1992 Mazda Miata Fm Turbo Sunburst on 2040-cars

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2016 Scion iA shows its face, for better or worse, in New York [w/video]

We have a theory that, among auto designers, there's something resembling Stockholm Syndrome. Designers spend so many hours looking at a single product that, after awhile, they can't help but fall in love with it, regardless of how bad it may look to everyone else. That might explain the appearance of the Scion iA, which while largely similar to the handsome Mazda2, replaces that car's attractive five-pointed grille with what could be described as a gaping maw. Fortunately, it's only the Scion grille that really causes any offense. The parts of the iA that have been left to Mazda designers are, as we said, rather handsome. That includes both the attractive rear and the Kodo-derived lines found in the tiny sedan's profile. The cabin, meanwhile, is well outfitted with standard equipment, including a seven-inch touchscreen display. Plastic is the dominant material, although the overall layout is logical and mostly attractive. Have a look at our live gallery of images of Scion's first-ever four-door sedan. Sports Sedan that Shouts Success All-New 2016 Scion iA Rolls Into New York With a Trunk - Brand's first-ever sedan with dramatically sporty look and agile moves - Estimated MSRP in the $16,000-range for well-equipped mono-spec model • High-spirited 1.5-liter engine; estimated 42 MPG highway - Choice of 6-speed stick shift or 6-speed automatic - Standard Low-speed Pre-collision safety system - Roomy cabin with premium amenities - 7-inch multimedia system with voice recognition NEW YORK, March 31, 2015 – Scion is expanding its line-up in more ways than one. In addition to adding a new vehicle to its stable, it's also adding its first-ever sedan, the remarkably sporty, yet very affordable, 2016 Scion iA. The Scion iA sedan joins the all-new 2016 Scion iM hatchback for a one-two punch in the subcompact and compact segments. The new sans-hatch Scion will arrive in dealerships this fall for an estimated MSRP in the $16,000-range. That's for a mono-spec model equipped with standard Low-speed Pre-collision safety system and 7-inch multi-media system with voice activation. Because Scion has a no hassle, no haggle Pure Price, customers walk out the door with the same price they saw posted in the dealership. "Dramatic" could be an understatement when describing the visual impact of the 2016 Scion iA. Beneath the daringly curved sheetmetal lies a tight, agile machine that re-defines "entry level." Call the design "class above," a term that applies throughout the car.

Mazda expands heritage parts program to include the iconic RX-7

Mazda has added two more cars to its heritage parts program. Joining the first-generation MX-5 Miata will be the second- and third-generation Mazda RX-7. It's something fans of Mazda's rotary sports car have demanded for years, and now Mazda is making good with its loyal fans. According to Japanese Nostalgic Car, the program was kicked off today in Japan with a list of 91 parts, 30 for the second-gen "FC3S" chassis and 61 for the third-gen "FD3S". The list is in Japanese and includes basic bits like bolts and washers, as well as vacuum hoses, seals, and bushings. Such rubber parts are typically the first to deteriorate with age and can be difficult to find in the aftermarket. There's even a throttle position sensor for the FD3S. Mazda says more parts will be added as time goes on. The MX-5 has a catalog of 1,100 parts, so there's room for the RX-7 program to grow. There's no word on whether the program will be expanded to full restoration, as Mazda does with the MX-5 or like the program Nissan announced last week for the Skyline GT-R. Mazda also offers the Miata parts in the United States, but it's unknown whether the remanufactured RX-7 parts will cross the Pacific. However, Japanese Nostalgic Car notes that there are 24,000 RX-7s registered in Japan. Sales of the premium sports car were a fraction of that of the Miata, so it would make financial sense to send some parts our way. The Mazda RX-7 was a flagship of the Mazda brand for decades before its discontinuation in 1995 (2002 in Japan). Though known for its commitment to lightness and stellar handling, it's centerpiece technology was Mazda's rotary engine, making it a unique entry in the sports car world. It also has a rich motorsports provenance, having won over 100 IMSA races. The FC3S was sold in the United States from 1986-92 and a favorite of early tuners and drift racers, which means many were destroyed, making good examples quite rare now. The 1993-95 FD3S, famed for its sequential turbo and stunning design, has been appreciating as a collectible classic in recent years. Looks like they might be a bit easier to restore now.

Junkyard Gem: 1991 Mercury Capri XR2

Just a year after the Mazda MX-5 Miata first went on sale in the United States, Ford's Mercury Division began selling a similarly-priced two-seat convertible here. This was the 1991-1994 Mercury Capri, and I've found an example of the hot-rod turbocharged version in a northeastern Colorado car graveyard. The Capri name has an illustrious history within the Ford Empire. First used on a Lincoln in 1952, it went on to serve as the name for a hardtop version of the early-1960s Ford Consul in the UK, then as the designation for a low-end trim level on the 1966-1967 Mercury Comet. Starting in the 1969 model year in Europe (1970 in North America), Ford began selling the best-known Capri of all: a sporty coupe based on the Cortina, sold through Mercury dealers in the United States but never badged as a Mercury here. Sales of that Capri halted here after 1978 (they continued through 1986 in Europe), but the Mercury Division then moved the name over to its version of the 1979-1986 Ford Mustang. After that, Ford Australia took the Capri name for a new Mazda 323-based sports car beginning in 1989. Then Dearborn decided that an Americanized version of the Australian Capri would be a success on this side of the Pacific, and left-hand-drive Capris began showing up in American Mercury showrooms in late 1990. Today's Junkyard Gem is one of those first-model-year cars, and it's the very rare turbocharged XR2 version. While this car was intended to be a competitor for the Miata, it's really that car's Mazda cousin. Both cars got their power from 1.6-liter versions of Mazda's versatile B engine, though the Capri had the same front-wheel-drive setup as its 323/Protege (and Escort/Tracer) platform siblings. At the same time, Ford was selling Kia-built Mazdas with Festiva (and, a bit later, Aspire) badging, alongside Mazda MX-6s with Probe badges. Just to make things interesting, American Mazda dealers were selling Ford Explorers as Mazda Navajos, while Rangers with Mazda badges followed starting in 1994. The 1990s were Mazda-riffic times at Ford! This car wasn't the first Australian-designed, Mazda-based Ford product sold in the United States. That honor belongs to the 1988-1989 Mercury Tracer, which was based on the same Mazda 323 platform as the Capri and built in Mexico. Later on, the Tracer remained a member of the 323 chassis family but was a nearly identical twin to its Ford Escort sibling.