Rx8 Mazda Sport 2007 No Reserve 1st Bid Sold "hail Damage" Also 6 Speed Manuel on 2040-cars

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Cedar Rocket is the fastest all-electric log car in the world

An electric turbine manufacturer, a mechanic, and a log house builder walk into a bar. No, wait. The three are standing around at Barrett-Jackson a few years ago, talking about the world. What's the eventual punchline? An all-electric vehicle mash-up of a Mazda RX-8 and a giant piece of wood. One that was just awarded a Guinness World Record for "fastest motorized log." "Truly, what else would you think of?" - Bryan Reid, Sr. Bryan Reid, Sr., star of the reality show Timber Kings, is the log house builder in the set-up above, and he's now the proud owner of Cedar Rocket. He told AutoblogGreen that a log-based EV is the natural result of the three guys chatting. "Truly, what else would you think of?" he said. "I mean, really? There has to be something to come out of it other than girls. It was crazy, but it's a good story and nobody gets hurt. It's hard to make the news when everything's positive." Idea in hand, Reid and his friend set off to actually build the car. Gerald Overton, the mechanic, turned the Mazda into a welcoming recipient, working on the disc brakes, axles, frame, differential, and suspension. While the presence of a television producer kept things moving, Reid said that it still took almost two years. "It started out, not as a joke, but as something very light," he said. "You put a log on a couple of axles and 'ha ha.' It ended up taking many thousands of hours. We don't do anything halfway." In the end, Reid and the team took the Cedar Rocket to the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona and managed two runs of 55 miles per hour within an hour (that's what Guinness required to hand out the official record). The Rocket is incredibly stable – heavy batteries help there – and Reid pointed out that because the EV uses electric turbines, it's not a quarter-mile car. "It's more like a salt-flat car," he said, because the "turbines that take a while to spin up." Given the right conditions, Reid said the team thinks the Cedar Rocket could go 120-130 mph. "It's crazy because it's different." But the point of this car isn't to just go fast. The builders will bring the car to Barrett-Jackson and auction it off next year, but before that it will make the rounds at places like SEMA and a number of unexpected events, like golf shows. The point is to get attention and raise money and awareness for veterans groups. "I believe it's for the best cause in North America," he said.

Laguna Seca getting another awkward name with WeatherTech sponsorship

According to the Monterey Herald, and also reported by Autoweek, Laguna Seca is getting a new title sponsor and as a result, a new name. The track is currently known by the official name of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, a less-than-elegant name that goes away soon because Mazda is ending its sponsorship on March 31. The newspaper reports that the new sponsor is WeatherTech, and the new name, arriving on April 1, adds a word: WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca. We're not sure why it can't simply be known as Laguna Seca, since that's the name that sticks after the sponsors disappear. And we don't know why adding a word is better. Why would you add syllables to say and letters to type (insert lazy writer joke here)? It seems that those in charge of the track are happy with the deal, though. The Monterey Herald reports the deal is for five years of sponsorship at a cost of $5 million and that it's about two-thirds of what Mazda was paying. But the newspaper also reports that the track won't be providing the same track access that Mazda needed, and it may attract other automakers to the track when the track's name isn't partly that of a competitor. Related Video: News Source: Monterey HeraldImage Credit: Getty Marketing/Advertising Mazda Parts and Accessories Laguna Seca

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata priced from $24,915

When Ford introduced the 2015 Mustang, it gave us 300 percent more car for about 10 percent more money. Mazda has done even better with the MX-5 Miata: the current roadster starts at $23,970 in Sport trim with a five-speed manual, the smaller, lighter, sharper 2016 model is just under $1,000 more, starting at $24,915 with a six-speed manual. Destination, unchanged, adds $820 to that MSRP. It is divided into the same three tiers of Sport, Club, and Grand Touring but the standard feature set grows, with the departure of that five-speed manual for six-speeders across the board, LED headlights, and extra infotainment functionality. Mazda says it will release more pricing in the future, but so far things just keep looking up for the one of the best little roadsters out there. The press release below has more. Related Video: MAZDA ANNOUNCES STARTING PRICE FOR 2016 MX-5 Fourth-generation MX-5 stays true to affordable convertible sports car roots IRVINE, Calif. (March 30, 2015) – Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced that the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata will start at $24,9151 in entry-level Sport trim. Mazda has instilled the latest MX-5 with the pure driving experience that has won worldwide fanfare since the arrival of the first-generation MX-5 in 1989 as a 1990 model. Yet, the fourth-generation MX-5 provides Mazda's latest safety features and technologies and maintains an inflation-adjusted price close to that of the original roadster. The 2016 MX-5 launches this summer and will be available in Sport, Club and Grand Touring trim levels. "As we get closer to the MX-5's summer on-sale date, we're seeing a surge in interest and excitement from enthusiasts and journalists," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. "Already, early MX-5 reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and we expect the momentum that MX-5 has garnered to continue to build as drivers get behind the wheel of our fourth-generation sports car." Infused with SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY and KODO-Soul of Motion design, the 2016 MX-5 is smaller, lighter and more aggressive than its predecessor, with the base MX-5 Sport expected to outperform the sportiest previous road-going variants. However, even with its focus on delivering maximum driving enjoyment, the 2016 MX-5 boasts more creature comforts and a more functional interior than the vehicle it replaces.