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Surprise! 2017 Mazda MX-5 RFs are already being delivered

Last month, when Mazda opened up ordering for Launch Editions of the MX-5 RF, the company estimated that cars would arrive in February. Well, today Mazda announced that some changes in production scheduling meant that MX-5 RFs are ready sooner than expected. In fact, Mazda already delivered an RF to a customer. The company delivered the first MX-5 RF Launch Edition in America last week to Dave Putter. He got the keys from Masahiro Moro, president and CEO of Mazda North America Operations, at the LA auto show last week. More RFs are coming, too. Mazda says that about 500 more will arrive across the country in December. Mazda also said that availability will expand throughout the winter and spring months. So, for people who've ordered a Launch Edition, it looks like you may get an early holiday gift. And for those waiting to check out normal ones in dealers, you won't have to wait much longer. Related Video:

Next-gen Mazda MX-5 could use carbon fiber to cut weight

The current Mazda MX-5 Miata has only been out for a few years, but the automaker is allegedly looking for ways to lighten the next one. According to a report from Autocar, Mazda is looking to carbon fiber to help the next-generation MX-5 cut weight and use a smaller engine. Despite having more safety features, modern amenities, and a stiffer body, the current MX-5 is the same size as the original sports car from 1990 and weighs less than its immediate predecessor. In a recent interview with Autocar, Nobuhiro Yamamoto, head of the Miata program, revealed that the next generation of the Miata will probably stay the same size, but could be even lighter thanks to the utilization of carbon fiber. The current MX-5 uses high-strength steel and aluminum, and Mazda doesn't use carbon fiber in any of its cars. Carbon fiber is expensive to incorporate into road-going vehicles, and so Yamamoto notes that Mazda has been hard at work making it more affordable. A lighter car could result in a smaller engine, Yamamoto said. In the US, the MX-5 comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 155 horsepower, while the Japanese and European version comes with a 1.5-liter, 130-hp engine. A smaller engine would make the sports car even lighter. It's unknown at this time if the automaker is collaborating with another automaker or a supplier to make produce carbon fiber, or if it'll make it in-house. There's no word on how much carbon fiber the next MX-5 will wear or how it will affect the sports car's price. Autocar reports that the next MX-5 won't arrive anytime before 2021, which could make the ND MX-5's lifespan an unusually short five years long. With cars getting heavier, it's nice to hear that Mazda is working on finding a way to make its lightweight sports car even lighter. Related Video: News Source: AutocarImage Credit: Mazda Mazda Convertible Coupe Lightweight Vehicles

2016 Mazda CX-9 First Drive

Automotive enthusiasts tend to obsess over spec sheets. How else could we know which cars and trucks are the quickest in a straight line, hold the road with the greatest tenacity, or tow the biggest trailers? More succinctly, what ammunition would we have in the seemingly endless back-and-forth of Internet forums if it weren't for specifications? Mazda's engineers think they've found a better way. The 2016 CX-9 has less horsepower than its primary competitors. The only engine available is a turbocharged four-cylinder, hooked to a six-speed automatic. Drivers won't miss the 23 horsepower (or more, as we'll soon explain) lost in the changeover from 2015 to 2016, because Mazda applied its holistic Skyactiv approach to the largest vehicle it offers. That means less weight and, ultimately, more fun. Or so they say. Are they right? Yes. And no. Most of the time, in normal on-road driving conditions, the 2016 CX-9 is the most fun you can have with three rows. But the real-world tradeoff didn't go off completely without a hitch. Reasoning that real-world performance is more important than ultimate horsepower, Mazda specified a four-cylinder for its big, three-row SUV instead of a more traditional V6. Let's get those all-important specifications out of the way: All 2016 Mazda CX-9s are fitted with a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 250 horsepower and, impressively, 310 pound-feet of torque at just 2,000 rpm. Unless you decide to use 87 octane, in which case you'll be limited to 227 horsepower. Mazda doesn't think owners will actually notice the difference in power levels, so there's no Premium Fuel Recommended sticker on the back of the fuel door. Mazda utilized some clever turbo trickery to deliver a diesel-like torque curve from its gasoline-fueled engine, which makes the small-displacement powerplant feel lively at low engine speeds. The flipside is that the CX-9 runs out of breath as the needle swings across the upper reaches of the tach. While that simply wouldn't do for a sportscar like the MX-5, in the CX-9 it's not necessarily a deal breaker. One benefit to the downsized engine is that it doesn't guzzle fuel. The EPA rates the CX-9 at 22 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway. Drop one mpg all around for the all-wheel-drive model. Those figures beat out all the CX-9's most natural competitors, including the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. The turbo-four Ford Explorer matches the 28-mpg highway figure, but loses by three in the city.