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Takata airbag recall spreads to China with 42k Mazda sedans

The scope of the problem with the faulty airbag inflators from Takata continues to broaden and is now reaching China, as well. Mazda is recalling 42,732 Mazda6 units there, produced by its local joint venture partner China FAW Car Company, to replace the front passenger airbags. It comes as part of Mazda's recall of nearly 160,000 vehicles worldwide, including about 34,600 in the US, according to Reuters.
This is the same problem that caused seven automakers in the US to recall an estimated 2.1 million vehicles in late June. The airbag inflators can potentially explode instead of deploying the airbag, which hampers the bag's inflation. In some cases occupants are also hit by the metal shrapnel, which can cause further injuries. In the US, Mazda is repairing the 2003-2007 Mazda6 (pictured above), 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6, 2004 MPV and 2004-2008 RX-8 originally sold in or currently registered in Florida, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.
This is hardly the first instance of this issue. Since 2001, there have been 20 recalls tied to the exploding airbags supplied by Takata. The problem is possibly linked to the propellant in the inflators, but there's no conclusive evidence of that yet. Most of the automakers in the US limited the most recent recalls only to a few humid states because moisture potentially exacerbated the problem.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata shows off perfect 50/50 weight balance

When I attended the first drive event for the Japanese-spec 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata in Spain earlier this year, I was blown away – and not just by the car. I was blown away by the charts and graphs Mazda's engineers brought along, showing how every little facet of the ND Miata was finely tuned for pure driving perfection. It's like rocket science. Only cooler. One of the most important parts of the Miata package is its weight distribution. The 2,332-pound roadster must achieve a perfect 50/50 balance, with a driver inside. That's not easy. But it has to be done. Only the best for the Miata. In this video, Mazda shows off the Miata's balance by putting it on an aluminum balance beam, to see if the car stays perfectly centered. You can probably guess the outcome, but watching it all take place is super cool, especially with commentary by Mazda engineer Dave Coleman and MX-5 program manager Rod McLaughlin. How does the 50/50 balance help the Miata's handling out on the road? You'll have to wait until the embargo on driving impressions for the US-spec car lifts. We'll have the full scoop at 3:01 AM Eastern on Monday, June 1. In the meantime, get a sneak preview of the new Miata in the video below. Autoblog readers got a closer look at the 2016 MX-5 at our Cars & Coneys meet-up, and as you can see, the excitement for this car is definitely real.

Mazda 787B and Vision Gran Turismo tower over Goodwood in 131-foot sculpture

Mazda is being honored at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed by getting the space to create the event's annual sculpture outside Goodwood House. Given this year's theme of "Flat-out and fearless: racing on the edge," the Japanese automaker is showing off two of its racers at the very top of an intertwined spire that rises over 131 feet above the motoring event. The statue's design is the work of artist Gerry Judah, and it's made from over 132 tons of steel, including 418 beams, towering over the event. A Mazda 787B, the only Japanese car to ever score an overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the company's LM55 Vision Gran Turismo concept are featured at the very top. Spectators can certainly get a good view of the racers, too, because the sculpture twists to actually hang the cars above visitors. "Gerry has faithfully expressed our brand in a striking and beautiful structure that is clearly Kodo. There is a lightness and strength to the sculpture, yet it gives the cars movement and energy," said Ikuo Maeda, the General Manager of the Design Division at Mazda, in the announcement about the statue. Each year, Goodwood selects an automaker to create an artistic piece with the brand's vehicles outside of the estate's manor. Mazda shares some very prestigious company in being picked, too. Often rising high into the sky, in the past we've seen outstanding work from Audi, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, and Porsche. Goodwood celebrates Mazda's motorsport heritage Mazda is the subject of the central feature at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed Immense sculpture features Le Mans-winning Mazda 787B and LM55 virtual racer Goodwood / Leverkusen, 25 June 2015. Mazda's racing heritage is the centre of attention at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. The central feature of the annual motoring event is a spectacular 40-metre high sculpture in front of Goodwood House featuring two Mazda racers bursting into the sky on a twisting track of steel beams. Inspired by Mazda's KODO – Soul of Motion design, the creation of artist Gerry Judah conveys a grace and agility that disguises the complexity of the installation, which is made from 120 tonnes of steel. Each of the 418 steel beams is stacked at a different angle, curling the structure so that the cars at the top actually hang over the spectators below.