1996 Mazda Miata (extremely Clean) on 2040-cars

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Junkyard Gem: 1985 Mazda 626 Sedan

Mazda began selling cars in the United States all the way back in the late 1960s, with the Cosmo Sport 110S, and many interesting(ly strange) Wankel-powered machines followed, but they eventually gave way to much more conventional piston-powered cars such as the the original 626 that the ex-cork-making company from Hiroshima offered here starting in 1979. That car didn't sell so well, though it looked good and boasted build quality as good as the better-known Japanese brands. Starting with the 1983 model year, a new 626 with front-wheel-drive appeared here, with production continuing through 1987. That car did a better job at luring buyers away from Nissan and Toyota showrooms, but examples are nearly nonexistent today. Here's one of those cars, found in a Colorado yard overseen by Pikes Peak. Just as the GLC became the 323, which became the Mazda3 (after first dabbling with the Protege name), the 626 eventually became the Mazda6 (with coupes badged as MX-6s or Ford Probes for a while in the late 1980s through middle 1990s). The last year for the 626 name here was 2002. This one made it well past the 200,000-mile mark, which was serious stuff for a mid-1980s car (yes, I've found some Toyotas of the same era that doubled that figure and a couple of Mercedes-Benzes that tripled it). The 2.0-liter straight-four in the 1985 626 made 84 horsepower. Not great, but good enough for a 2,500-pound car in that period. Once BMW started adding the "i" to the designation of fuel-injected cars during the late 1970s, everybody else jumped on board the moment they ditched the carburetor. The 626 and subsequent Mazda6 held onto the manual transmission all the way until the 2018 model year, though finding a 6 from the last decade with three pedals in North America is an unusual happenstance. This car even has the optional air conditioning, something that was still considered a rich-people-only luxury by a large swathe of the American car-buying public in 1985. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Do you think the only way to get into a serious road car is to empty your bank account and buy something from the Black Forest? Not so, according to James Garner! This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In its homeland, this car was pitched as highly opulent. This content is hosted by a third party.

Driving the Maserati MC20 and BMW i7 | Autoblog Podcast #802

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. They're amped up about the BMW i7 and Maserati MC 20 they've all been driving. They also opine about the BMW M3 CS and 2024 Ford Mustang. The Japan Mobility Show (formerly Tokyo Motor Show) is coming up, and there have been some interesting reveals and teasers, including the Nissan Hyper Urban and Hyper Adventure concepts, some neat kei car concepts from Daihatsu, a Miata-inspired EV concept from Mazda and an electric sports coupe concept from Subaru. Finally, they discuss the wild situation surround last weekend's Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #802 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2023 BMW i7 2023 Maserati MC20 2024 BMW M3 CS 2024 Ford Mustang GT Japan Mobility Show preview Nissan Hyper Urban and Hyper Adventure concepts Daihatsu kei car concepts Possible next-gen Mazda Miata Subaru electric sports car Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix recap Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: Green Motorsports Podcasts Tokyo Motor Show BMW Ford Maserati Mazda Nissan Subaru

Toyota, Mazda partner to build EVs at new $1.6 billion U.S. plant

TOKYO — Toyota and Mazda plan to build a $1.6 billion U.S. assembly plant, the two said on Friday, as part of an alliance that will also see the Japanese automakers jointly develop electric vehicle technologies. The two will take small stakes in each other as part of the tie-up: Toyota, the world's second-largest automaker by vehicle sales last year, will take a 5 percent share of Mazda, extending its dominance in Japan's auto sector. Mazda will take a 0.25 percent share of its larger rival. The plant, something of a surprise at a time of overcapacity in the U.S. market, will be a boost to U.S. President Donald Trump, who campaigned on promises to increase manufacturing and expand employment for American autoworkers. The plant will be capable of producing 300,000 vehicles a year, with production divided between the two automakers, and employ about 4,000 people. It will start operating in 2021. The electric vehicles cooperation, meanwhile, comes as the tightening of global emissions regulations prompts more automakers to develop battery powered cars, as the industry struggles with hefty research costs and intense competition from technology companies over technology like self-driving cars. As part of the agreement, Toyota and Mazda will also work together to develop in-car information technologies and automated driving functions. Toyota, Japan's biggest auto company, has been forging alliances with smaller Japanese rivals for several years, effectively engineering a loose consolidation of the Japanese auto sector. It already owns a 16.5 percent stake in Subaru, Japan's No. 6 automaker, with which it also has a development partnership. Toyota is also courting compact car maker Suzuki to cooperate on R&D and parts supply as Toyota seeks to tap its smaller rival's expertise in emerging Asian markets. A stake in Mazda may also prevent future incursions by tech companies, one analyst said. "For a technology company which lacks the expertise in making cars, Mazda could look like a very interesting acquisition. They're very good, they're not too expensive. Maybe Toyota realizes this," CLSA managing director Chris Richter said. "By buying a 5 percent stake, Toyota takes Mazda off the table rather than having it sit out there like a free agent which could someday be used against them." COROLLA PRODUCTION SHIFT Mazda stands to gain from a deal that gives the small automaker a production foothold in the United States.