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Mazda3 Skyactiv-Hybrid and CNG Concept shown in Japan

Mazda has received a tremendous amount of public and industry praise in the last few years, following up the successful introduction of its Skyactiv technology (powertrain and otherwise), with strong products like CX-5, Mazda6 and most recently, the Mazda3. At the Tokyo Motor Show, Mazda has taken yet another step forward with Skyactiv and the 3, showing the compact (called "Axela" in Japan) with an all-new compressed natural gas engine in the Skyactiv-CNG Concept.
The end result of the Skyactiv-Hybrid is fuel consumption estimated at something like 74 miles per gallon.
Mazda thinks that CNG-powered vehicles are due for an uptick in demand, and the company believes this new powertrain will add valuable breadth to the Mazda3 range. The CNG Concept is actually a duel-fuel vehicle, capable of running on either natural gas or gasoline. In fact, we're told that the high compression ratio (14:1) inherent in Skyactiv-technology gasoline engines makes conversion to CNG particularly simple.

Car Club USA: Miatas at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a very popular car for weekend warriors looking for the thrill of automotive racing in an affordable package. These iconic, rear-wheel-drive roadsters are lauded by enthusiasts for their driving dynamics, reasonable price, and plethora of available parts. That's why the annual Miatas at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca track event draws such a diverse cross section of drivers from allover the country. But, still, some types of drivers are more well-represented than others. "I usually am the only female signed up for the high-performance driving," said Carolyn Kulaja of Gila Monster Racing. "The car doesn't care the gender of the person driving." For Carolyn, racing Miatas is a passion that developed later in life, but she's not slowing down anytime soon. "My first racecar was car number 57, which was my age when I started racing," said Carolyn. "The 88 I decided was going to be my age when I quit racing." Young competitor Kyle Koh of Infotech Motorsports has his own reasons for racing. "Driving has changed my life in a major way," said Kyle. "It took me out of a depression." Kyle's first competitive fire was directed toward football, but after breaking his back during his sophomore year of high school, he had to find another outlet. "Kyle came to me one day and he decided that he wanted a project car," explained Kyle's father and racing partner Larry Koh. "Because the Miata community is so friendly to begin with, it becomes a big family." How will Carolyn and Kyle fare through Laguna Seca's infamous corkscrew? Find out on this episode of Car Club USA. Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog.

Mazda's new Mexican plant capacity rises to 230,000

After the turmoil of last year, 2013 is getting off to a much better start for Mazda. The company has issued a release indicating that the forthcoming plant in Salamanca, Mexico has had its production capacity raised even though it isn't scheduled to go online until March 2014. The original plans called for a 140,000-unit capacity, 90,000 of that allotted for the Mazda2 and Mazda3, the remaining 50,000 for a small car Mazda would build for Toyota that would be based on the Mazda2. The new plans call for raising that by 90,000 units to a total of 230,000 units within two years, by the end of March 2016, and it looks like it will all go toward Mazda production to satisfy growing demand for Skyactiv vehciles. The Mexican plant's opening will be the return of Mazda manufacturing to North America, after Mazda6 production was moved back to Japan last year.
More good news for the company is that it projects 10 billion yen ($114 million) in net income for the financial year that will end in March. That would be a welcome turnaround from the 100-billion-yen loss in the previous financial year, part of a series of three annual losses in a four-year span.
You'll find the press release with the factory update below.