Over the last year there have been rumors of a racing series to run b segment cars on the track. Mazda and Honda decided to give it a shot, testing out cars at the 25 hours of thunder hill, which we blogged about last year with the Mazda 2 and the Fit.
On October 12th there were four cars which were tested by the SCCA at Michigan’s Grattan raceway to see how the cars stacked up against each other at racing speeds. The cars that showed up were the Mazda 2, Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, and Fiat 500.
The SCCA tested out throttle restrictors and ballast weights to see how it affected each car. The restrictor and the ballast are used to equalize the playing field between the cars if one car has an advantage in weight or horse power.
The SCCA will be doing another round of testing at some point in January where they expect more manufacturers to show up. Kia has announced that they will have the Rio racing and has been rumors of Toyota and Nissan getting into the action next year as well.
The B-Spec class cars qualify for the SCCA showroom stock C category and there has been interest by both Grand-Am and World Challenge to pick up the series next year.
I am looking forward to seeing the cars our there on the track with some closer door to door racing next year.
Named after the final limited edition Mazda RX-7, Mazda will be commemorating the end of the Rx-8 with a final special edition model, Spirit R, that will go on sale in Japan only on November 24th of this year. The manual version of the Mazda RX-8 Spirit R is based on the RX-8 Type RS and the a six-speed automatic will be modeled after the Type E.
Both of the new models will feature an exclusive SPIRIT R badge, black bezels for exterior lighting, red front and rear brake calipers, and a piano-black transmission tunnel trim. The manual transmission will also include special bucket seats from Recaro and bronze 19” alloy wheels with 225/40R19 tires whereas the automatic will feature black leather seats, steering wheel and parking brake lever that feature red stitching, a sports suspension, larger brakes, and Gun-metal finish 18” alloy wheels with 225/45R18 tires.
“Although RX-8 production is ending, the rotary engine will always represent the spirit of Mazda and Mazda remains committed to its ongoing development.” Said Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda’s Representative Director, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, in a press release from Mazda, giving glimmer of hope for rotary fans that development for the RX-7’s successor is still on the table at Mazda headquarters.
Mazda expects to sell 1,000 units of the limited edition model before the Mazda RX-8 production ends in June of 2012. Prices start at $40,675 with the six-speed automatic transmission and $42,400 with the six-speed manual.
Mazda’s rotary engine history
1961 Jul Signs a technical contract with NSU and Wankel
1967 May Announces the completion of the rotary engine and introduces the Cosmo Sport 110S
1968 Jul Introduces the Familia Rotary Coupe/Mazda R100
1969 Oct Introduces the Luce Rotary Coupe/Mazda R130 Coupe
1970 May Introduces the Capella Rotary/Mazda RX-2 series
1971 Sep Introduces the Savanna Rotary/Mazda RX-3 is introduced
1972 Nov Introduces the Luce Rotary/Mazda RX-4 series
1973 Jun Cumulative production of rotary engine vehicles reaches 500,000 units
1975 Apr Introduces the Roadpacer
1975 Oct Introduces the Cosmo AP/Mazda RX-5
1977 Jul Introduces the Cosmo L (Landau top)
1977 Oct Introduces the Luce Legato/Mazda 929L
1978 Mar Introduces the Savanna RX-7/Mazda RX-7
1978 Nov Cumulative production of rotary engine cars reaches 1 million units
1981 Nov Introduces the new Cosmo and Luce/Mazda 929 rotary series
1986 Apr Cumulative production of rotary engine vehicles reaches 1.5 million units
1986 Sep Introduces the fully redesigned Luce
1990 Apr Introduces the Eunos Cosmo featuring a three-rotor rotary engine
1991 Jun The Mazda 787B wins the 59th Le Mans 24-Hour endurance race
1991 Dec Introduces the fully redesigned RX-7
2002 Mar Introduces the SPIRIT R final limited edition Mazda RX-7
2003 Apr Introduces the Mazda RX-8
Gwynne-
Mazda Special Edition RX-8 Spirit R Marks End of Line for Production October 11th, 2011CorkSport
The Japanese publication, Holiday Auto Magazine, intercepted a patent drawing of the next generation Mazda MX-5 Miata while it was on its way to the Tokyo Patent Office this week and gave the world a glimpse of what’s to come for this hotly anticipated sports car.
The intercepted drawing gives us a view of its front end which, based on the dashed outline, suggests that Mazda will be ditching the smiley face in a return to the more classic look of the ellipse grille and round fog light recesses seen in the MX-5’s predecessors. Fortunately, the pop-up headlights will remain a thing of the past and the new headlights will be getting some updated technology with LED lighting.
The MX-5 has had three different generations throughout its 21 year history, numerous design updates and even more engine changes. The new MX-5 will reportedly remain a rear-wheel drive compact sports coupe. Sources say that engineers have been ordered to cut 720 lbs from the 2,480-pound curb weight of the current model with a goal of getting the Miata back to its original weight of 2,178 pounds. To achieve this goal, engineers are using high-strength steel for the body and are said to be planning to power the Mazda MX-5 with a 1.5-liter SkyActiv-G four-cylinder engine that will produce up to 160 horsepower and will be mated to a six-speed manual transmission with an option to change to a dual-clutch semi-automatic transmission.
The new Mazda MX-5 will bow out as a concept car next year before the production model is slated to be unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. In the mean time, we can expect more speculation and opinions on the future of the most famous sports car in the world to continue as additional details are provided.
Gwynne-
Patent Drawing Leaked for Next Generation Mazda MX-5 Miata August 18th, 2011CorkSport
The Transportation Department published a press release yesterday (July 14, 2011) granting in full the Mazda Motor Corporate petition for an exemption of the CX-5 vehicle line from the Theft Prevention Standard and determined that the “antitheft device to be on the line as standard equipment was likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard…”
Why do we care, you might ask? This is a key indicator that Mazda is readying the Mazda CX-5 for release in the US and based on the pattern we have seen from past models that have made an entrance into the US market, it is likely that we will see the 2013 CX-5 for sale in the US by summer of 2012.
The Mazda CX-5 will be the third model in the CX line-up, next to the CX-7 and CX-9, and will appropriately be the smallest one. Mazda said in a press release about the CX-5 that “(It) will be the first production vehicle to incorporate Mazda’s new design theme, ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’ as debuted on the Mazda SHINARI concept car, as well as the full range of breakthrough SKYACTIV technologies, including engines, transmissions, body and chassis. The CX-5 will join Mazda’s global line-up in 2012”
According to autocar, the CX-5 will be available with diesel and a six-speed manual (though the diesel is not likely to be made available in the US) and are also proposed with a double body variant 3 and 5 doors, all of which should ensure that the compact crossover not only looks good but is also fun to drive and fuel efficient.
Look out for the debut of this car at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show this September.
Gwynne-
CX-5 Debut and US Release in Summer of 2012? September 13th, 2018CorkSport
This is a message for Mazda North America; Why is the Mazda 2 not in North America? Ford no longer has their hand in the cookie jar so what is the hold up?
I have various personal theories as to why; it will cut into Mazda 3 sales or perhaps production output for the 2 isn’t high enough. The economy is in the tank so we know Mazda isn’t at its max capacity. People are broke! We cannot afford the more expensive cars so a smaller car like the 2 makes sense. Its biggest competition would be the Fit, Yaris, and the soon to be offered Fiats. The Mazda 2 gets great gas mileage, and would argueably be car the best in class if Mazda sold the DI diesel model in the states.
Personally I want one because they are super light and prime for upgrading. I would try and fit a 2.3 DISI engine under the hood. Actually, I will fit a 2.3 DISI engine under the hood! A lightly modded 300hp DISI engine in a 2100lb car would produce an absolutely crazy-fun car to drive. Even in stock form the stock 1.6 liter is rated at 120 hp and torque. If/when Mazda brings the car to the North America you can bet we will be getting more power out of that engine.
When I was in Tokyo last year I had the opportunity to ride in the AutoExe tuned Demio heading to a lunch meeting with them. The car is just like a Mazda 3 in terms of fit and finish. The interior was nice, not over the top. Despite the 2 being small it was not uncomfortably small for 4 adult men.
There are rumors we may actually get the Mazda 2 late this year but nothing is available to the dealers yet. Cross your fingers!
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