2021 Mazda Cx-3 Preferred on 2040-cars

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2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata firsthand impressions and notebook scribblings

In a temporarily repurposed airport hanger in Monterey, CA, the world caught its first glimpse of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata tonight, and I was fortunate enough to attend in person along with my fellow auto media colleagues, Mazda execs, a couple hundred Miata devotees and, oddly, a fair number of Duran Duran fans. The klieg lights have dimmed, Simon Le Bon is no longer ringing in my ears, and I'm left to ponder what I've seen. I've scavenged my notes - and my Twitter feed - to give you some details and brief thoughts.
Fair Warning: I can't claim to be completely impartial (I own a second-generation NB and consider the Miata franchise to be one of but a few sacrosanct franchises in modern motoring), but I will share my honest first impressions of the new car, both good and bad.
Here are my notes:

Mazda2 sedan images released ahead of Thailand reveal

Mazda will let customers put some junk in the trunk of its Mazda2 with the introduction of a new four-door model at the upcoming Thailand International Motor Expo on November 28. While the show is still days away from beginning, the Japanese automaker is already spilling some of the details about the sedan variant of its fetching subcompact. The four-door and traditional hatchback versions of the Mazda2 will both hit Thailand in early 2015. The two of them are essentially identical other than the added trunk and adjusted rear styling for the sedan. It basically makes the model look like a shrunken down version of the Mazda3 sedan, which isn't a bad thing at all. The company has big expectations for the little car because they're already Mazda's bestselling passenger models in Thailand. Both models will be sold with the SkyActiv-D 1.5 diesel in Thailand, which gives them lower taxes under the government's low-emission, compact car incentive plan. According to a previous rumor, a gasoline-fueled mill could join the lineup eventually, too. There's also gossip that the Mazda2 sedan could eventually be sold in Australia and Europe, but US sales are still a mystery. When asked about the four-door here, Mazda spokesperson Eric Booth told Autoblog, "We'll have more to say on Mazda2 at a later date. Right now, our focus is on the launches of the all-new CX-3 and MX-5 as well as the refreshed CX-5 and Mazda6." The company is showing all of those models at this week's Los Angeles Auto Show. Mazda to Debut the All-new Mazda2 Sedan at Thailand International Motor Expo - Goes on sale in Thailand alongside the hatchback model early 2015 - HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation will debut the sedan model of the all-new Mazda2 (known as Mazda Demio in Japan) at the Thailand International Motor Expo 2014*1 on November 28, 2014. The all-new Mazda2 compact sedan features handsome proportions and bold styling, a high-quality, sporty interior and a combination of excellent driving performance and outstanding environmental and safety performance. The all-new Mazda2 hatchback will also be exhibited at the expo; the first time the model has been displayed to the public in Thailand. Both the sedan and the hatchback feature the SKYACTIV-D 1.5, Mazda's newly-developed small-displacement clean diesel engine. The all-new Mazda2 goes on sale in Thailand in early 2015.

Graffiti artist Banksy turns Mazda Protege into warfare commentary

British street artist Banksy, who currently resides in New York City for its high pedestrian traffic and plentiful hiding spots, recently took his stencils and spray cans to a truck trailer and an old Mazda to make a commentary about war, according to a video report by Newsy.
Part of the canvas, a late-1990s Mazda Protege, is a sub-$3,000 used car at best, but we're sure having Banksy's art sprayed onto it has greatly increased its value, as it did to a piece at a Former Packard plant in Detroit a few years ago. The same goes for the trailer, which looks like it would be right at home attached to a U-Haul rental truck.
The graffito, painted in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, was accompanied by a link to some disturbing audio from a controversial 2007 military video leaked by Wikileaks in 2010. Head on below to watch the video report, and be sure to visit Banksy's website if you want to see the painting with the audio (listener discretion advised).