2010 Mazda 3 S Grand Touring Hatchback 2.5l- Excellent Condition-6 Speed Manual on 2040-cars

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Super-rare Mazda MX-5 Miata coupe pops up for sale

It's somehow fascinating that one of the most interesting developments of Mazda's MX-5 Miata roadster is the one that isn't a roadster at all. Unlike the NC and ND generations with retractable power hardtops, the second-generation NB Miata got a special coupe version with a fixed roof, done in the style of the first-generation coupe concept. We're talking very limited production numbers: just 179 of these NB coupes were made, and they were all Japanese-market models, so it's not often that one comes up for sale. Except now. Itself even more of a limited-edition car, this sportier Type S version residing in Hong Kong and advertised on Pistonheads is one of just 63 made. It's right-hand-drive, as both its Japanese market origins and Hong Kong regulations dictate, and out of the available engine variations it comes with the 1840cc unit and a six-speed manual gearbox. What's more, despite its low 30,000 miles, the 2004 fixed-roof Miata is said to be fully overhauled and restored to as-new condition. We can't imagine those coupe-specific parts such as glass and trim are easy to source, so with these extremely rare cars it's probably best to go with the best condition example you can find, if you can find one to begin with. Rust hits all old Miatas at some point. With that backdrop, the GBP30,000 ($38,700) asking price doesn't seem all that unreasonable. With the Miata's enormous enthusiast base, there are now aftermarket solutions that imitate the flowing lines of the rare factory coupe, but they do lack the strengthening that Mazda's specialty skunkworks shop put in these — and the body-stiffening roof adds a mere 22 pounds to the car's dainty overall weight. For some lucky Miata hobbyist, this particular red coupe might be the crown jewel of their roadster collection. Related Video:

Toyota, Honda, Nissan and more collaborating to increase fuel efficiency

Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Suzuki and Daihatsu have announced an alliance that will see a push to improve fuel economy from both gas-powered and diesel-powered engines by as much as 30 percent before the end of the decade.
The newly assembled Research Association of Automotive Internal Combustion Engines put the roughly $20-million project together, with the Japanese government committing to half the cost while the eight manufacturers will chip in the rest.
According to Automotive News, the automakers will team up and share basic research on internal-combustion engines in a bid to cut costs. Eventually, the results of the research will find its way into a production vehicle, although it's unclear just when we'll see the fruits of this partnership on the road.

Automakers want to stop the EPA's fuel economy rules change, and why that's a shortsighted move

With a Trump Administration looming, the EPA moved quickly after the election to propose finalizing future fuel economy rules last week. The auto industry doesn't like that (surprise), and has started making moves to stop the EPA. Ford CEO Mark Fields said he wanted to lobby Trump to lower the standards, and now the Auto Alliance, a manufacturer group, is saying it will join the fight against cleaner cars. The Alliance represents 12 automakers: BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, GM, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Toyota, VW, and Volvo. Gloria Bergquist, a spokesperson for the Alliance, told Automotive News that the "EPA's sudden and controversial move to propose auto regulations eight months early - even after Congress warned agencies about taking such steps while political appointees were packing their bags - calls out for congressional action to pause this rulemaking until a thoughtful policy review can occur." The EPA was going to consider public comments through April 2017, but then said it would move the deadline to the end of December. That means that it can finalize the rules before President Obama leaves office. The director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America, Jack Gillis, said on a conference call with reporters last week when the EPA originally announced its decision that it is unlikely that President Trump will be able to roll back these changes. Gillis also said on the same call that any attempt by the automakers to prevent these changes would be history repeating itself. "These are the same companies that fought airbags, and now promoting the fact that every car has multiple airbags," he said. "These are the same companies that fought the crash-test program, and now are promoting the crash-test ratings published by the government. So, it's clear that they're misperceiving the needs of the American consumer." There are more reasons the Allliance's pushback is flawed. Carol Lee Rawn, the transportation program director for Ceres, said on that call that the automotive industry is a global one, and many automakers are moving to global platforms to help them meet strict fuel economy rules around the world.