1990 Mazda Rx-7 Convertible White New Motor! Exterior! Interior! Much More! on 2040-cars

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Mazda and Lexus crowned with KBB 5-Year Cost To Own awards

We report on a lot of awards, some of which are given out based on more solid criteria than others. This one, the Kelley Blue Book 5-Year Cost to Own awards, seems like one that new car shoppers should pay attention to.
The cost of a car goes far beyond what you pay for the actual metal, leather and rubber at the point of purchase. Fuel, insurance, maintenance and repair costs, and the cost of fees from the state and financing will all weigh on your wallet while you own the car. That's not even taking into account the biggest cost: depreciation, or the amount of money you lose based on what your car is worth years from now versus the day you bought it.
KBB tracks these sorts of things, and they've compiled a list of winners for 2013 models. On the brand level, Mazda and Lexus earn the 5-Year Cost to Own award for having the lowest overall projected five-year totals (though, curiously, we note that Mazda and Lexus each had only one segment winner). There are lots of winners for all the various segments, so we'll just pick out a few surprising ones to share and you can view the rest here.

Modded budget Mazda Miata takes on new Porsche Boxster in more challenges

Earlier this month, our friends across the pond at Auto Express released the first in a two-video series that would see them try and build up a second-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata that could best a standard Porsche Boxster around the track. While that first video detailed the mods to the MX-5 - a supercharger, some suspension upgrades and a new set of super-sticky rubber being chief among them - and set baseline lap times for the stock car, today, we have the results of the 5,000-pound ($8,200) upgrade job.
Of course, we aren't going to spoil those for you. You'll need to watch the full video, which recaps the upgrades before digging into a comparison of both straight-line-speed differences between the 2.7-liter Porsche Boxster and blown Miata, as well as their behavior and lap times on the track.
Take a look and let us know what you think in Comments.

First 2014 Mazda3 ad appears

If we judge by your comments on our recent announcement post about the new Mazad3, you Autoblog readers approve, pretty wholeheartedly, about the redesign efforts happening over at Mazda. Pressed for an opinion, we'd be forced to admit that we find the new 3 quite fetching our own selves.
To add fuel to the fast-burning fire then, Mazda has gone ahead and dropped a 15-second pseudo commercial on YouTube, showing a very rendered Mazda3 in a very rendered driving environment. The short spot is really just slightly more dynamic than the images of the car, but there is a spot of mystery to it, as well.
Right at the start of the video, an interior shot of the car shows a transparent display screen of some kind, rising from the top of the 3's dash. An interesting choice, considering Mazda has bestowed an actual center-mounted display in on the hatchback's dash-top - albeit one that doesn't look like a clear piece of glass. Take a look below, and while you're there, check out a just-released official video of the Mazda3's reveal in New York.