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2014 Mazda6 i Sport

In an automotive landscape dominated by platform sharing, technology exchange and any number of other cross-fertilization/cost-saving/amortization exercises, it's actually pretty rare that we get to drive a new car that is as "all-new" as this, the 2014 Mazda6. With brand-spanking new Skyactiv architecture throughout - engine, transmission, body and chassis all included - this 6 represents a new era of flexible production and cutting edge running gear for the happily lithe car company.
Our own Jonathon Ramsey did a cracking job of running the Mazda6 through its First Drive paces a few months ago, and sufficiently impressed upon us just how good looking a car this is for the midsize sedan segment. Suffice it to say, now, then, that this is easily the most interesting (and quite possibly the most beautiful) midsize sedan in the segment today. However, as Mr. Ramsey reviewed a fully contented example of the 6 - one equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission - we took advantage of Mazda's North American launch event of the car to suss out the base Mazda6 i Sport, complete with its six-speed Skyactiv manual gearbox. This may not shock you, but the stripper's pretty good, too.
Driving Notes

RingBanana Miata breaks 9-min Nurburgring barrier

The RingBanana is a cheap Mazda MX-5 Miata on a screaming mission: to lap the Nurburgring in under nine minutes. And let us emphasize the word "cheap." The team wanted the least expensive Miata they could find that still ran, and then wanted to spend the least amount of money possible in order to hit their target mark. We don't know how much they spent on the Ringbanana, but they were so indiscriminate about the purchase that they don't know what year the car is. They only know that it's got 90 horsepower, green springs, Fulda tires, and "it's completely crap." After setting a base lap of 9:21.8 the guys behind the project figured they'd have a fair bit of work. Turns out a new set of Kumho V70A semi-slick, road-legal race tires paired with Gabriel Pirana's driving is all they needed. With just that mod Pirana set a lap time of 8:59.9, and that was while having to deal with one spot of slow traffic that was getting around a stricken car. According to Wikipedia, this puts them between a 2010 Range Rover Sport Supercharged and a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt SS. Even though the team achieved its goal on its first attempt, the Ringbanana game isn't over – there's probably a suspension mod in the near future while the guys figure out just how quickly they can go. The video above does a good job of showing just how fun it can be driving a slow car fast.

Mazda3 with Skyactiv-X engine technology caught testing in the wild

Sometimes, automakers are fine with their mules coming under the watchful lenses of spy shooters. Proof of this can be seen plastered across the bodysides of the Mazda3 mule you see above. Clearly, Mazda wants the world to know that engineers are working hard on the company's so-called Skyactiv-X engine technology so badly that it's created a custom matte black vinyl wrap for its test mules. Clever. Expect to see this sweet new engine tech in the 2019 Mazda3. This SCCI, or Spark Controlled Compression Ignition system holds tremendous potential to boost the efficiency of gasoline-powered engines by 20-30 percent, thereby matching the fuel economy of a comparatively sized diesel engine. As an added bonus, torque figures are expected to jump a similar amount. Besides the placard-sized stickers, there isn't much to see here. The car is clearly a Mazda3 hatchback, though the fenders are punched out a bit and the fuel door is modified from stock. We'd wager that future prototypes will wear a lot more camouflage to cover up next-gen bodywork. In other words, stay tuned. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mazda3 Skyactiv-X: Spy Shots View 9 Photos Green Spy Photos Mazda Fuel Efficiency Technology Emerging Technologies Hatchback skyactiv mazda mazda3 skyactiv-x