2006 Mazda Mx-5 Miata (lsd+sport Suspension Option) on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: First EV to attempt Dakar Rally, Mazda makes bioplastic parts

Zap and Jonway Auto brought their Urbee EV and their new Falcon A-380 SUV to the Peru Motor Show in Lima. Jonway sells its SUV and minivan in Lima through Dai-Ichi Motors, which displayed the cars at the show. According to the companies, their cars "received tremendous interest from the public," including private citizens as well as groups who would use the EVs for security guard service or campus use. Read more in the press release below. California is the US leader when it comes to EVs. In 2013, California had 70,000 battery electric and 104,000 plug-in hybrids. The state boasts almost half of the country's electric vehicles, thanks largely to state and local EV incentives that go beyond the federal tax rebate. California also leads the way in legislation, and nine other states have adopted California's ZEV mandate. Washington, Maryland, Georgia and DC also have their own EV incentives, while some utility companies also offer benefits for EV owners in other states. Still, EV sales have only made up about 0.7 percent of new vehicle sales in 2014. Read more at the US Energy Information Administration website. Toyota will be using landfill gas to help power its Kentucky manufacturing facility. Beginning in 2015, Toyota's Georgetown assembly plant will use electricity converted from landfill-sourced methane gas from Waste Services of the Bluegrass. It will provide enough energy to produce 10,000 vehicles each year. Plus it diverts methane - a greenhouse gas - from entering the atmosphere and helps improve the local air quality. Learn more in the video or Toyota's press release below. Mazda has developed a plant-derived bioplastic for making exterior and interior parts. The dyed plastic doesn't require painting, and it reduces petroleum consumption and carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. The bioplastic will be used for interior parts in the all-new MX-5 before being put into use on the exterior of future vehicles. Mazda will display prototype parts at the Eco-Products 2014 exhibit in Tokyo. Read more in the press release below. Acciona will enter the first-ever zero-emissions vehicle (pictured) to compete in the Dakar Rally. The vehicle uses an electric motor and lithium ion batteries, as well as solar panels to power telemetry and security systems. The Dakar Rally will take place from January 4 through 17 through Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. See Acciona's Dakar EV in the video and read more in the press release below.

Mazda6 diesel to race at Rolex 24, team and drivers announced

Mazda is getting serious about showing off the Skyactiv-D turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine in the Mazda6. The automaker has just announced it will campaign three diesel Mazda6 racers in the Grand-Am GX class of the upcoming 2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona in a quest to walk away with the company's 24th class win. Mazda partnered with SpeedSource to develop the race version of the new sedan, with Japanese and American engineers lending a helping hand where needed. Meanwhile, Freedom Autosport and Visit Florida Racing/SpeedSource/Yellow Dragon Racing will helm teams of their own.
Each car will make use of a five-driver team for the 24-hour race on January 26. In the interim, you can check out the full press release below for more information as well as the full driver roster. Mazda says we can expect to see the No. 70 SpeedSource car under the lights at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show later this month, as well.

2019 Mazda CX-5 Turbo Drivers' Notes Review | More power, more love

The second-gen Mazda CX-5 has been on sale since 2017, but the big news for this year is the addition of a new turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four. The engine — dubbed Skyactiv-G — is shared with the Mazda6 and the Mazda CX-9 three-row crossover and makes 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque on regular gas and up to 250 hp when running premium fuel. Fuel economy for the new engine is rated at 22 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined. The engine is only available with all-wheel drive, but the extra grunt means fuel economy is down from the naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four (24 city, 30 highway and 26 combined). The new engine is wrapped in the same familiar package we've seen for the past couple of years, but is exclusive to the range-topping Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trim levels. This particular test car was a Signature, which starts at $37,935 before options. For reference, a base, front-wheel drive CX-5 Sport starts at $25,395. Standard features on the CX-5 Signature include 19-inch wheels, LED lighting, rain-sensing wipers, leather seating, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, proximity entry and push-button start, and a Bose audio system. Options on this Soul Red ($595) model are restricted to accessory items: $70 for a cargo mat, $125 for all-weather floor mats, $400 for illuminated door sills, $125 for a rear-bumper guard and $250 for a retractable cargo cover. The final MSRP comes in just below $40,000. Our contributor Ben Hsu had high praise for the CX-5 turbo in our recent first-drive review. Now the rest of us have had a crack at it. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I love the CX-5's looks and driving dynamics. It's a sporty Mazda tailored to the crossover segment. This one, done up in Soul Red Crystal Metallic (what a name) and Signature trim with smokey 19-inch wheels, looks great. The Skyactiv-G four-cylinder with 227 hp (on 87 octane) and 310 pound-feet of torque makes for a brisk driving experience. In Sport mode, it's almost more eager than I want it to be. The main downside is the interior. The materials are just fine, and the infotainment is a little clunky to use. It takes a few more moves than I'd like to change the radio station. Also, major demerits for not being able to put a rear-facing car seat in the middle. Considering young families are a target market for this, that is not ideal.