2012 Grand Touring 3.7l Auto Silver on 2040-cars

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Tesla Model Y and Cadillac CT5 | Autoblog Podcast #573

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. They catch up on the Tesla Model Y, as well as the Cadillac CT5 and the brand's new naming structure. Afterward they talk about our driving the 2019 Mazda3, 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI and 2019 Ford Ranger. Finally, the three editors take a lap around eBay looking for the best ways to spend $15,000 on a car. Autoblog Podcast #573 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Tesla Model Y unveiled Cadillac CT5 and Cadillac's new badging strategy Cars we're driving: 2019 Mazda3 2019 VW Golf GTI 2019 Ford Ranger How we'd spend $15,000 on eBay Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Mazda still has a team working on rotary engines

The flame still burns within Mazda to stage a rotary engine revival. Before you start getting excited, it's way too soon to start saving money for the fabled, next-gen RX-7 or RX-8. Still, company boss Masamichi Kogai confirmed to Autocar that the Japanese automaker has an engineering team dedicated to improving the Wankel. This development group has the hard task of trying to make the rotary stack up to modern internal combustion engines in terms of emissions and fuel-economy standards. Neither factor were ever exactly Wankel's strong suits. Kogai described them as working "very enthusiastically" to Autocar. The boss didn't discuss any future RX-vehicles or the size of the team, however, a report from last year indicated that there were 30 engineers in partnership with universities to update the engine's design. After problems keeping up with emissions and fuel economy, Mazda built it's last rotary for an RX-8 in June 2012. Since then, there have been intermittent rumors of a return. One possible solution was a design called the 16X that was supposed to offer more torque and better fuel economy. Another possibility was a small-displacement unit as a range-extender in an electric Mazda2. Rumors of a new RX-7 have been heard for years. In 2013, Kogai clearly said that it wasn't happening. When asked again last year, he reiterated the same point.

2014 Mazda6 i-Eloop to net 40 mpg hwy, 28 mpg city

Even before Mazda unveiled the 2014 Mazda6, it had introduced its innovative, non-hybrid i-Eloop (Intelligent Energy Loop) brake regeneration system. This technology converts kinetic energy into usable electricity using the alternator, a DC/DC converter and a capacitor mounted just behind the front fascia. During deceleration, the alternator captures energy that is then stored in the capacitor, which can later be used to directly power electric devices like climate control and audio systems. When i-Eloop power is used, it reduces the load on the engine and helps to conserve fuel.
Now available on the Mazda6, i-Eloop is only available on the $29,695 Grand Touring trim level as a part of the $2,080 GT Technology Package, meaning that buyers desiring i-Eloop will have to spend at least $31,775 (not including destination). The added price of this technology should be worth it for those looking for optimal fuel economy as the i-Eloop, combined with the package's active grille shutters, will bump the sedan's fuel economy numbers up to 28 miles per gallon city and 40 mpg highway - both are improvements of 2 mpg over the standard Mazda6 Grand Touring. The GT Technology Package also includes a Sport mode, lane departure warning, high beam control, radar cruise control and forward obstruction warning - the latter two technologies are currently offered in a $900 package that is being discontinued.
i-Eloop will eventually be offered on other Mazda products including the 2014 Mazda3. Scroll down for the official press release on the Mazda6's fuel-saving i-Eloop technology.