2002 Mazda Protege5 Base Hatchback 4-door 2.0l, 5 Speed on 2040-cars

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Mazda planning 'aggressive' dealer shakeup

Mazda has set an ambitious goal of selling 400,000 units by the end of the 2015 Japanese fiscal year in March 2016, and to do that, it's going to need to take some aggressive action. That means that underperforming members of its 637-showroom strong dealer network are about to get the axe.
The purge won't just be limited to dealers that aren't performing, though. Mazda will seek to consolidate poorly located dealers and build new showrooms in better locations. It still isn't clear how many dealers are being targeted or at what point Mazda would end its cull.
This consolidation of dealers is all part of a one-two punch for the Japanese brand, that will also see increased marketing efforts in 35 key areas. Of those markets, Mazda is placing a special emphasis on New York and LA, although there's not much mention of what other regions are being looked at.

Recharge Wrap-up: Renault-Nissan hits 250,000 EVs, will the next Toyota Prius be an SUV?

Will the next Toyota Prius be an SUV? Mazda and Toyota recently reached an agreement to share powertrain technologies, which will help Mazda comply with California's tightening ZEV restrictions with a plug-in vehicle. On the flip side, Toyota will have access Mazda's Skyactiv diesel powertrain, which a source tells Motoring will be used in an SUV based on the Toyota Prius (and, as Hybrid Cars suggests, on the Toyota C-HR concept). Interestingly, the collaboration will also give Mazda access to Toyota's fuel cell technology, which could mean more hydrogen powered cars on the road and the subsequent expansion of hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Could it also make way for a long-awaited hydrogen powered rotary-engine sports car from Mazda? Read more at Motoring. Samsung SDI unveiled two new lithium-ion stationary batteries at Intersolar Europe. In doing so, Samsung throws its hat in the ring with the likes of automakers Tesla and Mercedes-Benz, using knowledge from electric vehicle batteries in the arena of home solar energy storage. In addition to its 3.6-kWh battery, its new 5.5-kWh and 8.0-kWh batteries offer storage solutions at a larger, more practical scale for solar customers. Called the All-in-One, the battery system, borrowed from electric vehicles, is made up of a photovoltaic inverter, battery PCS and lithium-ion battery, and promises efficiency, compactness, fast installation and an affordable price. Read more from Samsung SDI. The Renault-Nissan Alliance has sold its 250,000th electric vehicle. The quarter-millionth EV was a white Renault Zoe sold to a French computer engineer from Bordeaux named Yves Nivelle. While he credits a government program offering a ˆ10,000 rebate for EV buyers trading in an older diesel vehicle for helping him make the decision to pull the trigger on the new Zoe, "I have to say, I was convinced the first time I drove the car. It's a real pleasure to drive and it feels good to do my part for the environment," says Nivelle. The Alliance had sold around 31,600 EVs from January to May this year, up 15 percent from the first five months of 2014. See the video above, and read more in the press release below. Renault-Nissan Alliance sells its 250,000th electric vehicle • Historic EV milestone reached in early June • Alliance sells half of all EVs globally • EV sales up nearly 15 percent through May vs.

Mazda CX-5 facelift leaks online

It's only been a couple of years since Mazda introduced its CX-5 crossover, so it's hardly in need of replacement just yet. But to keep it fresh, the Japanese automaker is apparently preparing to roll out a facelift for the compact crossover.
The facelifted model is expected to debut at the LA Auto Show later this month, but before it does, a handful of images - apparently scanned from a brochure - have leaked out online. From what we can see, it looks like the revised CX-5 features a new grille with horizontal bars, LED headlamps derived from those on the new Mazda2, new fog light surrounds, new taillight graphics and, of course, new wheels.
Unfortunately we can't see what's going on inside, but it'd be safe to bet that, along with the revised exterior detailing, Mazda's probably taken the opportunity to update the interior as well.