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MotorWeek proves '90s were awesome with Supra, Stealth, RX-7, Corvette, 968, 300ZX comparo

Oh, the heady days of 1993, back when the Clinton Presidency was just getting underway, and it seemed like every hot new rock band was coming out of Seattle. Sports cars in the US had finally shaken off the shackles that slowed them during the '70s and '80s, and you could buy any number of legitimately quick vehicles again. MotorWeek recently went digging into its archives to find this six-model test from 1993 showing off some of the best semi-affordable performance coupes that money could buy at the time, and it's priceless.
Featuring the 1994 model year Toyota Supra in twin-turbo guise and MY 1993 versions of the Porsche 968, Nissan 300ZX TT, Mazda RX-7, Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo and Chevrolet Corvette LT-1, MotorWeek definitely covered all of the bases. One thing that might surprise younger readers is these cars' performance. The video only provides 0-60 acceleration times, but several of these vehicles would still be considered pretty potent today - over 20 years since going on sale. The Supra is especially impressive, hitting 60 miles per hour in just 5 seconds. Even today, that's nothing to sneeze at.
Given their performance potential and still-attractive looks, it's amazing that some of these coupes are old enough to drink now. The progress of interior design and safety equipment in the intervening years is pretty shocking, though. In most of these models, having two airbags is touted as a big deal. Scroll down to watch a Throwback Thursday blast from the past about some of the '90s best sports cars.

2020 Mazda CX-9 gets more torque and second-row captain's chairs

The 2020 Mazda CX-9 is here, and it’s even more enticing than the 2019 model year SUV. ItÂ’s not a full redesign, but Mazda shook up the features list to make it more competitive with other three-row crossovers. Most notable (arguably) of all changes comes from a small increase in torque — the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gets bumped from 310 pound-feet of torque to 320 pound-feet. Horsepower remains the same at 250 horses. Those figures are only applicable when using 93 octane fuel. They go down to 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque when on 87. Another new feature is an off-road traction assist button, replacing the traction control button. This new feature is meant to help when navigating rougher terrain. HereÂ’s how Mazda describes its function: “When the diagonal wheels lose traction, off-road traction assist will stop reducing the engine torque and increases the brake force on the wheels without traction. This transfers power to the wheels still on the ground to help allow the vehicle to regain traction and continue the drive.” WeÂ’ll be interested to see how this helps the CX-9 on a snowy Michigan winter day soon. The number of standard features on the base Sport trim is up, too. Now all CX-9s get heated front seats, a power driverÂ’s seat, rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated outside mirrors and auto high-beams. Additionally, Mazda made its full suite of i-Activsense safety features standard. This includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and other driver assistance niceties. Mazda is also adopting the new key fob design of the Mazda3 for the CX-9. Optional on the Touring and Grand Touring are second-row captainÂ’s chairs. Previously, Mazda only offered bench style seating for the CX-9, so this addition could be a huge turn-on for some folks in this segment. The chairs have armrests, and the lack of a center pull-down means Mazda had to redesign its cupholder layout in back. In CX-9s equipped with the chairs, the cup holders and USB ports are now integrated into the backside of the front center console. If you opt for the captainÂ’s chairs in the Grand Touring or Signature trims, the seats are heated.  Pricing does increase a fair amount for the 2020 CX-9. A base front-wheel drive Sport is now priced at $34,835 including destination, a $1,510 increase from last yearÂ’s base price. The top of the range only got $750 more expensive, though, as the Signature starts at $47,160.

Toyota, Mazda partner to build EVs at new $1.6 billion U.S. plant

TOKYO — Toyota and Mazda plan to build a $1.6 billion U.S. assembly plant, the two said on Friday, as part of an alliance that will also see the Japanese automakers jointly develop electric vehicle technologies. The two will take small stakes in each other as part of the tie-up: Toyota, the world's second-largest automaker by vehicle sales last year, will take a 5 percent share of Mazda, extending its dominance in Japan's auto sector. Mazda will take a 0.25 percent share of its larger rival. The plant, something of a surprise at a time of overcapacity in the U.S. market, will be a boost to U.S. President Donald Trump, who campaigned on promises to increase manufacturing and expand employment for American autoworkers. The plant will be capable of producing 300,000 vehicles a year, with production divided between the two automakers, and employ about 4,000 people. It will start operating in 2021. The electric vehicles cooperation, meanwhile, comes as the tightening of global emissions regulations prompts more automakers to develop battery powered cars, as the industry struggles with hefty research costs and intense competition from technology companies over technology like self-driving cars. As part of the agreement, Toyota and Mazda will also work together to develop in-car information technologies and automated driving functions. Toyota, Japan's biggest auto company, has been forging alliances with smaller Japanese rivals for several years, effectively engineering a loose consolidation of the Japanese auto sector. It already owns a 16.5 percent stake in Subaru, Japan's No. 6 automaker, with which it also has a development partnership. Toyota is also courting compact car maker Suzuki to cooperate on R&D and parts supply as Toyota seeks to tap its smaller rival's expertise in emerging Asian markets. A stake in Mazda may also prevent future incursions by tech companies, one analyst said. "For a technology company which lacks the expertise in making cars, Mazda could look like a very interesting acquisition. They're very good, they're not too expensive. Maybe Toyota realizes this," CLSA managing director Chris Richter said. "By buying a 5 percent stake, Toyota takes Mazda off the table rather than having it sit out there like a free agent which could someday be used against them." COROLLA PRODUCTION SHIFT Mazda stands to gain from a deal that gives the small automaker a production foothold in the United States.