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CorkSport Announces Release of New CorkSport Stub Antenna

CorkSport would like to announce the release of the newest addition to the CorkSport line of accessory parts, the CorkSport Mazda and Mazdaspeed Stub Antenna made for 2007+ Mazdaspeed & Mazda 3, 2007+ CX-7, 2011+ Mazda 2 , 2003-2008 Mazda 6, and 2006+ Mazda 5.

CorkSport Stub Antenna

An easy upgrade to boost the look of your Mazda, CorkSport’s new shorter antenna is 2.75″ in length and will replace the oversized factory antenna. Tested to ensure they perform similarly to the OEM antenna, CorkSport antennas are anodized and made out of billet aluminum which has a long lasting, durable, black finish. CorkSport antennas come with two different size fitting studs for straightforward installation of the product that will easily attach to the Mazda Genuine antenna base.

“This product represents the beginning of what will be a string of products designed to address the glaring need for additional options in the Mazda performance accessory market,” said Rich Harris, President of CorkSport Performance. “Our ability to listen and respond to the needs of our customer base combined with our efficient manufacturing expertise has resulted in the rapid development of these products to meet the demands of our customers.”

The newest addition to the CorkSport line of accessory parts will be priced at $32, making it an easy and inexpensive way to boost the look of your Mazda. Installation for this part takes mere minutes. Simply twist off the existing pieces and install the new ones to add a custom look to your Mazda.

For more information or to purchase the CorkSport Stub Antenna, Please click here to be redirected to our catalog.

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Are the Spark Plugs’ Days Numbered?

Though little is still known about a possible RX-8 successor, the latest from Autocar includes reports of new laser ignition technology that would replace the spark plug ignition system currently used in the Wankel motor. The implication comes after a comment made by a senior engineer at Mazda that said the upcoming rotary sports car would use a “special kind of ignition system”.

The engine, internally dubbed the “16X”, would be using the laser ignition to create a more complete and controlled method of ignition for each combustion chamber allowing the rotary to run leaner and more efficiently. This would allow the new rotary to pass the upcoming European emissions regulations which the current RX8 is unable to do.

The lasers are said to measure 9mm in diameter, making them compact enough to fit in the engine and should actually require less space than a typical spark plug. The new rotary set-up will likely require a smaller hole tapped into the combustion chamber of the engine which would also lend itself well to Mazda’s aim at making a more compact and lighter weight engine. It also promises to offer more torque, in part, due to the larger 1.6 liter capacity.

There has been no word of the technology filtering down to the conventional combustion engine, but if the laser ignition concept worked well, it is conceivable that it could be applied to piston powered engines as well for improved power and could potentially enhance the combustion process. As a matter of fact, the laser ignition technology is not all that new, Ford was working on something similar in 2009.

Overall, the 16X is looking to be a promising engine and if Mazda is able to solve the issue of cost, the next rotary could be a leaner, more efficient engine with more precise timing.

Gwynne-

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A New Toy for CorkSport

As we continue to ramp up our CorkSport product line, we have been making some changes to our internal processes to increase delivery time and refine the look and design of the CorkSport brand of products. The latest investment we made is the Epilog Mini 24 Laser etching machine. Why, do you ask, would we get one of these? The laser etcher has a combination of flying-optic design and the highest quality engraving results. This provides a precise etch on a variety of materials and allows us to give you a larger selection of CorkSport logoed products with the highest quality results and precise imaging.

For example, we were originally having our MAF housings for the SRI intake machined, anodized, and then machined again for the logos. This increased the manufacturing time making it more difficult to keep it in stock and available for immediate delivery. Once we made the switch to etching our logo onto the MAF housings with the new laser etching machine, it sped up the time it took to manufacture, which meant keeping more in stock and reducing backorders and delivery times.

We also began using the machine to laser etch our logo onto the CorkSport Mud Flaps. Now, rather than applying a vinyl logo, we are able to offer the mud flaps with a durable etched logo that has a superior look that will never rub off. You can pressure wash our mud flaps without any worry of damaging the logos.

On a side note, if you want to have a custom set of logoed mud flaps made, contact Chris and he can hook you up with that.

Now that we have more flexibility with our branding process, if you have an idea of something that you would like to see branded, let us know!

– Derrick

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Team Van Herck Mazda 3 Update – Belgian Touring Car Series 2011

In May of this year, Derrick put up a blog post titled, Mazdas Racing Around the World, and gave you a preview of the Van Herck Mazda 3 that is now competing in the 2011 Belgian Touring Car Series. As promised, we are posting updates on their progress, successes, and standings throughout the season.

As a refresher from the May 6th post, Van Herck raced the Mazda RX-7 in previous years, but for the 2011 season, the team chose to build a new car to compete in the Belgian Touring Series. They took over a year to develop a Mazda 3 with advanced technology. They converted it to rear wheel drive, and powered it with a 450whp 20B tri-rotor Wankel engine and a sequential 6 speed gearbox.

On April 10th the Mazda 3 20B competed in round 1 of the Belgian Touring Car Series at Zolder. As the car’s debut event, it encountered a few minor glitches with the fuel system and an overheating exhaust, and finished 26th out of 31 cars entered in the 90 min race, but the Mazda 3 20B captivated spectators with its overwhelming speed and racing rotary sound. The car was watched closely by competitors after receiving the 5th fastest time overall against the lightweight silhouette cars and the second-quickest time in its class.

The Belgian Touring Car series will include three races scheduled for the Spa-Francorchamps, the first of which was held last Sunday, the Spa-Francorchamps 12hour BTCS race. Considered one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its fast, hilly and twisty nature, the Spa is a circuit favorite by many racing drivers and fans. (Take a one lap tour of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps)

During qualifying for the T3 class, pole position went to the Mazda3 of Van Herck Racing. The Mazda took pole in T3 in the second qualifying session from the W Racing Team’s VW Scirocco, which caught fire after the checkered flag was thrown.

Race day brought with it a traditional feature at the Spa, black clouds and rain. The rain had eased up by the afternoon, but the majority of the cars started on wet weather tires, and the forecast was for more rain. So with rain feared in the afternoon session, the majority of the teams set their best times in the first qualifying session.

Runners-up in the championship last year, the Volvo S60 Racing Team won the 12 Hours of Spa after a close battle with the three time champion, Frederic Bouvy’s Renault Megane. Kia Belgium took up the third position. Though the qualifying race put the Van Herck team in good position, the Mazda suffered from some electronic issues during the race.

CorkSport will continue to watch the team’s progress through the season and keep you up to date on the latest news from the Van Herck Racing Team.

Gwynne-

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Shiptastic – Shipping the CorkSport Way

Often times companies will give what appears to be “free shipping” to their customers by absorbing the shipping cost into the price of the product and then passing it off as a value add, when in reality the customer still pays for the shipping in the form of higher priced products. At CorkSport, we wanted to find a better way to give our customers value when it came to shipping, so we created a program that would provide complete transparency on shipping costs and peace of mind that our goal is to make our company profitable from the development and sales of CorkSport products, not on shipping and logistics costs.

Through feedback and focus groups, in February of this year we implemented a new shipping policy that we felt made sense to our customers. As a part of the new program, if it was determined during our shipping audit that your shipping cost and administrative charges amounted to less than what we charged you, we would issue you a refund for the overcharged amount.

Since the inception of this program, we have refunded nearly $2000 to our customers. This is not because we are bad at estimating shipping charges, on the contrary, our logistics department is constantly monitoring and updating our shipping quotes to give you the best possible idea of what your potential cost will be. Rather, this is a symptom of the literally millions of ways parts can be combined into a single purchase, the various freight and shipping methods and frequency, and the unpredictable fuel surcharges that factor into the day-to-day flux of shipping prices.

Cost does matter, and our strategy is to focus on reducing the total cost drivers that add little value to the development of the part so that we can produce a win/win situation by providing the highest quality part for the best possible price.

This unique take on giving our customers the best value in the marketplace is just one such example of the relationship CorkSport wants to continue to support with the Mazda community. Transparency, value, honesty and integrity are staples in our mission statement and we hope that comes through in each interaction that you, our customers, have with CorkSport whether it is on the phone, by email, during your purchase process, on our blog or Facebook page, or at an event.

Have you received a shipping refund from CorkSport or appreciate this policy? Let us know by commenting on this post or on our Facebook page today:

Gwynne-