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Mazda replaces owner's crashed 2016 Miata with brand new car

The first shipment of 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miatas are finally here. Imagine the jubilant sensation of being among the 1,000 people to pick up the limited Launch Edition, only to feel eviscerated when the new roadster crashes hardly a mile away from the dealer. While it must be an absolutely horrendous experience, Mazda North American Operations is making things right for one forlorn couple. In what was surely among the first recorded crashes of the 2016 Miata in the US, a husband and wife recently went to pick up their new Launch Edition, but they were rear-ended almost as soon as they left the dealer. According to Jalopnik, the hit also caused the roadster to slam into the car in front and might have bent the frame. To make a bad situation even worse, the wife also needed to be taken to the hospital to be checked out. Mazda is coming to the couple's aid with a generous gift. Knowing that it's utterly unfair for the new owners not to enjoy some top-down driving while the summer lasts, the company is actually sending the pair another Launch Edition to replace their crashed example. According to a Facebook post by the dealer (below), the car should be available sometime next month. Hopefully, the couple can enjoy thousands of miles of roadster driving with this one. After hearing about one of our customers getting rear-ended just minutes after picking up their new Miata, Mazda is sending out a replacement next month! #LongLiveTheRoadster Posted by Tom Bush Mazda on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Related Video:

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata gets 25 percent fuel economy boost

Just days after revealing full pricing and specs for each trim level of the 2016 MX-5 Miata, Mazda is spilling the beans on the roadster's fuel economy. As it turns out, the numbers show an impressive boost over the previous generation. All 2016 Miatas in the US are equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. With a six-speed manual, the EPA estimates fuel economy of 27 miles per gallon city, 34 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined. Buyers choosing the six-speed automatic, which is a $1,075 option (that you should absolutely not choose), are expected to get 27 mpg city, 36 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined. Compared to the previous-gen model with a six-speed manual, these latest numbers represent a 25-percent improvement in mileage. The boost in economy for the Miata likely comes from a variety of sources. Underneath the hood is one of Mazda's latest Skyactiv engines, and the loss of around 150 pounds from the last gen helps too. Production of the latest version of the famous roadster is already underway, and they should start arriving at dealers in the late summer. 2016 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA FUEL ECONOMY IMPROVES DRAMATIC 25 PERCENT VERSUS OUTGOING MODEL 24/04/15 - Mazda's Flagship Roadster Highlights Improvements Displayed by SKYACTIV Technology - IRVINE, Calif., April 24, 2015 -- Lighter, quicker and more nimble than its predecessor, the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata demonstrates the power innovation can have when re-engineering a roadster from the ground up. In addition to all of the aforementioned improvements the 2016 MX-5 has, fuel economy can now be added to the list, with MX-5 achieving an EPA-estimated 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway/30 mpg combined when equipped with the standard SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission (EPA-estimated 27 mpg city/36 mpg highway/30 mpg combined when equipped with the six-speed automatic). This performance represents a 25-percent increase in fuel economy versus the 2015 MX-5's EPA-estimated fuel economy when paired with the outgoing model's available six-speed manual transmission, highlighting the benefits of SKYACTIV Technology. "SKYACTIV Technology is more than a catchphrase for Mazda; it's a total effort to increase efficiency, improve performance, safety and technology and instill each Mazda vehicle with a directness and responsiveness that's unmatched in the segments in which our vehicles compete," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations.

A Mazda Miata with a Hellcat V8 exists, and it can be yours

Mazda Miatas with V8 swaps aren't unusual. Kits are available to drop in LS V8s from GM, and some even let you drop in an old Ford 5.0-liter V8. But a Miata with a Hellcat V8 is something special, and this one can be yours. As Automobile spotted, it will go across the block at the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction. This particular 1999 Miata has a build history you can check out for yourself, too. It was all chronicled on YouTube channel KARR. Obviously the Hellcat engine does fit between the wheels, but the hood had to be cut open for the intake manifold and supercharger to fit. The front bumper and lights have been changed to the 2001+ NB Miata design. According to the listing, it has suspension components from V8 Roadsters, a company that specializes in Miatas with twice the normal number of cylinders. In the middle of the car is a manual transmission, which connects to a Ford 8.8-inch differential that's been welded up. With that much power and an essentially locked rear diff, it should make for an excellent drift car. Fortunately it also has 10-inch wide wheels for more grip, and upgraded Wilwood brakes to stop it. It will go for auction at Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas event, which runs Oct. 3-5. There is no estimated price for the car, which is understandable since nothing like it has crossed the block before. It will go to a new owner, whatever the price, as it is being listed as "no reserve." So if you want to win burnout contests or get loads of stares at next year's Woodward Dream Cruise, you could do a lot worse than picking up this tiny monster. Aftermarket Dodge Mazda Convertible Performance Hellcat