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Takashi Yamanouchi to retire as Mazda chairman

Takashi Yamanouchi has been with Mazda for a long time. He signed on with the Japanese automaker in April 1967 - one month after graduating from Keio University - and rose through the ranks over the years. By 1996 he was named to the company's board of directors. In 2008 he was named president and CEO, an office he held until 2013, after which he handed over the day-to-day reins to Masamichi Kogai and took up the seat at the head of the board room to serve as the company's chairman. But now, after 47 years working for Mazda, Yamanouchi-san is retiring at the age of 69.
During his tenure as CEO and then as chairman, Yamanouchi was credited with growing Mazda's business despite unfavorable fluctuations in exchange rates, opening the company's first plant in Mexico, and spearheading the development of Mazda's Skyactiv technologies and Kodo design language.
In his place, current vice chairman Seita Kanai will take over as chairman. The changing of the guard will take place after the annual shareholders' meeting on June 24.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata shows off perfect 50/50 weight balance

When I attended the first drive event for the Japanese-spec 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata in Spain earlier this year, I was blown away – and not just by the car. I was blown away by the charts and graphs Mazda's engineers brought along, showing how every little facet of the ND Miata was finely tuned for pure driving perfection. It's like rocket science. Only cooler. One of the most important parts of the Miata package is its weight distribution. The 2,332-pound roadster must achieve a perfect 50/50 balance, with a driver inside. That's not easy. But it has to be done. Only the best for the Miata. In this video, Mazda shows off the Miata's balance by putting it on an aluminum balance beam, to see if the car stays perfectly centered. You can probably guess the outcome, but watching it all take place is super cool, especially with commentary by Mazda engineer Dave Coleman and MX-5 program manager Rod McLaughlin. How does the 50/50 balance help the Miata's handling out on the road? You'll have to wait until the embargo on driving impressions for the US-spec car lifts. We'll have the full scoop at 3:01 AM Eastern on Monday, June 1. In the meantime, get a sneak preview of the new Miata in the video below. Autoblog readers got a closer look at the 2016 MX-5 at our Cars & Coneys meet-up, and as you can see, the excitement for this car is definitely real.

Mazda MX-5 Miata goes Head 2 Head with Subaru BRZ

It's a battle that's been in the making for some time now: the Subaru BRZ versus the Mazda MX-5 Miata. And now that the new Miata has arrived – and in Club spec to boot – that's exactly what Motor Trend has lined up for its latest episode of Head 2 Head. Now before you go screaming that one's a coupe and the other a convertible, take a few commonalities into account. Roofs aside, both feature a 2.0-liter four mounted up front, driving the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. Both are made by Japanese automakers and cost around $25-30k, give or take. Both produce around the same amount of torque, and while the Subaru may be more powerful, the Mazda's considerably lighter. To create a more even contest, then, you'd have to line a BRZ up against a Scion FR-S, or the MX-5 against the upcoming Fiat version of the same. Of course, being that close on paper doesn't mean that it's a draw. One has to come out on top. And after taking both along country roads and the Streets of Willow racing circuit, our friends at MT have picked one over the other. You'll want to watch the 22-minute video above (or at least skip ahead to the end) to see which came out on top, but if you're as enthused by a purist driver's car as we are, you'll enjoy every minute of it. News Source: Motor Trend via YouTube Mazda Subaru Convertible Coupe Economy Cars Performance Videos motor trend mazda mx-5 head 2 head