE-37 wheels from Volk Racing wrapped in sticky rubber.
Nevertheless, it seems that these basic modifications were enough to turn the CX-7 into a track day special. It was amazing how well the sports inspired crossover handled on the track. We were instantaneously blown away by how fast this little Sport-Utility could lap the circuit, and especially the way that the driver was able to tame the infamous corkscrew. We were surprised to find ourselves on the heels of the other safety cars, the driver was really hammering it. Truning in sharply, pumping the steering wheel like mad, clipping the apexes, pushing the CX-7 to its limit. The car did an amazing job of staying on track. Mazda has truly figured out a way to incorporate their zoom-zoom high performance attitude into even the most unlikely of products.
Check the gallery for more photos and details about each of the cars.
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Mazda was on to something when they combined a compact rear wheel drive platform with a lightweight racing inspired power plant to create the first Rotary Experimental model for the Japanese automaker. Through three generations of RX-7, the sports car has proven itself to be a show winner as well as track day competitor. It was the second generation FC3S RX-7 that introduced rotary enthusiasts to boost and took the agile Mazda to the next level with the RX-7 Turbo II. However it wasn’t until 1992 when the automaker from Hiroshima launched the last RX-7 that we have all come to know and admire. With its round sculpted arches and twin turbocharged 13B power plant making 265 HP, the FD (as it is known) was capable of running with super cars well beyond its output and price.
Mazda stopped importing RX-7s into the U.S. in 1995, ever since then, sports car enthusiasts have been awaiting the return of the Mazda RX-7, especially since the turbocharged rotary powered rocket ship disappeared from the world market in 2002. Well there is good news because it looks like the rumors are coming true, and a 21st century RX-7 will be on display at the Tokyo Motor Show.
This rendering shows a vehicle that has been heavily influenced by the company’s Nagare design language, except that an RX-7, by its nature, must go one step beyond any of the Mazda’s recent concepts. The production version of the RX-8’s successor will not make an appearance until the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show and will feature Mazda’s new rotary engine.
In an attempt to downsize the fun in their lineup, the automaker from Hiroshima is preparing a smaller version of their popular MX-5, the MX-2, a model set to be unveiled in 2012. Anyone who has ever found himself or herself behind the wheel of Mazda’s current lightweight rear wheel drive drop top will tell you that this reinvention of the classic English roadster is the best new car on the market, for the money. So a smaller MX-5 should also be lighter and less expensive.
The MX-2’s front end has swooping lines that that were strongly inspired by the Mazda Furai concept with some Ferrari California inspired headlamps, while the rest of the body reminds us of the newly redesigned BMW Z4 roadster. The smaller Miata will compete with upcoming models like the Mini Speedster and possible Nissan Urge.
You would think that while Mazda’s engineers were scaling down the roadster that they might have skimped on the output, but not from the Zoom-Zoom family. In an attempt at downsizing and turbo charging the top of the line model will have a 1.6 Liter four, boosted to make 160 HP. With a power package like that, Mazda’s MX-2 could become even more of a hit than the Miata. If enough of these turbocharged sports cars actually move off of dealer’s lots, it could inspire the Japanese automaker to resurrect another great sports car, the RX-7.
Only a few days ago, Top Speed reported that the Japanese automaker, Toyota, is preparing a roadster version of their iQ city car. It turns out that they are not the only car builder from the Pacific island nation working on an open air subcompact.
The manufacturer from Hiroshima, Mazda, is also working on a roadster version of their smallest vehicle, the Mazda2. The new roadster is a response to sporty, fuel efficient models from Europe, like the upcoming Renault Twingo CC, Opel Tigra and Peugeot 207 CC. The roadster will be powered by the same engines that are found under the hood of the hatchback version, starting with a 1.3 Liter four cylinder and a larger 1.5 Liter gas burning engine. For those who like their fuel from a larger nozzle, Mazda will offer both a 1.4 Liter and a 1.6 Liter turbo diesel power plant to motivate the new roadster.
There is no word on a turbocharged gasoline engine or even a rotary powered roadster. Both are a bit too thirsty for the Mazda2’s intended customers, but wouldn’t it be exciting to see a compact Mazda city car powered by a 13B.
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