1992 Mazda Miata Convertible-automatic Transmission on 2040-cars

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Mazda concept probably previews the next Mazda3 at the Tokyo show

This year's Tokyo Motor Show is shaping up to be an interesting one, with a Nismo Leaf, Mitsubishi e-Evolution concept, and a pair of interesting Toyota concepts already lined up. Now Mazda is joining with its own big reveal of two concepts. One is a design concept that will give us an idea of where the company is heading, and another is all but guaranteed to be our first look at the new Mazda3. There are a few reasons we say that one of these concepts has to be the next Mazda3. One is the fact that Mazda says it's a concept planned for production. The company also describes it as "a compact hatchback that fuses next-generation technology and design," and it uses the new Skyactiv-X spark-controlled compression ignition engine and "Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture." Plus, just looking at the teasers, the design is a clear evolution of the current Mazda3 hatchback. It looks as though the hood and roofline curve a bit more, and some of the sharp creases of the current car have been smoothed out. The other concept Mazda is bringing to the Tokyo Motor Show seems to be just that, a concept. Mazda says it's just a design concept meant to exhibit how other Mazdas will look. Apparently it's a continuation of the company's current "Kodo" design language. Based on the teaser image, the car appears to be a sedan and consists mainly of clean, elegant curves, with hardly a crease anywhere except the edge of the trunk. The elegant lines are reminiscent of the RX-Vision concept, just with a couple extra doors and a different color. Mazda will have a couple of other new vehicles on display in Tokyo as well. The company will show the Japan-only CX-8 three-row crossover and a special-edition Roadster (Miata) Red Top edition. We presume it's a Miata with a red soft top. Stay tuned for more details from the full reveal. Related Video:

Meet our new long-term 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club!

We have a new Miata! For a year! And yeah, we're excited about it. This adorable roadster was added to our fleet over a month ago, but we've just now stopped driving it long enough to tell you about it. You can watch our unboxing video for this new long-termer above. (Spoiler alert: The car in the box is a Miata.) Then read a little more about which options and features we chose and why. What we got We chose the mid-line Club model because it's the only way to get the suspension with Bilstein shocks, the limited-slip differential, and a shock-tower brace. Club also includes an appearance package with a front air dam, side sill extensions, a rear bumper skirt, and a ip spoiler for the trunk. We chose Ceramic Metallic paint because it's white and silver and awesome all at once. The only option we chose is the Brembo/BBS Package. In addition to the upgraded brake system and 17-inch wheels alluded to by the title, this package adds Mazda's advanced keyless entry – you can unlock the doors and start the car without taking the key-thing out of your pocket. The MSRP for the car is $32,835. What we skipped The Grand Touring trim (too fancy), the automatic transmission (too few pedals), and extra-cost red paint (not ceramic enough). Grand Touring adds lots of convenience stuff like rain-sensing wipers and auto climate, some active safety systems, and leather. We wanted the upgraded chassis instead, and we' were trying to save some (hypothetical) money. Why we got it Because it's a Miata, and we like fun. The plan is to drive the bleep out of it for a year and report on the experience along the way. We'll take it to a track or two, keep the top down as far into winter as possible, and then slap some snow tires on it to continue . Maybe at a slight angle relative to straight-ahead at times. We'll see. If you have questions about this car, leave them in the comments below and we'll address as many as we can during the coming months. Miata! Related Video:

Mazda recalls 374,500 vehicles because of Takata inflators

The Basics: Mazda will recall 374,519 examples of the 2003-2008 Mazda6 manufactured from May 29, 2002, to May 5, 2008; the 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 built from July 1, 2005, to June 29, 2007; and the 2004 RX-8 made from June 25, 2003, to June 30, 2003. The Problem: These vehicles contain front passenger airbag inflators from Takata that could rupture in a crash. If this happens, it could spray metal shrapnel at an occupant, which could seriously injure or even kill the person. Injuries/Deaths: The report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration didn't mention injuries or deaths, but Autoblog reached out to Mazda for confirmation. Takata's rupturing inflators allegedly have links to nine deaths globally and around 100 injuries. The Fix: Mazda dealers will replace the passenger side airbag with a new one. If You Own One: Mazda has not said when the replacements for these vehicles will begin. Experts believe that prolonged exposure to high humidity can cause the inflators' ammonium nitrate propellant to ignite too quickly in an accident. More Information: This recall is a nationwide expansion of Mazda's passenger's side airbag recall, which was previously limited to high-humidity regions. The population now includes 310,592 additional examples of the Mazda6, Mazda spokesperson Tamara Mlynarczyk tells Autoblog. The company discovered this new issue after Takata tested an inflator taken from a Mazda6, and it ruptured, according to NHTSA documents (PDF). The company already had a national safety campaign to fix the driver's side airbags in these vehicles. Related Video: RECALL Subject : Passenger Air Bag Inflator May Rupture Report Receipt Date: DEC 23, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V869000 Component(s): AIR BAGS Potential Number of Units Affected: 374,519 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) MAZDA MAZDA6 2003-2008 MAZDA MAZDASPEED6 2006-2007 MAZDA RX-8 2004 Details close Manufacturer: Mazda North American Operations SUMMARY: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured May 29, 2002, to May 5, 2008, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles manufactured July 1, 2005, to June 29, 2007, and a limited production of model year 2004 RX-8 vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, to June 30, 2003. The inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.