2021 Mazda Cx-30 Preferred Sport Utility 4d on 2040-cars

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Next Mazda MX-5 Miata to weigh a ton(ne), literally

Looking at recent spy shots of the fourth-generation Mazda Miata, it's obvious this sporty little roadster will grow in size compared to the current model, but it's also going on a diet. At the Tokyo Motor Show, Auto Motor und Sport sat down with Mazda executive Kiyoshi Fujiwara, who gave a little more insight into the Miata's redesign.
Fujiwara said that they're aiming for a curb weight of a tonne (metric ton), which is 1,000 kilograms or right around 2,200 pounds, for the next-generation Miata. This would make the roadster at least 300 pounds lighter than the current NC Miata, but still about 200 pounds heavier than the original NA.
There is no indication as to how Mazda will go about removing that much weight from the bigger car, but with as popular as the power retractable hard top (PHRT) model is on the current car, the new Miata may ditch this feature to lose its weight. Improving the power-to-weight ratio appears to be a key goal of the Mazda team, so we also wouldn't be surprised to see a more powerful engine underneath the longer hood.

Hiss off! Venomous snake takes refuge in Australian man’s engine bay

A man who went out for a walk in suburban Sydney got quite a surprise when he returned to his red Mazda. Left on his windshield was a hand-written note warning him that a venomous red-bellied black snake had taken up residence in his car. "Hi," the note read, "this afternoon a red Belly slithered up into your front left tyre. Please be careful." The snake is a native of wet areas of eastern Australia that can grow up to 2.5 meters (about 8 feet), making it one of Australia's largest venomous snakes. They're considered dangerous, but shy, unlikely to bite unless severely agitated. When Michael Garbutt popped the hood, he found the snake coiled up inside in the corner. "To say I was shocked is an understatement," he told The Sydney Morning Herald. "On reflection I don't think I would have put my hand out to pop the bonnet if I had known it was there." So he took to Google to look for a local snake wrangler and found Andrew Melrose, of Shire Snake Catchers. By the time he arrived, the snake had moved down into the engine. Then it moved behind the wheel guard, and then under the engine to the front bumper, then back to the right front wheel. Melrose said he coaxed it out by gently touching its body. "I've done it my whole life," he said. "It looks simple but if you haven't done it before you can get killed real quick." In the end, Melrose ended up grabbing the snake from the ground outside of the car and dropping it in a bag. The whole de-snaking process took about an hour. Melrose said the snake is common on the swampy peninsula area where it was found, since it finds plenty of frogs, eels and other creatures to eat. He says it's common to find them in cars. "If they get startled they look for the first place that is safe," he said. "The place I found it was very bare. There was no place for the snake to escape. People would have startled it and the only place for it to hide was the car. The driver could have driven off unaware and parked and the snake would have left the car when it felt safe." So let this be a lesson for you, Autoblog readers: familiarize yourself with your local venomous snakes. And keep the number of your local snake wrangler handy at all times. Or just don't move to Australia.Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: Unknown Auto News Weird Car News Mazda snake

2016 Mazda CX-5 recalled to address failing DRLs

Mazda announced Tuesday that it will recall more than 35,000 examples of the 2016 CX-5 crossover to address an issue that may lead to deterioration or failure of its LED daytime running lights.  In affected models, the gasket used to seal the wiring harness to the LED module was not manufactured to Mazda's specification. As it degrades over time, it can release sulfur, which in turn can potentially corrode the LED control circuit, causing the LEDs themselves to flicker, illuminate poorly or even fail outright.  Per Mazda, there is no alert for this condition, so drivers can potentially lose daytime running light function without realizing it, leaving them tougher to spot in poor light.  The campaign will cover 36,761 CX-5s sold in the U.S. and U.S. territories. Mazda says no accidents or injuries related to the issue have so far been reported.  This new campaign has not yet been published in the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall database, and Mazda's statement did not include details of the proper remedy for the issue or when customers can expect to be contacted to arrange for service.  We expect that all 2016 CX-5s with LED DRLs will receive new harness gaskets and that those showing signs of LED module corrosion will have those replaced as well.  The 2016 CX-5 has been the subject of four other recall campaigns — including one for an improperly torqued steering knuckle bolt and another for a defective fuel filler pipe — but this is the first  new campaign for that model year since 2016.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.