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Mazda doubles down with a pair of Threes

Looking to appeal to the compact tuner crowd, Mazda brought two different flavors of its 2014 Mazda3 to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas this week. The Club Sport 3 Concept hatchback (above) has more of a racing vibe to it, while the Vector 3 Concept sedan (right) looks to inject a little extra fashion into the all-new Mazda3.
Hotting up the 3, Mazda stuck with the stock 2.5-liter engine on the Club Sport 3 Concept but added a limited-slip differential and six-speed manual gearbox, the latter of which was lifted from the CX-5 crossover. Other upgrades include coil-over shocks, a performance exhaust, Brembo brakes and an aero body kit - the latter of which will be offered to buyers at a later date.
While the Vector 3 Concept does get some performance bits like two-piece Brembo brake rotors and grippier tires, the focus on this sedan is all about styling. Starting with a custom paint job and ghost stripes, the whole look is tied together with 19-inch, V-spoke Rays wheels.

2016 Mazda6 and CX-5 see gentle price hike

Mazda has modestly updated the Mazda6 and CX-5 for the 2016 model year, and the company just announced revised pricing for the pair. The vehicles cost a little more now, but buyers also get additional features and an improved look. When it comes to the 2016 Mazda6, the already attractive sedan wears a revised look up front with more chrome and a redesigned cabin with a new instrument layout and seven-inch infotainment system on most models. Mechanically, things carry over with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 184 horsepower and 185 pound-feet and either a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox depending on trim. The base Sport trim with a six-speed manual gearbox costs $305 more than it did in 2015, and starts at $21,495*, plus an $820 destination charge on all models. Upgrading to the automatic gearbox at $22,995 also adds the revised infotainment system and reverse camera. Prices top out at $30,195 for the Grand Touring, which is $300 more than last year. All of the other versions see a $100 year-over-year increase. LED headlights are standard on the Grand Touring, but they can be added to the Touring through the Touring Technology package for $1,675. The 2016 CX-5 sees light exterior upgrades and similar interior improvements as the Mazda6, including the improved infotainment system for some trims. Pricing rings up for $250 more than last year, except the all-wheel drive Sport trim at just an extra $50. The cheapest CX-5 is the front-wheel Sport with a manual gearbox and 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 155 hp and 150 lb-ft, and it costs $21,795. All other models combine a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 184 hp and 185 lb-ft with a six-speed automatic. Prices go all the way up to $29,470 for a CX-5 Grand Touring with all-wheel drive. There's a new i-Activesense package for the Grand Touring for $1,500, as well, that adds safety sensors and radar cruise control, but it can only be combined with the Grand Touring Technology Package for $1,505 with navigation and LED headlights. 2016 Mazda6 Pricing Announced IRVINE, Calif. (February 9, 2015) – Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced pricing for its refreshed 2016 Mazda6 midsize sedan lineup. The 2016 Mazda6 is available in three trim levels – Sport, Touring and Grand Touring – and is equipped with the SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter gasoline engine. There are a number of enhancements for 2016 including bold changes to the shape of the instrument panel and floor console giving the interior a fresh new look.

United States drivers buying fewer Mexican-made cars

Crossovers and pickup trucks are not only growing in market share, they're also more profitable than cars. A crossover on the same platform as a sedan retails for thousands more, despite similar components. It's one of the reasons we've seen automakers rapidly shifting production of their sedans and hatchbacks to Mexico, where cheap labor preserves the thin profit margins on these inexpensive vehicles. But as the market continues to shift in the United States, Mexico is getting burned by its lack of product diversity. The country's auto exports, which are heavy on cars, suffered a 16-percent drop last month, Automotive News reports. In total, year-over-year exports fell from 233,515 to 197,020 last month, while year-to-date exports are down by 7.4 percent, from 922,029 to 854,118. The number one culprit? America – which usually accounts for 75 percent of Mexico's exports – and its appetite for crossovers and pickup trucks bolstered by cheap gas prices. While Mexico does build some light truck models – AN specifically calls out the Ram 2500, Honda HR-V, GMC Sierra, and Toyota Tacoma as export leaders – the vast majority of vehicles rolling out of its factories are sedans and hatchbacks. In fact, the three biggest drops in Mexican exports came from companies whose south of the border factories only build cars – Ford (Fusion/Lincoln MKZ and Fiesta), Mazda (Mazda3), and Volkswagen (Golf and Jetta). Mexican Automotive Industry Association President Eduardo Solis told AN the export shortfall will likely be sorted out sooner rather than later, thanks to a pair of new factories – a Kia car factory and an Audi SUV plant – that are coming online by year's end. The two facilities will add around 100,000 vehicles to the country's export totals, which Solis said should leave the industry on the verge of breaking another export record in 2016. But how sustainable will these record-breaking years be? Slapping an "Hecho en Mexico" sticker on a new German SUV won't be enough to change the fact that Mexico's product mix is tilted too heavily towards body styles that are not growing in volume. Mexico's record-breaking export years probably aren't at an end, but we'd argue they're certainly under threat. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Omar Torres / AFP / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Ford GMC Honda Mazda RAM Volkswagen Truck Crossover SUV Mexico