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Mazda MX-5 GT gets green light

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is as popular around the Autoblog offices as Kate Upton posters are around fraternity houses. Few staffers have much criticism for Mazda's ubiquitous roadster, and fewer still aren't overjoyed when one arrives in their driveway. So you can imagine how a report from Auto Express about a more potent MX-5 model is going over in our offices today.
The new model, which was shown in concept form as the Mazda MX-5 GT at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, has a slight catch, though. First, we have absolutely no idea if Mazda will bring the MX-5 GT to the US. Secondly, and perhaps more problematically, this isn't a production car - it's a kit from the team at Jota Sport.
Now, to be fair, the kit doesn't sound like a bad thing. It bumps the UK-spec 2.0-liter, 157-horsepower engine up to 203 hp thanks to a sports exhaust and a revamped ECU (46 horsepower from an ECU and exhaust in a naturally aspirated car?). To make the little Miata even more agile, Jota has also fiddled with the suspension. AE doesn't mention things like the grippy tires or Recaro seats that were found on the concept, though.

Why Mazda did so well and Volvo so poorly in Consumer Reports survey

The poor performances of Tesla and all three domestic automakers got the headlines in Consumer Reports magazine's latest reliability survey, but there were other results that caught our interest. Tiny Mazda notched the biggest gain among the 29 brands included in this year's list, leap-frogging nine spots to No. 3. Buick, which was in the top 10 last year, fell 11 spots to No. 19, the biggest decline of any brand. And then there's Volvo, a brand often vaunted for its quality and reliability, dropping six spots to dead last. What gives? For starters, all three brands benefited or suffered in large part due to their relatively small portfolio of vehicles. So when raves or complaints rolled in for even one particular model, as was often the case, it weighed heavily on the entire brand. That's especially true when it involves a relatively high-volume, hot-selling model such as the Buick Enclave (more on that in a moment). Mazda fared as well as it did despite the CX-3 losing Consumer Reports' influential "recommended" status due to problems with its climate system, including leaks from the condenser and refrigerant unit that triggered a service bulletin from the automaker in late 2016. Deputy auto editor Jon Linkov said that scratch didn't hurt the overall brand, since the CX-9 crossover and MX-5 Miata both jumped up to replace it on CR's list of newly recommended vehicles, thanks to several back fixes Mazda made to both models. For Buick, the redesigned Enclave SUV earned a "Much Worse Than Average" rating after owners reported problems with the new nine-speed automatic transmission it shares with the Chevrolet Traverse as well as some issues with the climate system. There were issues with rough shifting, plus complaints about the torque converter that necessitated fixes to the computer or outright replacement. "Again, similar stuff that we saw with the Traverse: both first-year vehicles, similar powertrains," LInkov said. He said all-new vehicles or redesigns typically fare poorly in CR's reliability survey due to issues that are hard to suss out before vehicles go into everyday use by consumers. The top-selling Encore and Envision fared well, Linkov said, but were outdone by the Enclave's problematic transmission components. The Enclave was Buick's second best-selling model through September at 35,227 units. Then there is Volvo, about which there is one word to sum up its woes: infotainment.

Mazda working on lithium-ion batteries to replace lead-acid starter batteries

In the quest for ever better fuel economy, car companies are looking for every single advantage possible, no matter how small. This is evident in everything from active grille shutters to the 48-volt mild-hybrid electric assist systems like that in the new Ram 1500. For Mazda, the latest target for potential efficiency gains is the lowly 12-volt starter battery. The company announced that it is partnering with two other companies, ELIIY Power and Ube Industries, to develop a lithium-ion starter battery that would be used on mainstream models in place of conventional lead-acid units. Mazda plans to have them ready for use by 2021. The advantage here would be that 12-volt lithium-ion batteries would be much smaller and lighter than the lead-acid ones they replace. And lighter cars don't need as much fuel to move around. Plus, as an added benefit, making cars lighter also often makes them faster and better handling. This is why companies such as Lotus and Porsche have offered optional lithium-ion 12-volt batteries for some lightweight sports cars. A potential downside to the use of these batteries is increased cost. Lead-acid batteries from your local parts store will run you between $100 to $150. AGM batteries could be between $200 and $300. As for lithium-ion batteries, Lotus introduced the option on the Evora 400 in 2016, and the option cost $1,690. Odds are that a company such as Mazda won't be absorbing all those costs, meaning that the cost of these future Mazdas could increase with a change from lead-acid to lithium ion. Related Video: