2014 Mazda Mazda3 I Sport on 2040-cars

Auto blog

So, just how different are the Fiat 124 Spider and Mazda MX-5 Miata?

"We leveraged a great platform." That's how Bob Broderdorf, Jr., Fiat's North American director, summarizes the creation of the 124 Spider. We all know Fiat's new roadster shares its underpinnings with the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata, but there are a lot of key differences to keep them separate in the eyes of consumers. Mazda may have engineered the platform, but Fiat added many of its own touches. Here, we'll take a closer look at the spec sheets of the two cars, and summarize the major differences between the Japanese and Italian roadsters. If you need a refresher, read our full First Drive of the 2016 MX-5 Miata, and glance at all the Fiat 124 Spider details in this post. Design Fiat Chrysler design lead Ralph Gilles is super excited about this car. "I think it's going to change lives," he told the assembled media at an event in Auburn Hills, MI, earlier this month. Yes, it's definitely exciting to add a small roadster to any lineup, especially one that uses such a proven platform. But we're not sure people are going to get all that jazzed about it from a design standpoint. You'll either love it or hate it, and we're kind of leaning toward the latter. Every single body panel is new, and the design is "100 percent Italian." There are a number of creases and angles throughout the exterior, with a squared-off rear end and rectangular taillamps. Fiat trusts you'll be able to spot the similarities between the new 124 Spider and the original, but we're not so sure. We can see a bit of the old car's grille on the new car's face, and the dual hood blisters are a nice throwback touch, but that's about it. Trust us when we say that this car looks way better in photos. In person, it really didn't wow us. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One colleague told us his wife, a long-time Miata owner, hates the look of the new one but will absolutely adore the Fiat. Good for her, and good for Fiat. But based on design alone, we'll take the Mazda every single time. What about you? Dimensions When Broderdorf said Fiat leveraged the Miata's platform, that means the Italians took it as-is. The two cars ride on an identical, 90.9-inch wheelbase. The front and rear tracks lengths are the same, at 58.9 and 59.1 inches, respectively. But that's where the similarities end.

2014 Mazda6 recalled due to fuel overfill fire risk

Mazda is recalling 19,000 Mazda6 sedans from model year 2014, over concerns that the fuel tanks can be filled up too much. What is it with Mazda and fuel tanks?
The big concern is, obviously, spillage when filling up. There's also a risk that a radical temperature swing could cause the fuel volume to expand, causing a full tank to spill over without the driver knowing about it. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration bulletin, if the fuel spills over, it could end up in something called the charcoal canister, which helps with the car's emissions. If it fills up the canister, it could leak out onto the road. None of this is really desirable.
The affected vehicles were all built between October 25, 2012 and May 9, 2013. It's unclear if there have been any fires due to this problem. Dealers should have been notified by now, while owners should begin receiving official recall notifications very soon.

Dealers think Mazda's new Mexico plant will increase Mazda3 sales by 20%

Mazda3 sales in the US were down about 15 percent last year to a total of 104,713 units. According to a report from Automotive News, though, the slowdown in sales has been due more to production constraints than demand.
Good news for Mazda dealers, then, that a new plant in Salamanca, Mexico has just come online. Tom Carey, chairman of Mazda's national dealer council, told AN, "We're going to be in good shape because of that Mexico inventory." If estimates prove accurate, sales of the Mazda3 will increase by about 20 percent when the new plant begins production this month.
If those lofty projections come to pass, Mazda will reportedly be on track to exceed 300,000 total sales in the US in 2014, which would represent the brand's highest figures since its 375,000-unit peak in 1994. The brand hopes to sell more than 400,000 vehicles in the US by 2016, and with well-received products like the latest 3 and Mazda6 sedan, such expectations seem quite possible.