Subaru Will Add Electric Cars To Its Lineup

Subaru and Mazda are like twin sons of different mothers. Both are small players in the auto business who have carved out a niche of devoted followers by doing a few things really well. Both are happy to play at the margins while the big boys fight over the middle. Over the years, Subaru has gained a reputation for building reliable cars that offer a high degree of occupant safety. But to keep up with changes in the marketplace, particularly in China, it needs to add electric cars to its offerings.

To make that happen, the company’s CEO, Yasuyuki Yoshinaga, told the press last week that his company will focus first on adding electric motors to its current models rather than creating a separate electric car division as Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz are doing. “If there’s already an attractive Subaru model, for example the XV crossover, and if a customer in Beijing wants one but is only allowed to buy an electric vehicle, if there’s no electric version then he can’t buy it,” Yoshinaga said. “Providing the choice of an EV means the customer can still desire the same Subaru.”

Subaru will invest $1.2 billion in research and development during the next 12 months, most of it aimed at getting a plug-in hybrid version of one of more of its cars into production by the end of 2018. Suppliers like GKN are already building complete EV powertrain components to speed the adoption of electric vehicle technology in the global marketplace and eliminate the need for each manufacture to design, test, and build its own hardware.

General Motors used to have a large stake in Subaru, but sold its shares some years ago to Toyota, which is also behind the curve when it comes to offering electric cars to its customers. It is likely some cross fertilization will take place between the two companies as each seeks to get in on the electric car future. Toyota will invest almost $9 billion in its research and development program in the coming year.

Yoshinaga also said his company expects to have a battery electric car to sell to customers by the beginning of the next decade. He did not indicate whether the BEV Subaru would be an entirely new model or based on an existing car in the company’s lineup. Building a car designed from Day One for electric power is the preferred approach, but developing completely new models takes about 5 years. Subaru may not have time to wait, as it is already late to the cars with plugs party.

Source: Bloomberg

Stunning Mazda Vision Gets Closer To Reality

Last fall, Mazda brought its stunning Vision concept to the Tokyo auto show and lit the flame of hope for all of us who have ever owned an RX-7. Those of us who did can never get the thrill of its nearly vibration free rotary engine spinning up to 8,000 rpm and beyond. That engine made a satisfying growl like no other. It was music to the ears of plenty of gearheads, myself included.

Yeah, it was thirsty. And yeah, it burned a little oil. But that was one sweet motor. By comparison, the pushrod lump in my MGB felt like it was from the Stone Age. The last time Mazda sold a car with a rotary engine in America was in 2011. Since then, fuel economy and emissions challenges have kept it out of production. Gone but not forgotten, it seems.

Mazda has just filed a patent application for a modified rotary engine design. According to AutoBlog, this one places the intake ports as the bottom of the engine and the exhaust ports at the top. The changes are said to allow the engine to sit lower in the chassis of the car it is mated to. A lower center of gravity leads to better handling.

The top mounted exhaust is also supposed to make it easier to turbocharge the engine — something that would be necessary in order to help the little screamer meet upcoming emissions standards. The short distance from engine to turbo should make the old bugaboo of turbo lag nothing more than a memory.

The new engine design uses port fuel injection. According to the patent filing, it has a triangular rotor that covers part of the exhaust port which allows for different exhaust flow characteristics. The filing claims that that two of the four possible orientations allow for less airflow resistance in the exhaust port. That would also boost turbo performance.

The Mazda Vision is one of the sexiest designs this side of the original Jaguar XK-E, before it got crapped up with federalize headlights and bumpers. Will a rotary equipped Vision ever see production? The odds, frankly, aren’t that good. It is unlikely that Mazda will ever be able to tame the Wankel engine to meet modern regulatory constraints.

But if it does, and I was forced to choose between a rotary powered Vision and an autonomous transportation pod like the Tesla Model 3, I’m pretty certain my love of sports cars with real engines and transmissions that have to be stirred by hand would carry the day.

Tiny Mazda Has Big Plans For The Future

Mazda only makes about 1.5 million cars a year right now. Its cars account for just 2% of US new car sales. That’s a bit surprising. Mazdas are a pretty common sight on America’s roads. According to Masamichi Kogai, Mazda’s chief executive, the key for a small manufacturer like Mazda is to always be bringing updated versions of its products to market. He is in Los Angeles this week to oversee the introduction of  the company’s updated 7 passenger CX-9 sport utility vehicle.

He was asked by the Los Angeles Times if his company should be pursuing more sales. “Sales volume is not the only indicator,” Kogai said. “We need the right sales. If we put market share as a target, we might fall into the trap of discounting the product. That is a short-term strategy and a myopic view. What we need to make sure we don’t have too much aging of the existing products in the marketplace. We need a fresh lineup so that when our customers are ready to purchase another vehicle we have the product to sell them and they come back to us.”

Mazda has three factories worldwide and they are all running at or near full capacity. Kogai thinks they might be able to boost production to 1.65 million cars, but anything more than that would require a major investment in a new manufacturing facility. Why spend that money if Mazda doesn’t need to?

Mazda currently has no hybrid, plug-in or electric cars in its model lineup. Kogai says that doesn’t worry him. Mazda makes some of the most fuel efficient internal combustion engines in the world and is able to sell that technology to other companies. In return, it can call upon others to supply the zero emissions powertrains it will need to meet future regulations. In particular, it has a long standing cooperative agreement with Toyota to use its hybrid and plug-in hybrid technology.

Mazda may have at least one trick up its sleeve, though. It recently introduced its stunning RX Vision concept — a car that captures the smooth sensuality that made the Jaguar XK-E such an icon more than 50 years ago. The RX in the nane indicates the car will have a rotary engine under the hood if and when it goes into production. Since Mazda has already made an RX-7 and an RX-8, some people wanted to know if the new car will be called the RX-9.

“Will it be called RX-9? All previous RX-7s have been two or 2+2 seaters and the RX-8 was a four-seater, so what would that make RX-9 a six-seater? This concept is a two-seater, so you can imagine which number fits best,” Kiyoshi Fujiwara, Mazda’s head of R&D told Top Speed after the unveiling. RX-7 it is, then. Fujiwara went on to say that the engine may be turbocharged and that the would be like a Porsche Cayman in terms of performance. That translates into an engine with at least 250 horsepower — more than double the output of the original RX-7 engine back in 1979.

CEO Kogai then dropped this little tidbit. “We…are looking at our rotary engine technology. It can combust hydrogen and use it as a fuel. The engine can run as a dual fuel system, switching between hydrogen and gasoline. We can also use rotary engines to charge the battery as a range extender in an electric vehicle.” Hmmm…a ltihe, luscious two seater with a turgocharged rotary engine that burns hydrogen? [drool] Where do I sign up? [/drool]

Photo credit: Top Speed

Toyota S-FR Baby Sports Car - VIDEO

Toyota is toying with the idea of a new, smaller sports car that would slot in below its BRZ. Called the S-FR, it is said to be a front engine, rear drive sports car with a 1500 cc engine making about 130 horsepower. That should give it performance on a par with Mazda’s popular sports car, the Miata MX-5.

“I already tell you Toyota’s sports car goal must be three brothers – [BRZ] is the middle [brother], top model is something like a Supra,” Tetsuya Tada, chief engineer of Toyota’s sports car range told the press at the Tokyo motor show this week. According to Drive, Tada went on to say, “When you see the S-FR concept I suppose you imagine it is a 1.5-litre car but nowadays I can choose many kind of engines. Downsized turbo, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated and something additional as well. Now we are thinking which one is the best engine for a small sports car.”

Tada also said that if Toyota builds this car, it will not do so with a partner. The BRZ is shared with corporate cousin Subaru and the next large Toyota sports car is rumored to be a joint project with BMW.

The styling of the S-FR is far from elegant. It looks very much like a Griffith or TVR from the 80’s, neither of which won any design awards. It seems to have none of the visual interest most people associate with the many versions of the Toyota MR2.

The other concern is that the BRZ, despite being a pretty good sports car, is not selling particularly well in any markets around the world, leading some to wonder why Toyota needs yet another slow selling two seat sports car. It remains to be seen whether Toyota can make a business case for the S-FR. It may be that the ship has sailed on small two seaters like the Bug Eye Sprite that captured the hearts of sports car fans in the 50’s and 60’s.

Mazda RX-Vision rotary-engined sports car concept revealed

The Mazda RX-Vision concept car revealed at the Tokyo motor show signifies Mazda’s intentions to launch a new range-topping sports car powered by a rotary engine.

The likely badge for the front-engined, rear-drive model would be RX-7, and the production version could be unveiled at the Tokyo motor show in 2017; that would mark 50 years since Mazda launched its first rotary-powered sports car.

The two-door, two-seat coupé is officially described as being 'Mazda’s vision for the ultimate in front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car styling'. 

Mazda president and CEO Masamichi Kogai confirmed: “One day rotary will make a comeback. This gives form to our brand's vision of the future. It expresses our intention to make rotary. There are many issues to overcome but we will continue our efforts. We're working steadily. Keep your eyes on Mazda."

Blog - Mazda RX-Vision, the brilliant concept car that leaves us wanting more

At the heart of the RX-Vision is an all-new next-generation rotary engine called SkyActiv-R, an engine which is said to solve three key issues with previous rotary engines: fuel economy, emissions and reliability. However, Mazda has yet to reveal the specifics.

The RX-Vision measures 4389mm long by 1925mm wide, with a height of 1160mm and a wheelbase of 2700mm. Those dimensions make it marginally longer and wider than Jaguar’s F-Type coupé sports car, and significantly lower, something the compact nature of the rotary engine has allowed. 

The concept car sits on a unique SkyActiv rear-wheel drive platform, unrelated to the Mazda MX-5. For production, the new RX-7 is likely to be smaller than the concept car, and will be targeted at thePorsche Cayman.

R&D chief Kiyoshi Fujiwara said: “If we were to mass produce the car, the Cayman is the right kind of assumption [as a rival]. We’d like to make it lighter than a Cayman.”

Mazda RX-7 revisited - driving the original king of spin

Fujiwara would not mention specifics on engine capacity or performance, but the Cayman reference indicates a power output of around 300bhp. Fujiwara confirmed that turbocharging and hyrbidisation are being considered. However, the latter is considered less likely as it is a greater technical challenge.

While Fujiwara wouldn’t mention engine specs, he did confirm that efficiency now matches that of a typical petrol engine without any electrical assistance. He said that breakthroughs in computer simulation and prototype making has allowed Mazda to more accurately study the combustion cycle of a rotary engine and change it accordingly, including even the shape of the engine.

He added: “Based on the things we’ve been studying there is still room for more modifications.”

This research has also allowed Mazda to improve the torque output of the rotary engine, as well as economy and reliability. 

As for the transmission, Fujiwara said that a manual gearbox would be his preferred option, but a dual-clutch gearbox might be required should the performance improve further. 

On a more philosophical point about Mazda’s role with rotary, he said: “It is an essential part of our DNA and it's just been passed onto future engineers. It is synonymous with the brand.”

Production of the engine now relies on further improvements to the rotary technology, particularly in ensuring it is now robust enough and reliable for mass production, and for Mazda to be on a stable financial footing to have the confidence to relaunch the technology. If achieved, a launch date of 2017 is mooted.

Fujiwara said that: “Mazda always introduces new materials and technology on its sports cars."

A reference to perhaps a more extensive use of aluminium in the production car or even carbonfiibre. The base Cayman weighs in at 1405kg, a target figure the production Mazda will be seeking to beat.

Mazda's history with rotary engines in pictures

Mazda design boss Ikuo Maeda said that the concept 'represents our dream, but we don't want it to be a dream for too long'. He said that it took 10 months to design, and was a 'pure design project' in this form, although 'a lot of elements are adaptable for future products'.

The concept’s design is said to offer 'a sense of lineage and authenticity, encapsulating Mazda’s entire history of sports car design'. Following Mazda’s KODO design language, the RX-Vision’s low body features short overhangs at either end, with a low roofline and low bonnet – something made possible by the compact dimensions of the SkyActiv-R engine.

Inside, the concept features handcrafted components with intricate instrumentation, leather trim and a simplistic instrument panel. The concept has 245/40R20 tyres at the front, and 285/35R20 rubber at the rear.

Maeda said he would love to see the design in production, hinting that it was still up for debate: “I hope we have enough strong voices that can dictate this car. We’re at a very important stage and we wanted to express what could be the next step.

“So we developed this model, stepping up Mazda’s brand and expressing how we intend to survive and live into the future. We wanted to express the most unique technology Mazda has and the challenge we want to pick up in the future.”

On a likely launch date, he said: “It depends on popular demand, and the desire for this kind of vehicle - 2017? If I could, I would dearly like to do so…", adding that, “right now, there is only one design for a Mazda sports car, the RX-Vision, but yes, it is one possibility to make it smaller.”

A future hint on the positioning of the production car. Elaborating on this subject, he said: “911 or Cayman? If you consider the price and performance, the Cayman would be more appropriate.”

Kogai played up the fun-to-drive characteristics of the concept car, and rotary in general. “We've sought to make cars that are a pleasure to drive, and we will continue to provide customers with these cars,” he said.

Kogai cautioned however that there were hurdles to be overcome, and would not commit to a launch date for the inevitable production return of rotary. "Initial targets for rotary were set higher than gasoline. I said before it would be difficult for mass production, and this encouraged our engineers to work harder to achieve these targets. I believe one day our engineers can overcome those challenges and meet targets.

"We want to have good communication with our fans on the concept. I'd like to know how great their expectations are. R&D is working very hard - the targets are strict, rotary engines have lots of issues, and we need to solve each of them. It's not just emissions, it's performance as well, and making it easy to maintain. On a rotary engine it is a difficult engine to solve all these problems.

"If I say anything about [launch] dates I will put too much pressure on our engineers. I want to avoid putting pressure on them. I would like to hear feedback on the design of the vehicle. This is the design of a sports car that really encapsulates a front-engined rear-wheel drive car. It embodies a Mazda sports car."

It was first revealed earlier this year that Mazda had continued working on rotary engine technology despite having no rotary powered cars on sale. Further hints about the concept's rotary power source came earlier this month when Mazda released details of other cars on its Tokyo stand, including the 967 Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S, the company’s first rotary powered mass-production model.

Mazda has also experimented with using rotary engines for different applications beyond being the sole powertrain for a vehicle. It has applied for patents using a rotary engine as a range extender on a hybrid system and even demonstrated a prototype based on the previous generation of its 2 supermini back in 2013.

The Japanese manufacturer killed off its last rotary-engined sports car, the RX-8, back in 2012 as it faced ever-tightening emissions regulations. The firm also built a prototype turbocharged RX-8, but that car would have failed to meet European requirements, and its further development could not be justified on Japanese sales alone.

In fact, rumours of Mazda's return to rotary engines stretch back to 2010, when insiders hinted that a successor the RX-7, potentially to be dubbed RX-9, was planned.

Q&A with Ikuo Maeda, Mazda design boss

Were you inspired by previous Mazda rotary sports cars with the new design?

"The MX-5 is the icon today. I love sports cars and am a racing enthusiast. So for me designing is all about sports cars. The Mazda brand has many enthusiastic fans and we want to provide products to enthusiastic people. Mazda’s brand icon should reflect the apex of this philosophy."

This is a simpler design than recent Mazdas. Why is that?

"On the bodywork there is indeed a simple form that creates a beautiful reflection from the surface. My biggest desire is to achieve alluring form through simple design. The proportions give a sense of performance to the product. The long bonnet was done to achieve the ideal proportions for a front-engined, rear-drive sports car. So the concept somewhat accentuates that approach."

What was the theory behind the interior?


"The same as the exterior: to reduce the elements to the optimum. We used stiff leather, like a horse's saddle. The controls are also greatly reduced."

What do you make of the rotary engine?

"The rotary engine is a symbol of Mazda’s spirit. I’m extremely glad that we can realise such a machine. It provides a unique feeling, and we can capitalise on it. When I think of rotary, my mind expands greatly. If we drop it, the rotary engine will disappear from the world. It’s important we’re in a mindset to cherish the rotary engine technology."

Why reveal this concept now?

"The current generation of products shows where Mazda is going as a brand. We’re not at the very important stage of expressing what could be the next step. So we developed this model, stepping up Mazda’s brand and expressing how we intend to survive and live in the future. We wanted to express the most unique technology Mazda has and the challenges we want to pick up in the future."

Could it explore lightweight material use?

"Even though the concept is on the long side, the idea was always to be a lightweight sports car. That’s why I wanted to create a tense, taut design. Of course, there are many material options. I believe carbonfibre will be very important in our future. Mazda also has the technology to utilise aluminium. We’ve not gone that far yet with carbonfibre."

2016 Mazda Miata Introduces New Slogan, “Driving Matters”

Goodbye Zoom-zoom, hello Driving Matters, the new corporate slogan for Mazda. Using the much-anticipated 2016 Mazda Miata to launch this all-new take on why a car company still strives to improve the driving experience, we get a 60-second commercial that just about every man, regardless of age, can relate too.

The 2016 Miata brings a whole host of improvements to the world’s best-known roadster, including a lower curb weight, higher fuel economy, and a suite of technology to make the driver feel more connected to the road than ever before.

No CGI, no explosions, no fast-paced EDM or dancing hamsters. Just a man, a machine, and the life they lived. Beautiful.

Toyota And Mazda May Collaborate On Fuel Cells, SkyActive Engines

Toyota and Mazda may collaborate on fuel cell technology and fuel efficient engines, according to unnamed sources that spoke to Reuters. As car makers struggle to find the powertrains of the future, there is a lot of duplication of effort, and some companies think it would be more efficient and less expensive to work together rather than for each company to blaze its own path.

Mazda has reportedly been working on fuel cell technology by itself, but Toyota is much further along on fuel cells, with the Mirai, its first fuel cell car, already in production. Meanwhile, Mazda has made significant strides in creating its line of SkyActive engines — some of the most energy efficient gasoline and diesel engines on the planet. Why not just trade technology and save each other a lot of time and expense?

Apparently, that’s exactly what the two companies have in mind, although neither is offering many details about their collaboration. The two companies already have a technology and production partnership. Mazda supplies Toyota’s Scion subsidiary with the Mazda2 subcompact sedan, which is marketed as the Scion iA in North America. In return, Mazda could get help on projects like its oft-discussed hydrogen-powered range extender for a plug-in hybrid.

Toyota is placing a huge bet on hydrogen fuel cell technology, which it believe offers the most promising zero emission alternative to conventional cars since both have a similar driving range and refueling time. It has said it is willing to share some of its fuel cell patents with other companies for free as a way of speeding up the development of the hydrogen refueling infrastructure, but has had few takers so far.

Many industry observers believe Toyota is backing the wrong horse. Battery development around the globe is proceeding at a furious pace. The price of batteries is dropping and charging times are being reduced. When drivers can recharge their EVs in 10 minutes instead of 30, the primary advantage of fuel cell cars will evaporate. But the internal combustion engine will be with us for quite a while yet, largely because companies like Mazda continue to find ways to make it more fuel efficient with fewer emissions.

In the end, Toyota may be getting the best of the deal with Mazda.

2015 Mazda Miata – 25 Years of Automotive Awesome

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years since Mazda took the wraps off the original, first-generation MX-5 Miata. That car was built as a modern interpretation of the original, RWD Lotus Elan, and it captured the imagination of the sports car faithful by combining- for the first time!- a quick, nimble, and genuine open-top experience with the bulletproof reliability that is the hallmark of Japanese automakers.

As such, the Miata was a revelation.

See, up until the Miata, choosing a sports car meant sacrificing reliability. If you wanted that Alfa Romeo or that MGB, it meant that you also wanted to spend a few several weekends wrenching on the thing. It would leave you stranded, too- no matter much you loved it. It was a death trap. The Miata, however, was none of those things. It was that “right” partner that finally rewarded your love by loving you in return and, in the 25 years that have come and gone since the first Miata showed up on our collective doorsteps, that love has grown richer, deeper, and better.

Then the Miata went all “cat lady” on us and got this goofy-looking facelift, which …

… I mean, obviously you still love the Miata. It’s just, I dunno. It looks a little bit cartoonish and botox-y now, you know?

Luckily, the 2016 Miata isn’t here, yet, and the 25th Anniversary 2015 Mazda MX-5 Miata can still be had for about the price of Mazda’s own 6 series mid-size sedan- but with enough in the way of classic Lotus Elan styling cues for the connection to still resonate with the older Gen-X and Baby Boomer crowds that I find myself feeling increasingly comfortable around. In addition, Chris recently drove the (nearly identical) 2014 version, so I’ll keep my review to more “practical” matters.

2015 Mazda Miata | Can You Live With It

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Like that first Miata, the 2015 Mazda MX-5 has a naturally aspirated 4 cyl. engine nestled between its axles that’s mated to a simple transmission that sends power exclusively to the rear wheels. In practice, the car is perfectly balanced, and feels like it’s light-years ahead of cars like the Scion FR-S/Toyota GT86, which are a generation or two newer, at least.

Inside, the Miata’s dash is free from large screens, which makes it feel like a much older car than it is. Similarly, the interior color choices on my tester were- what’s a polite way of saying “crap”? Seriously, Mazda (and Jeep, while I’m at it) seem to be hiring color-blind kids that are Hell-bent on pairing brown seats with otherwise black, plastic interiors. It never looks good, and certainly didn’t help the Miata seem “edgy” or even “nice”. A better choice, I think, would have been a durable, water-resistant cloth or even a marine vinyl that wouldn’t mind getting wet.

Speaking of getting wet, that is almost entirely optional with the 2015 Miata, which- in the case of my tester- one-ups the 1990 original by employing a folding metal roof. That metal roof, by the way, utterly removes the fear of someone slashing your top to get to your belongings (which has happened to me with both a Mustang and VW Cabrio) and doesn’t seem to carry a performance penalty. Up or down, trunk space remains very much the same.

The 2015 Mazda Miata is, in other words, an utterly drivable, practical little two-seater that could, maybe, make a practical commuter- especially in light of the 28 MPG I saw on the dash computer during much of my week with the little car.

2015 Mazda Miata | Final Thoughts

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The last Miata I drove before this one was 2nd generation 1999 model. That car was light, nimble, and simple. 15 years on, the Miata is still light, nimble, and simple- and that is an astonishing achievement when you consider the bloat that other “sports cars” have packed on since 1990. Driving along Chicago’s Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive with the top down on a cool autumn afternoon, the 2015 Miata made me a believer. Funny enough, just a week before and on the same road in similar weather, the Scion FR-S made me feel like only idiots would buy it.

I like to think that, on my better days, I’m not an idiot, and I would be very, very happy to buy a Mazda Miata if the wife/kids/urban parking situation allowed for an extra two seater- and that’s high praise from a guy who regularly scoffs at the need for car ownership. If they only offered the car in British racing green …

New Mazda MX-5 revealed

This is the all-new Mazda MX-5. The fourth-generation version of the 25-year-old rear-drive roadster is new from the ground up and enters the market next July with a brand new rear-wheel-drive chassis and two new petrol engines, all built using the company’s SkyActiv technology.

The firm describes the new model as "returning to the original aims of the first generation car and embodying the fundamental pleasure of driving an open-top lightweight sports car in a product suited to today’s needs."

This latest version reverses the trend of generational changes of MX-5s by being lighter and smaller than the car it replaces. Mazda isn’t saying exactly what the new weight figures are but it will admit to savings "of around 100kgs", meaning that the base model should end up being just a shade over one tonne.

As well as using SkyActiv design to cut weight from the Mazda's chassis, the bonnet, boot and front wings are now made from aluminium – and a lighter material has also been used in the soft-top hood construction.

The new car is also 105mm shorter in overall length than the outgoing version, though its wheelbase has only shrunk by 15mm. It is also 20mm lower, but 10mm wider.

The history of the Mazda MX-5 – picture special

So far Mazda will only admit to power being provided by a newly developed SkyActiv engine that will be longitudinally mounted in the nose. However, there are likely to be two new direct-injection petrol engines on offer, one a 1.5-litre and one a 2.0-litre.

Both are reworked versions of engines already powering the company’s hatchbacks and are likely to offer around 140bhp and 180bhp respectively. This represents a small power advantage over current models – our source admitted that the "US market wouldn’t accept less power" – but with the weight savings they promises superior power-to-weight ratios, extra performance and considerable fuel economy and CO2 advantages. 

Mazda is already being bullish about the credentials of the new rear-drive chassis which, as before, has double-wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear end. Company boss Masamichi Kogai has already talked about the new car recapturing the agility and fun of the first generation model. "The original concept behind the MX-5 was so simple; to offer the pure joy of a lightweight sports car that moves precisely as the driver intends," he said. 

To assist this the engine now sits lower and further back than previously, lowering the centre of gravity and, according to product development boss Nobuhiro Yamamoto, the MX-5 now has a perfect 50:50 weight balance. 

The design work was mainly carried out at the company’s Japanese headquarters under the direction of Ikuo Maeda. Like the company’srecent saloons and hatchbacks it’s referred to as being part of the ‘Kodo’ design philosophy – but it’s a more simple, sculptured look than we’ve come to expect from modern Mazdas. It's more sharp-edged than withprevious MX-5s too. 

Celebrating 25 years of the Mazda MX-5 - picture special

Inside, there are plenty of MX-5 hallmarks. It’s still a snug two-seater and it’s still possible to lower the manually operated soft-top hood with one hand. You still sit low in the car but the view out is claimed to be superior as the bonnet has been lowered and the A-pillars and windscreen header rail have been made thinner.

Like previous incarnations the cabin looks cluttered and all the controls are simple. The centre of the dash top is now dominated by an infotainment screen, derived from the Mazda 3 hatch. Like other Mazdas it’s also controlled by a rotary knob, nestling next to the conventional handbrake. 

There’s also a tangible uplift in cabin quality compared to previous incarnations, with far more soft-touch surfaces and more stowage space. More attention has also been paid to keeping passengers from being buffeted whilst driving with the hood down. Mark 1 MX-5 fans will also no doubt recognise the headrest-mounted speakers, intended to help maintain music volume with the roof down.

Prices will be announced closer to the on sale date but there’s likely to be a small rise compared to current models. As such a base 1.5-litre model should cost around £20,000 when it hits the showrooms.

When the new Mazda MX-5 launches there will also only be a soft-top model, but it's understood that a folding metal-roofed coupé will join the line-up as this model currently accounts for 80% of UK sales.

New Mazda RX-7 And RX-9 Coming?

An artist rendering of what the new RX-7 might look like.

The Mazda Cosmo Sport first appeared in 1967, and it was the first volume production car to feature a Wankel rotary engine. According to Australia’s Motoring magazine, sources within the company suggest that a reborn RX-7 sports coupe could be in the offing for 2017 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of that milestone. Then in 2020, Mazda will celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary, which will coincide with the Olympic Games in Tokyo, and those same sources say Mazda will introduce an all new, range topping sports car in honor of both occasions.

We do know that Mazda has registered the names RX-7 and RX-9 with the Japanese trademark office, adding credibility to  the rumors. Mazda reported record profits of nearly $2 billion dollars for the last fiscal year, so there is money available for creating new models.

The new RX-7 is rumored to use the 300 hp 16X rotary engine Mazda has under development. Add an electric turbocharger to the 16X, and you have a potent new motor for an RX-9 “halo car”. The RX-9 may also come with a hybrid powertrain to stay competitive with offerings from other manufacturers. Asked about all these rumors recently, Mazda global sales and marketing chief Yasuhiro Aoyama was enigmatic, saying only that a new rotary powered RX-7 for 2017 would be a “fantastic idea”.

Mazda has devoted more than five decades to perfecting the Wankel rotary engine, primarily because it produces good power from a unit that is smaller and lighter than any other internal combustion engine. Because there are no pistons going up and down thousands of times a minute, the rotary is also very smooth compared to its rivals. Unfortunately, it tends to be fairly thirsty, and has been bedeviled by longevity issues with the apex seals that are critical to making the engine work. Mazda’s latest rotary engine car, the RX-8, suffered from poor fuel economy and disappointing reliability, which led to it being withdrawn from the marketplace after a relatively short production run and low sales.

If Mazda can duplicate the reputation for bullet proof reliability enjoyed by the Miata (itself debuting a new model next month) and wrap the new cars in styling that excites the eye, these two new models should be enthusiastically received by potential buyers. But the folks at Jalopnik say the new RX-7 is a recurring internet myth that gets folks riled up every few years. We should know the truth in about two years time, so buckle up Mazda fans.

It could be a bumpy ride.

Source: Mazda

2015 Mazda2 Revealed Ahead Of Fall Debut

For seven years now, the Mazda2 has steadfastly served the small car market, delivering Zoom-zoom at a low cost and with a small footprint. But it’s time for a change, and that change comes from the 2015 Mazda2, which gets an all-new look that has been revealed ahead of its debut this fall.

The 2015 Mazda2 will debut to the public at the Paris Auto Show in October, but we get our first look at the tiny Mazda today. Thankfully it sticks close with the Hazumi concept that debuted last year, and engine options currently include a 1.5 liter gas or diesel motor. You’ll also have your option of either an automatic or manual transmission. Mazda paid special attention to improved the new SkyActiv chassis.

In addition to refined driving dynamics, the 2015 Mazda2 also gets a suite of safety and connectivity technologies. The new “supermini” as Mazda refers to it will also be sold overseas as the Demio, and while I don’t expect the diesel engine to come to American shores (still waiting on that diesel Mazda6…), Mazda has been toying with the idea of a rotary-powered plug-in hybrid.

No fuel economy or horsepower figures have been released yet either, as Mazda is likely saving that for the big Paris debut.

       

Source: Gas 2.

First Look at the New for 2015 Mazda Miata

It’s official. Mazda will introduce an all-new version of its nimble MX5 sports car later this month at the New York International Auto Show- and, no matter how hard Mazda’s product planners want us to call it the MX5, we’re going to call this new Mazda what it is: the new Miata.

Speculation surrounding the 2015 Mazda Miata has been steadily leaking out in recent months. For example, (we think that) we know that the new car will use a version of Mazda’s next-gen, ultra-clean SkyActiv power trains. We know that the basic hardware of the new Miata will also underpin a reborn Alfa Romeo Spider that will undercut the hotly anticipated Alfa Romeo 4C when it heads to US shores, which will happen sometime after the Miata establishes a beachhead. We know it will continue to be a front-engine, rear-drive sporty roadster built to honor the spirit of the original Lotus Elan. We also knew, thanks to a leak at Mazda and Carscoop’s willingness to enrage the OEMs, that it would look something like this …

… which looks pretty good to me.

Mazda has dropped more clues as to how its 2015 MX5 (née, the 2015 Mazda Miata) will look when it is officially unveiled later this month- and it doesn’t exactly share the new 3′s corporate face, either. At Geneva, Mazda’s chief Miata designer, Peter Birtwhistle, told the guys at AutoExpress UK that the new, 2015 Miata will be “more masculine” than the current car. “If I had to describe it in one word,” said Birtwhistle, “it’d be ‘edgy’. I think it will be a surprise for people … It’s a tight, edgy little car that is going to appeal to a broader range of people. We know the clichés about the MX-5 as it gets older, but this will position it differently. I think it’ll attract a lot of young guys.”

So, there you have it. If you want to attract a lot of young guys, the 2015 Mazda Miata is going to be the car for you. Or, you know, you could just wait for the Alfa Romeo version, which is expected to look like the Duetto concept, below …

… which first bowed back in 2012.

We’ll be able to see how much what we thought we knew turned out to be known in a few weeks at the NY Auto Show. That’s when the 2015 Mazda Miata debuts for real (or so we’ve been led to believe), and we can start pining for a new-age, base-model track rat of our very own.

Sources | Photos: Carscoops