2007 Mazda Cx-9 Grand Touring Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Mazda returns to rotary with RX-Vision Concept, crowd goes wild

Rotary! Forget everything for a second. Ignore the sleek styling, formed-by-wind sheetmetal, outrageously rear-drive proportions, and general ridiculousness of the sideview mirrors. And please be so kind as to ignore the poorly lit photos here – Mazda has a thing for drama. Concentrate instead on one fantastic phrase from the concept car press release: "next-generation Skyactiv-R rotary engine." The crowd here in Tokyo was downright frothing to get a look at the new concept car – hoping to catch a glimpse of the first evolutionary stage for a RX-9 sports car. The critical factor in that effort is of course the rotary engine. Mazda says that, while production of the powerplant is "on hold," the company has "never stopped research and development towards the rotary engine." The fact that the company has named the new engine gives us great hope that it exists in reality, and will be available for sale at some future date. The devil is in the details though, and there are precious few available at the Mazda stand. Other than a brief history lesson about Mazda's racing heritage, and fuzzy-vision talk about the future, we only have expectations to feed on. Oh, there's also a tiny press release, below. Related Video: HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation unveiled the rotary-powered Mazda RX-VISION sports car concept at the Tokyo Motor Show*1 today. The rotary engine is a symbol of the company's "never-stop-challenging" spirit. RX-VISION represents a vision of the future that Mazda hopes to one day make into reality; a front-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car with exquisite, KODO design-based proportions only Mazda could envision, and powered by the next-generation SKYACTIV-R rotary engine. Rotary engines feature a unique construction, generating power through the rotational motion of a triangular rotor. Overcoming numerous technical difficulties, Mazda succeeded in commercializing the rotary engine, fitting it in the Cosmo Sport (known as Mazda 110S overseas) in 1967. As the only automaker to mass-produce the rotary engine, Mazda continued efforts to improve power output, fuel economy and durability, and in 1991 took overall victory at 24 Hours of Le Mans with a rotary engine-powered race car. Over the years, the rotary engine has come to symbolize Mazda's creativity and tireless endeavor in the face of difficult challenges. While mass production is currently on hold, Mazda has never stopped research and development efforts towards the rotary engine.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata to make video-game debut next week in Forza Horizon 2 [w/video]

We've driven the all-new, fourth-generation Mazda MX5 Miata. Have you? Well, probably not. With the new roadster not set to hit dealerships until later this year (at the earliest), you might be stuck waiting a bit to climb behind the wheel of the highly regarded two-seater. Of course, if you happen to own Forza Horizon 2, your wait will be significantly shorter. And it'll be absolutely free to boot. The new convertible will make its video-game debut as part of a four-vehicle car pack for the open-world racing title. Downloads will start on March 17. Alongside the new MX-5, the Mazda car pack will also add representatives from each of the roadster's first three generations. Repping the NA will be the 1990 MX-5. The second-generation NB will be represented by the turbocharged 2005 Mazdaspeed MX-5, while the NC will arrive in the form of the Super 20 Concept, shown back at the 2010 SEMA Show. On top of the new vehicles, gamers will also have a chance to win a 2016 MX-5 as part of the new Mazda MX-5 Challenge. Running from March 17 to April 30, those interested in a free Mazda will need to lap its virtual counterpart around the Sisteron Perimeter Sprint Circuit, with the two fastest drivers slated to take part in a head-to-head race in June. The winner will walk away with their very own 2016 MX-5. Oh, and as a final juicy tidbit, the press release clearly states that the Miata weighs in at just 2,332 pounds – just a smidge more than the original NA. (That's with the manual transmission, of course – automatic cars are said to weigh 2,381 pounds.) You can get more specific details on the contest, as well as read more about the car pack, in the attached press release. Check out the release, as well as a preview vid of the MX-5 Car Pack. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. MICROSOFT AND MAZDA LET YOU DRIVE IT FIRST: ALL-NEW MAZDA MX-5 DEBUTS AS FREE DOWNLOAD FOR FORZA HORIZON 2 ON XBOX ONE IRVINE, Calif., March 12, 2015 -- Beginning March 17, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is giving Forza Horizon 2 players the exclusive opportunity to drive the all-new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata on Xbox One months before the physical car goes on sale to the public. Additionally, by taking advantage of the free download of the car, and driving it in the game, users will have the chance to win one by competing in the new Time Trial Rivals Contest.

2016 April Fools' Day: Morgan digs at Tesla, Mini's scissor doors, more

Every year automakers go out of their way to come up with gags for April Fools' Day. Sometimes the jokes fall flat, but occasionally a company really nails it with an idea that we'd actually love to see. Rather than scouring the Web for all of these stunts, you can find some of our favorites right here. Morgan MOGrod The Morgan Motor Company's MOGrod is one of our favorite April Fools' jokes so far this year because it's a car we wish could be real. The company says on Twitter that the retro hot rod uses a 3.7-liter Ford V6, and there are already 250,000 preorders, which is a play on the huge number of reservations for the Tesla Model 3. Morgan took the joke even further by sketching a landspeed record version for the Bonneville Salt Flats. Mini Scissor Doors The people at Mini apparently have a lot of free time because the company has two gags this year. The first is the scissor door option. The idea cleverly plays on the myriad ways customers can customize their Mini, but this solution doesn't look like anyone could easily enter the car due to the way these doors open. Mini Hipster Hatch There's also the Hipster Mini, which is a much funnier idea. This fictional hatchback would be perfect for fashionable Millennials thanks to features like Instagram-filter windows and a fixed-gear drivetrain, which limits the top speed to 25 miles per hour. The interior uses stonewash denim upholstery and packs a twin-deck cassette player. Skoda Dog Umbrella People love dogs, and owners know that a wet canine can be a mess. Skoda is ready to tackle this problem with an umbrella for your mutt. Made from unobtainium, the gadget hides in the door when not in use, but when raindrops start falling, people can keep their pup dry. Skoda Snowman Skoda's Facebook page also teases us with a very cool vehicle. The Snowman is a 396-horsepower plug-in hybrid snow machine. With its tracks, the company's newest model would never have to worry about getting stuck in the winter. Opel Adam C Sure, electricity and hydrogen are cleaner forms of fuel than gasoline or diesel, but Opel has a way to make your car even more environmentally friendly – muscle power. Wind up the crank at the rear for 15 minutes, and the Opel Adam C is good for 125 miles. GM's European division also claims that owners get a great workout because a full winding session burns 400 calories. You wouldn't feel guilty about picking up that pizza after cranking up this hatchback.