2016 Mazda Mx-5 Miata on 2040-cars

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Will the Mazda2 be offered as a PHEV with a rotary engine range extender?

Every few months, it seems a rumor crops up about plans from Mazda to revive the rotary engine. Last November, its CEO said the only way another one could happen is if the project was profitable, and then a month later the automaker showed off the Mazda2 RE Range Extender with a 330cc Wankel engine mounted in the rear. Now, Australian auto site Motoring reports that the PHEV may actually make production in the next-gen Mazda2 sometime after it's initial launch.
Martin Benders, managing director of Mazda in Australia, spoke to Motoring about the company's future with hybrids and basically reiterated what the CEO said last year. The Japanese automaker only plans to offer electrified powertrains in places where they can sell in sufficient numbers to be profitable, like Japan.
Mazda has been playing with the rotary range-extender idea for years. In the RE prototype, the engine was exclusively used to charge the lithium-ion batteries when they were running low, and a 100-horsepower electric motor provided all of the propulsion. It gave the little hatch an estimated range of about 250 miles. The company reportedly took inspiration from its Skyactiv engines to make the Wankel have lower friction and a lighter weight.

Mazda starts production of new MX-5 Miata in Japan

We often regard a new model as having arrived when its manufacturer reveals it for the first time. But you might argue that nothing is official until actual production gets underway. And that's just what's happened now with the new Mazda MX-5. The fourth-generation Miata was unveiled a few months ago, and now the first examples have begun to roll off the assembly line at Mazda's Ujina plant in Hiroshima. The first ones are set to stay in Japan, where the new roadster is being introduced initially. Deliveries are set to launch in June. After that, we can expect the new MX-5 to proliferate to markets around the world, including our own. To date Mazda has sold more than 950,000 of its little roadsters, making it the best-selling two-seat sports car in the world. It shouldn't be long, then, before the new model tips it past the million-unit mark. 2015/03/05 Mazda Starts Production of All-new Mazda MX-5 HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation today began production of the all-new Mazda MX-5 two-seater lightweight sports car (known as Mazda Roadster in Japan) at Ujina Plant No.1 in Hiroshima. The first models produced are destined for the Japanese market. Sales of the all-new MX-5 will begin in Japan around June this year and interested buyers can make an appointment for pre-sale discussions through a dedicated website from noon on Friday, March 20. Following sales start in Japan, the MX-5 will be progressively rolled out to overseas markets. The MX-5 is an iconic model representing Mazda's vehicle engineering philosophy: the pursuit of driving pleasure. With production exceeding 950,000 units as of the end of January 2015, the MX-5 continues to hold the Guinness World Record for the world's best-selling two-seater sports car. In order to respond to ever increasing demands for safety features and environmental performance while maintaining the element of fun that has always defined the model, development of the fourth generation MX-5 was carried out under the motto "innovate in order to preserve". In addition to incorporating SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY and KODO-Soul of Motion design, development focused on enhancing the senses and sensations through which people enjoy cars. Moving forward, Mazda will continue to enrich the lives of its customers through a variety of touch points including the production of high-quality vehicles, and become a brand that maintains a special bond with its customers. Related Video:

2014 Mazda3 officially rated at 30/41 mpg, priced from $16,945*

It's hard not to be smitten with the 2014 Mazda3; after all, just look at it. But beyond its slick lines, we found the new compact hatch to be a pretty remarkable steer, offering up good levels of comfort and refinement, not to mention functionality and engagement. Now, there's more reason to like the 2014 Mazda3, as we've just learned that the car will officially be rated at 30 miles per gallon city and 41 mpg highway.
That 30/41 rating is for the Mazda3 sedan fitted with the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G inline four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. Opting for the manual transmission retains the 41-mpg highway number, but drops the city digits to 29. Hatchback models with the 2.0-liter engine achieve 29/40 mpg with the manual 'box and 30/40 with the automatic.
Mazda also offers a larger 2.5-liter inline-four in the 3, and while a six-speed automatic will be the only transmission available with this engine at launch, the automaker has confirmed that a manual is coming shortly. With the 6AT and 2.5, the Mazda3 sedan is rated at 28/39 mpg, or 29/40 with the company's i-Eloop regenerative braking system. Hatchback models shrink those numbers to 28/37 and 29/39 mpg, with and without i-Eloop, respectively.