2008 Mazda Mx-5 Miata on 2040-cars

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Evo pits Toyota GT86 vs. Mazda MX-5 Miata

The latest Deadly Rivals episode from Evo gets the Mazda MX-5 Miata and Toyota GT86 (our Scion FR-S) on track for a shakedown and a whole lot of drifting with Dan Prosser behind the wheel. The UK-spec coupes have slightly different power ratings than ours, but it's all close enough to be comparable. Their Miata has 158 horsepower (ours has 155), 148 pound-feet of torque, takes 7.3 seconds to run from naught to 60 62, and costs 22,695 pounds. The GT86, on the other hand, lists a 7.6-second dash to 60 62, and a base price of 25,000 pounds. The GT86 also weighs 400 pounds more than the Mazda. That's true in the States, too – curb weight for our MX-5 is 2,332 pounds, whereas the Scion FR-S comes in at 2,758 pounds. Both cars lauded for excellent shifting, but one of them has a better front end, a sweeter engine note, more controllable cornering behavior, and is faster by a tenth of a second around the test track. And Prosser doesn't mention it, but one has a lot more body roll. But it takes more than all that to make a winner, so check out the video above to see which is which. News Source: Evo via YouTube Mazda Scion Toyota Convertible Coupe Performance Videos toyota gt86 evo

Mazda RT24-P brings KODO style to the Rolex 24 at Daytona

In addition to its new CX-5 crossover, Mazda revealed its new racecar, the RT24-P, at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The car has been designed for the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class in IMSA's WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and will make its racing debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. It was designed using Mazda's KODO design language, which the brand has so successfully applied to its road-going cars. The racer's relation to Mazda's production cars is made obvious by the small five-point grille at the tip of the RT24-P's nose. While plenty of credit needs to go to the stylists and aerodynamicists at Mazda and Multimatic, one of the companies Mazda partnered with on the car, some of the credit needs to go to IMSA's new DPi rules for 2017. The new DPi class is very similar to the LMP2 class that it competes with in the WeatherTech series, with some noteworthy differences. The DPi class allows manufacturers to create unique bodies and engine packages for one of the four chassis available. The LMP2 class requires competitors to use the chassis companies' bodies, and are restricted to one engine package. View 14 Photos As for the powertrain, the Mazda RT24-P uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that puts out roughly 600 horsepower. Mazda used the same engine in its P2-class race car last season. Mazda's body and engine will ride atop a chassis developed by Riley Technologies and Multimatic. You may remember that latter company as the one that developed the awesome spool valve shocks on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. The RT24-P will be campaigned by Speedsource, a company that has been racing Mazdas in American endurance racing for years, including last year's P2 cars. Considering Mazda's success in making such a cool race car, we're excited to see what other manufacturers do with the extra design freedom of the DPi class. Both Chevrolet and Ford competed last year in the WeatherTech prototype class with Daytona Prototype-style cars, and Honda competed with an LMP-style racer. Depending on what other makes decide, this year's WeatherTech line-up could have some nifty designs. Related Video: Related Gallery 2017 Mazda RT24-P race car View 9 Photos News Source: Mazda, IMSAImage Credit: Live photos copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Motorsports LA Auto Show Mazda Racing Vehicles Videos Original Video 2016 LA Auto Show

Mazda3 officially unveiled

Mazda has officially pulled the sheets off of its 2014 Mazda3. The all-new compact boasts a wheelbase that's a full 2.4 inches longer than the outgoing model, yet the hatchback is a nearly two inches shorter from stem to stern. The machine is also lower and wider than before, which should give occupants plenty of space indoors. The driver gets treated to a new human-machine interface that features a new Active Driving Display for information like vehicle speed and navigation instructions conveniently in the line of sight. Likewise, the vehicle's infotainment system has received a complete rebuild.
Outside, the new Mazda3 makes full use of the company's KODO design language, and to our eyes, the result is one of the most attractive entries in the segment. Jump under the hood, and buyers can expect to find a Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter gasoline engine with 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque, though no fuel economy estimates are available. For those looking for a bit more thrust, Mazda also offers a 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G gasoline mill with 184 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. So far there's no word on the diesel engine available to our friends in Europe.
Both engines can be mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic and feature the automaker's i-ELOOP brake energy regeneration systems. The recaptured energy is stored in a capacitor and used to power the vehicle's various electrical systems.