Black And Beautiful 1989 Mazda Rx-7 Convertible 5 Speed Great Car on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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.

Next Mazda CX-9 to launch by 2016, could get turbo-four

Mazda has a lot going on these days, what with launching the new Mazda6 and Mazda3, with the new Mazda2 just around the corner. We know the new Miata is also on the way, and after that it looks like the next vehicle in its lineup due for an overhaul is the CX-9 crossover, due to launch by 2016. The move makes sense because the CUV is growing long in the tooth. It was first introduced in 2007 and was refreshed twice since then.
The next-generation CX-9 will move away from Ford-derived components like the V6 in the current model and will likely use a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. However, a final decision hasn't been made yet. "If I ask Mr. Hitomi, our top guy of powertrains at Mazda, he believes the downsizing turbo solution costs more. But real downsizing means six-cylinder to four-cylinder turbo could make sense from a cost point of view," said Mazda's global marketing boss Masahiro Moro to CarAdvice at the New York Auto Show. The executive said a hybrid powertrain option would be unlikely, but markets outside the US could get a diesel, as well.
Moro also tipped his hand at future Mazda model plans. He hints that the Japanese automaker is considering building a luxury vehicle with a six-cylinder engine. "It's too early, we don't have a car yet. But we are collecting advice as to V6 or straight-six," he said to CarAdvice. We'll definitely be watching.

Mazda and Isuzu to collaborate on a new pickup truck

After decades, Mazda has finally untangled itself from its relationship with Ford. The last vestige of that partnership is the BT-50, a rebadged version of the global Ford Ranger pickup truck. Once the BT-50 ends production, Mazda has announced that it will collaborate with Isuzu to develop its next generation of pickup trucks. The BT-50 was co-developed with Ford's Australian division. In their current iteration, the BT-50 and its Ranger twin were never on sale in the United States. Mazda's last pickup in the US was the B-Series, itself also a rebadged version of the old Ford Ranger. Isuzu pulled out of the US passenger vehicle market in 2009, although it still sells commercial vehicles here. Isuzu, continuing a long and complicated relationship with General Motors, co-developed the diesel engine that currently powers the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. In select markets, Isuzu sells a rebadged version of the Colorado as the D-Max. Details on the Mazda/Isuzu tie-up are scarce. A single press release simply says "Isuzu will produce next-generation pickup trucks for Mazda, based on Isuzu's pick-up truck model." This isn't the first truck collaboration between the two companies. Since 2004, Mazda has sold the Titan, a rebadged version of the Isuzu Elf commercial truck. The Elf is sold in the US as the Isuzu N-Series. Those in the US hoping for a new competitor in the midsize-truck segment shouldn't get their hopes up for the new truck. There are currently no plans to bring them here. There is hope, though, that Ford will bring the Ranger replacement stateside sometime in the next few years. Related Video: News Source: MazdaImage Credit: WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images Isuzu Mazda Truck