2003 Mazda Mpv Es, Loaded, Just Serviced on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Britain's BBR already promising 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata with 200+ horsepower

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is one of Autoblog's most anticipated cars to drive this year, and with good reason. Thanks to svelte, angular styling, the promise of less weight, the possibility of more power and all at a fairly affordable price, it represents pure, automotive enjoyment. Mazda is still not saying exactly how much power the new Miata's 2.0-liter Skyactiv four-cylinder engine will make, but that isn't keeping British tuner BBR from already working out how to squeeze even more ponies from the mill – potentially as much as 200 horsepower with natural aspiration. The company bought a Mazda3 for access to its 2.0-liter Skyactiv and went to work on it. "Our objective with the all-new MX-5 is to achieve the same 200 bhp output that we can easily enjoy with simple bolt-on components on the current 2.0-litre NC model, before building on further power upgrades using forced induction," said Neil McKay of BBR in the company's release. The 3's version of the engine is rated at 155 hp and 150 pound-feet of torque but is expected to be tuned for additional grunt for the droptop. Still, it gives BBR something to experiment with before the real thing is available. The tuner also got the opportunity to take a look at a pre-production 2016 Miata and is already developing "subtle bodywork alterations" for the upcoming convertible. You can get a taste for the company's plans with the rendering above. It sports tinted lights, a front lip spoiler, lower side sills and a tiny rear spoiler. Scroll down to read more about BBR's plans in the official announcement. BBR UNVEILS STUNNING 200 BHP ALL-NEW MAZDA MX-5 CONCEPT Despite deliveries not scheduled to begin until July, legendary Mazda performance tuner BBR is making great progress with both its visual concept and powertrain development for the all-new MX-5. "A program of detailed performance enhancements has already commenced at our Brackley base," says BBR's Neil Mckay, "thanks to our investment in a 2.0-litre Skyactiv powered Mazda 3. Our objective with the all-new MX-5 is to achieve the same 200 bhp output that we can easily enjoy with simple bolt-on components on the current 2.0-litre NC model, before building on further power upgrades using forced induction." Having viewed a pre-production version of the car BBR is also working hard on visual enhancements to add more presence to the svelte lines of the all-new MX-5.

Mazda Miata 'fathers' Hall and Case offer a tour through the roadster's history

The original Mazda Miata broke onto the automotive scene in 1989 and was a huge success. However, the convertible's genesis goes all the way back to the early '80s. Bob Hall and Dean Case were among the inside men of the program on the US side, and they were on hand at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during the recent MX-5 event there to tell some of their stories about the project's beginning.
Hall was on the Miata project from very early on, and one of his most fascinating stories is how the convertible got its shape. The droptop wasn't necessarily going to be a rear-wheel drive roadster. There were both front-wheel-drive coupe and mid-engine concepts being considered. In fact, the classic look of the NA generation was the least favorite of the three at the sketch stage.
Hall comes off as a jokester hiding a genius mind. He has a fountain of information in his head about what a Miata should be, but it all comes down to "less is more." However, he admits that it's easy to conceive that idea, but it's much harder to actually execute it well.

Mazda zooms into SEMA 2016 with lighter MX-5 Speedster and RF Kuro concepts

It's almost time for the 2016 SEMA aftermarket show again, if you haven't guessed already by the steady parade of early looks at various show cars. Mazda's MX-5 creations are generally a highlight for us, unapologetic Miata junkies that we are. This year's cars should be just as exciting as last year's, one being a revision of last year's Speedster concept and the other based on the brand new, sexy RF retractable targa top model. Both SEMA MX-5s were designed and built in-house at Mazda's Irvine design studio. This year's Speedster is somehow even lighter than before. Mazda carved 100 pounds out of it, making it a staggering 350 pounds less than a production soft top model. It's also been repainted in a color called "White Ether", which we're imagining looks something like the "Blue Ether" paintjob on last year's highly reflective Speedster minus the blue tint. Mazda will probably never sell a roofless Miata or anything this lightweight, but maybe it should. It looks like it'd be a blast to drive at a road course. And then there's the RF Kuro concept, the first RF-based SEMA show car, which is shown in the teaser above. It doesn't seem terribly extreme, to be honest. It's wearing a matte charcoal paint, which explains the "Kuro" moniker – kuro means "charcoal" in Japanese. A set of 17-inch RAYS forged wheels and MX-5 Cup suspension, and that's about it. Not to knock it; the RF is a sexy looking thing as it sits, and Cup suspension should make it handle even more like a go-kart. Of course, both concepts will be fully revealed at the show next month in Las Vegas. Stay tuned for a dose of concept Miata hotness.Related Video: