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Car and Driver 10Best list cracked by Tesla Model S, BMW 3 Series left off

Car and Driver is keeping new blood pumping into its annual 10Best cars list with three new entries making it on for 2015 and a perennial favorite falling off. Among the biggest shocks this year is that the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series are no longer named, despite years of some portion of that lineup earning a mention. In another surprise, the Tesla Model S (specifically in S 60 trim to fit under the $80,000 cost cap) makes it to the 2015 roster and is the only electrically motivated member of the group. Despite the loss of the 3 Series, BMW isn't entirely shut out this year, because the M235i gets its name on the list. Car and Driver argues that the little coupe feels like a welcome throwback to the E46 chassis M3 of the early 2000s. In addition to the Model S, the final newbie to the annual group is the 2015 Ford Mustang GT. The inclusion of these new members knocks the Audi A6/A7 family and Ford Fiesta ST out from the 2014 rundown. The other seven models carry over from last year, including the Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Honda Accord, Mazda3, Mazda6, Porsche Boxster/Cayman and Volkswagen Golf/GTI. The 2015 10Best cars list certainly seems to have something for everyone from the hot hatch fan to the family man and even the green car driver, thanks to the addition of the Tesla. Head over to Car and Driver to read its detailed explanations for each vehicle's inclusion, but if you've got a difference of opinion or just really like the list, let us know in Comments. Featured Gallery Car and Driver 2015 10Best Cars List View 10 Photos News Source: Car and DriverImage Credit: Car and Driver, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Porsche, Tesla, Volkswagen Auto News BMW Cadillac Chevrolet Ford Honda Mazda Porsche Tesla Volkswagen Convertible Coupe Hatchback Performance Sedan 10Best

2019 Mazda3 fuel economy announced for AWD, hatchback models

Although Mazda engineers gave us fuel economy numbers for one configuration of 2019 Mazda3 at the car's Los Angeles debut, there were still a few versions left out. Now Mazda has released the data for every body style, drivetrain and transmission configuration. That includes the all-new all-wheel-drive iteration, which we will have a full review of this week. Discerning these numbers is a tad tricky since there are three powertrain combinations for each 2019 Mazda3 bodystyle, and they all get slightly different fuel economy. We've listed the different combinations in a chart below: There are a few key takeaways, the first being that the sedan is always the most efficient version of the Mazda3, likely because of better aerodynamics compared to the hatchback. Second, all-wheel drive will cost you fuel economy due to the extra weight of the axles and differential, and the added drag on the engine. Third, the most efficient versions of each body have the same fuel economy numbers as the outgoing Mazda3. The manual transmission-equipped Mazda3 has actually improved fuel economy over the old version by 2 mpg on the highway, and 1 in combined driving. Also worth noting is that only one trim level of the sedan is available with cylinder deactivation and front-wheel drive, and that's the top-level Premium trim. Opting for all-wheel drive on any trim or body style will come with an engine with cylinder deactivation. The hatchback is also the only Mazda3 available with a manual transmission, and it's only offered on the front-drive version.

Petrolicious lets a 1971 Mazda RX-2 howl

Rotary engines scream to the heavens in the best way possible. To hear a wonderful example of the Wankel's battle cry, turn up your speakers and watch Petrolicious highlight an immaculately clean 1971 Mazda RX-2 in Australia. Owner Jason Humble took three years to build his RX-2 from a bare shell, and he started competing with it in vintage racing in 2005. The little coupe's class pits it on track against Mustangs and Camaros, but Humble claims that he's regularly near the top of the pack thanks to the Mazda's communicative chassis. We don't get to see the RX-2 mixing things up on track in the Petrolicious video, but Humble does treat us to a drive through the Australian countryside. He's happy to let the coupe's rotary rev, and the little engine is capable of making a wonderful noise. It's great to see Petrolicious continue to give the spotlight to these sometimes overlooked classic Japanese sports cars.