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Mazda Furai concept designer talks about his car's passing

Last week, there was mourning at the Autoblog offices as word trickled in that the Mazda Furai concept - one of the coolest, best-looking showcars to grace an auto show stage since the wild and crazy 1960s -had been killed. It was killed on the track with the folks from Top Gear in attendance. We're sure the gods of driving would have wanted it to die on a circuit, but that doesn't make its fiery passing any easier to deal with.
The Furai is the rare concept car that had a lasting appeal with enthusiasts, partly because it was a real, functioning racecar, complete with a wacky three-rotor Wankel engine and cutting-edge Nagare design. Now that it's gone, though, Road & Track's Mallory McMorrow, who was an intern at Mazda Design when the Furai was being styled in 2007, has published an interview with one of the men who penned the Mazda showcar's striking exterior, Carlos Salaff. It's a great piece on the emotional connection between a designer and his creation, and one you should take the time to read. Click on over to R&T for the full story.

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.

Fiat 124 Coupe could join Spider line next year

While Mazda's content to tease coupe lovers with the last-gen MX-5 Power Retractable Hardtop and the upcoming RF, the company is loath to offer a version of its lovable roadster with a permanent hardtop. But Fiat isn't so fickle. According to Autocar, the Italian brand could unveil a proper hardtop Fiata as early as next year. Likely called the 124 Coupe – duh – Autocar reports the addition of a fixed roof will spice up the current Spider. But what kind of spice is more difficult to predict. AC reports that FCA could stay the course, offering the new hardtop with the same powertrain lineup as the Spider – 138 horsepower in the UK and 160 hp (164 hp in Abarth trim) in the US – or drive the 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder higher. As for how the car will look, Autocar points to the handsome 124 Abarth Rally Concept from the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. Don't expect integrated rally lights or a standard yellow-on-red paint scheme, but the new model will likely borrow that concept's roofline – more notchback than the MX-5 RF's fastback-like look. That'd fit with the 124 Coupe's ancestors, which wore a traditional notchback roofline. Fiat offered a 124 hardtop between 1967 and 1975, giving a new hardtop Fiata much more historical precedence than a comparable MX-5. AC reports the new 124 Coupe will likely carry a 10-percent premium across the pond, with a similar increase in the US. But predicting the impact of that price hike is a little bit trickier than multiplying the 124 Spider's price by 1.1, since we don't know what trims the Coupe will come in. The Abarth is likely a shoe-in, starting around $31,000. If, and it's a big if, Fiat sells a 124 Coupe Classica, expect a $27,500 starting price, while a hardtop Lusso would be a smidge over $30,000. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.