2003 Mazda Protege5 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

eBay Find of the Day: 1990 Mazda Miata with just 27 original miles

Some cars have low mileage, and others have close to no miles at all. This 1990 Mazda Miata, currently listed on eBay Motors and located in Kingman, Arizona, falls into the latter category with only 27 miles on the odometer, according to the seller. But we have to wonder: how did one of the best-driving, most influential sports cars of the past two decades sit without being driven for 24 years? Consider it the seller's loss on this one.
The seller says he bought the car with 20 miles on it, and explains 6.9 miles were added when the car was towed home on a car dolly. It was never registered. Furthermore, the seller says the car didn't come with a set of keys, so he had to have a set made. Though the paint is clean and shiny, the Miata didn't escape minor cosmetic damage over the years, with scratches on the hood, the trunk and the factory hardtop that is included with the car. The front, right fender has a small dent as well, which can be seen in a picture. The seller says the car was stored in a building with windows, so the paint is faded a bit in some places. It's missing its antenna and the battery, and the only non-original parts on the car are the windshield wipers. The clear-title car comes with all paperwork, according to the seller, but, besides the owners manual, he didn't specify what other documentation would be included.
With bidding currently at $10,300 and the reserve not met, this Miata definitely isn't the deal of the century, and we have to question where the value is in this one. The way we see it, it's hard to justify the money if it can't be driven as-is (come on, no battery?), has questionable history, isn't rare and sat in storage for its whole existence. The "weather cracked" tires are probably just the first rubber parts on the car that need to be replaced before it can be driven, but at least the spark plugs were removed and the cylinders were filled with Marvel Mystery Oil prior to storage, which helps to prevent rust and corrosion from forming in the engine.

Fiat version of Mazda MX-5 Miata to be called 124 Spider

Fiat has a definite use for its recent US trademark on the 124 Spider name, and it's something that should make many performance fans quite happy. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed to Auto Express that the Italian brand's future roadster would bear the classic name. Auto Express reportedly asked Marchionne directly about the convertible at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. The CEO said: "Do we want to do it now?" After another executive verified the name, Marchionne responded: "There you go – a world class premiere right in this room!" Autoblog reached out to Fiat Brand communications boss in the US Ariel Gavilan for more information, and he verified the story. Gavilan said that brand head Olivier Francois confirmed the 124 Spider name to international media during a briefing in Geneva. FCA isn't going quite so far as officially confirming that the 124 Spider shares a platform with the latest Mazda MX-5 Miata, but that's almost a certainty. The two automakers jointly developed the chassis, and the original plan was for it to underpin an Alfa Romeo. However, Marchionne didn't want an Alfa assembled outside of Italy. Fiat even hinted at this possible change as far back as the corporation's five-year plan last summer. Insiders tell Auto Express that the 124 Spider reportedly carries retro-inspired style, and hopefully, that means the roadster evokes the look of the original 124 Sport Spider (pictured above) by Pininfarina. Fiat allegedly is also aiming for a weight less than 2,205 pounds, and the engine range is likely comprised of versions of the brand's 1.4-liter turbo. The mill already pumps out 160 horsepower and 183 pound-feet of torque in the Fiat 500 Abarth in the US. According to Auto Express, Fiat and Mazda have an agreement to launch the Miata in 2015 and the 124 Spider in 2016. A hotter Abarth version could come along eventually, too. Related Video:

Turbo Mazda6 starts at $30,090, only base trim gets manual

We learned last fall that the 2018 Mazda6 is getting a slew of updates to its appearance and refinement, as well as introducing this generation's first turbocharged engine (may we never forget the old Mazdaspeed6). Now we know how much it will cost to get that 2.5-liter four-cylinder's 250 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque: $30,090. This is the base price of the Mazda6 Grand Touring, which is the entry trim level to this engine. In fact, the Grand Touring will only come with the turbo engine, as will the new Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trim levels. The base-level Sport trim and higher-level Touring will only come with the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder (187 hp, 186 lb-ft of torque) that now comes with cylinder-deactivation. Every Mazda6 will receive a comprehensive series of updates when it arrives at dealerships this April. The revised Sport, which comes with cloth manual seats, dual-zone climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, blind-spot warning, rear-cross traffic assist and low speed automatic emergency braking, is only $5 more than the outgoing 2017.5 model for a new base price of $22,840. The optional automatic adds another $1,050 to the price. Moving up to Touring limits you to only the automatic transmission and adds 19-inch alloy wheels, leatherette upholstery, a power driver's seat, heated front seats, a sunroof, and rear air vents. It starts at $26,590, $455 more than the outgoing model with the optional automatic. Moving up to the Grand Touring brings us to the turbo engine. It also adds an 11-speaker Bose sound system, navigation, heated side mirrors, and an auto-dimming driver's mirror. It also gets shift paddles on the steering wheel, so although the turbo engine won't be available with a manual, there will be a way to conveniently shift gears. Its price is $30,090, and as a point of reference, the cheapest Honda Accord with the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine starts at $31,200 with either a manual or automatic transmission. The Grand Touring Reserve comes in at $32,590. This trim adds a heads-up display, rear spoiler, windshield wiper de-icers, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, real leather upholstery, and power adjustment and ventilation for both front seats. The range-topping Signature starts at $35,640 and adds Nappa leather, UltraSuede trim, parking sensors, 360-degree camera views and a configurable instrument screen. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party.