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Mazda CX-5 named Japan's Car of The Year, Subaru BR-Z wins "Special Award"

The Mazda CX-5 stamped its Kodo design and SkyActiv technology authority all over the Japan Car of the Year awards, taking the top prize ahead of the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT 86. It is Mazda's second victory in the last ten years, the 2005 MX-5 claiming the same trophy, and the fourth time the Hiroshima company has won.
The award is decided by 60 local "automotive experts and journalists," and open to any passenger car released in Japan from November 1, 2011 to October 31, 2012 that has sold more than 500 units. Each judge gets 25 votes, his or her top vote getting 10 points, the rest of the points being spread among the judge's choice for the next best four cars.
The second-place getters were the Toyobaru twins with 318 votes, the surprise being they didn't beat or get any closer to the crossover. The Subaru BRZ did claw some mojo back, earning the Special Award given to cars that have made "an exceptional impact." The BMW 3 Series was third overall and won the Import Car of the Year award with plenty of room between it and the second place Range Rover Evoque.

Mazda, Suzuki, Yamaha — more vehicle data fabrication found in Japan

TOKYO — Mazda, Suzuki and Yamaha improperly tested vehicles for fuel economy and emissions, the Japanese government said on Thursday, revealing fresh cases of compliance failures by manufacturers. The results came to light after the Japanese government had ordered the automakers to check their operations after revelations of improper testing at Subaru and Nissan last year. The conduct of automakers globally has come under intense scrutiny after Germany's Volkswagen AG admitted in 2015 to installing secret software in hundreds of thousands of U.S. diesel cars to cheat exhaust emissions tests, and that as many as 11 million vehicles could have similar software installed worldwide. In the Japanese cases, the carmakers have not broken any laws or prompted massive recalls. But a growing list of improprieties has tarnished the image of the country's manufacturing industry for high-quality products and efficiency. Suzuki, Mazda and Yamaha cleared vehicles for emissions or fuel efficiency even in cases where they were tested under invalid conditions, the ministry said in a statement. The errors related to slight deviations in the speed of the vehicles during testing that should have invalidated the test results. The automakers examined tests they had conducted over different periods of time, and in Suzuki's case they stretched back to 2012. None of the automakers found significant problems with actual emissions and fuel economy performance of the vehicles, which were destined for sale in Japan, and do not plan any recalls. Suzuki, Japan's fourth-largest automaker, said that of 12,819 sample vehicles tested for fuel economy and emissions since June 2012, around 50 percent of them had been inspected improperly. "I deeply apologize and will lead efforts to prevent recurrence," Suzuki Chief Executive Toshihiro Suzuki told a news conference. Mazda said there were irregularities in 4 percent of similar inspections on its cars, or just over 70 vehicles. In Yamaha's case, irregularities were found in 2 percent of inspections, or just a handful of vehicles. Both Mazda and Yamaha apologized. Suzuki and Yamaha shares fell 6 and 5 percent, respectively, and Mazda shares were down 1 percent, underperforming a steady benchmark Nikkei average. In July this year, Nissan admitted it had improperly measured exhaust emissions and fuel economy for 19 vehicle models sold in Japan.

Mazda Miata livery design contest in Forza Horizon 2

If you're into video games, creativity, the Mazda MX-5 Miata and South by Southwest, then there's a contest in Forza Horizon 2 you'll want to know about. Called the Livery Design Contest, your job is to head to Xbox Live sometime before midnight on January 4, 2015 and design a paint job for the 1994 Miata in the game. A panel of judges will evaluate designs for originality, aesthetic design and technical proficiency, and settle on up to five semifinalists who will regroup in the next round, which is public voting. Come January 26, the public can begin voting on its favorite design until February 12, to narrow the semifinal pool down to two. Those two will be flown to South by Southwest in Austin, TX – which happens from March 13-22 – and one of them will be crowned the winner. Said winner will lumber away from the event with $3,500 worth of prizes, including a 55-inch curved-screen television, and their livery will be free to all of the minions playing Forza Horizon 2. There's also a Mazda hub on Xbox Live for everyone to take an in-depth look at the 2016 Miata, if you just like to watch, in which case you may also want to see the related videos joining the press release below. MAZDA TEAMS UP WITH XBOX TO LAUNCH 2016 MX-5 - Mazda MX-5 Livery Design Contest Now Live in Forza Horizon 2 - - Branded hub allows Xbox users to virtually tour 2016 MX-5 and enter MX-5 design contest - Winning design to be featured in Forza Horizon 2 and gifted to all players IRVINE, Calif. (December 4, 2014) – For the second consecutive year, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is teaming up with Xbox, this time to promote the launch of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 and give Forza Horizon 2 players the chance to enter the Mazda MX-5 Livery Design Contest. An interactive experience with the 2016 Mazda MX-5 and information on the design contest will be available through the Mazda branded hub on Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The Mazda MX-5 Livery Design Contest, which is now live through January 4, 2015, will give Forza Horizon 2 players the opportunity to design the livery for the 1994 Mazda MX-5 currently available in-game. Two finalists will be awarded a trip in March to South by Southwest 2015 for the final design showdown. The winner will walk away with a new 55-inch curved TV, audio music system, Xbox One Kinect console and one MadCatz Racing Wheel estimated at $3,499.95.