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'Ringbanana' Miata is improbable 9-minute Nurburgring car

The combination of being inexpensive, capable, reliable, and friendly to all skill levels makes the Mazda Miata one of the world's most popular platforms for motorsports, but the roadsters aren't exactly rocketships. What would it take to lap a ratty, first-gen example around the Nurburgring Nordschleife in less than nine minutes? We're not exactly sure, but the Ringbanana team intends to discover the answer. The project is the type of thing that gets dreamed up after a few too many pilsners: buy the cheapest running Miata available and put as little money necessary into the roadster to make it capable around the 'Ring. As the Best-Motoring-inspired intro explains, the Mazda is largely stock other than some Fulda performance tires, possibly aftermarket springs, and a stripped interior. The video above shows the baseline test, and the convertible manages a 9:21.8 circuit, which doesn't seem too bad as a start. The video below goes into far more detail about the project's genesis and its goal. Plus, the two hosts are quite entertaining when replying to the comments from the original clip. We wish them the best of luck and look forward to following along on Facebook to see what it takes to get the Ringbanana below nine minutes. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Laguna Seca getting another awkward name with WeatherTech sponsorship

According to the Monterey Herald, and also reported by Autoweek, Laguna Seca is getting a new title sponsor and as a result, a new name. The track is currently known by the official name of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, a less-than-elegant name that goes away soon because Mazda is ending its sponsorship on March 31. The newspaper reports that the new sponsor is WeatherTech, and the new name, arriving on April 1, adds a word: WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca. We're not sure why it can't simply be known as Laguna Seca, since that's the name that sticks after the sponsors disappear. And we don't know why adding a word is better. Why would you add syllables to say and letters to type (insert lazy writer joke here)? It seems that those in charge of the track are happy with the deal, though. The Monterey Herald reports the deal is for five years of sponsorship at a cost of $5 million and that it's about two-thirds of what Mazda was paying. But the newspaper also reports that the track won't be providing the same track access that Mazda needed, and it may attract other automakers to the track when the track's name isn't partly that of a competitor. Related Video: News Source: Monterey HeraldImage Credit: Getty Marketing/Advertising Mazda Parts and Accessories Laguna Seca

Mazda Miata celebrates 25 years of rocking our worlds

For its birthday it hasn't been profiled on 60 Minutes or been to Jay Leno's Garage, doesn't go on a retrospective tour of vintage racetracks or get a special Spyder Zagato edition. That doesn't mean we think any less of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, the roadster with a simplicity that was as enjoyable as it was barely believable when it arrived in 1989. A quarter of a century and three generations later, the Miata remains the go-to roadster when you want easy, balanced and economical thrills.
It grew from a 116-horsepower speedster with a five-speed manual transmission and a curb weight of 2,116 pounds, to a 167-hp go-kart with a five-speed manual coming in at 2,480 pounds (in Sport guise). Along the way it's picked up hundreds of awards, including 14 nods on Car and Driver's "10Best" list, its most recent eight-year streak coming to an end last year, the Guinness Book of World Records title as "Best-Selling Two-Seater Sports Car" and innumerable trophies as weekend racer extraordinaire.
We'll see the fourth generation at next year's Chicago Auto Show, and we're certain to hear more about its 25-year milestone this year. Until that happens, enjoy the images above and the gallery and press release below.