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Britain's BBR already promising 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata with 200+ horsepower

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is one of Autoblog's most anticipated cars to drive this year, and with good reason. Thanks to svelte, angular styling, the promise of less weight, the possibility of more power and all at a fairly affordable price, it represents pure, automotive enjoyment. Mazda is still not saying exactly how much power the new Miata's 2.0-liter Skyactiv four-cylinder engine will make, but that isn't keeping British tuner BBR from already working out how to squeeze even more ponies from the mill – potentially as much as 200 horsepower with natural aspiration. The company bought a Mazda3 for access to its 2.0-liter Skyactiv and went to work on it. "Our objective with the all-new MX-5 is to achieve the same 200 bhp output that we can easily enjoy with simple bolt-on components on the current 2.0-litre NC model, before building on further power upgrades using forced induction," said Neil McKay of BBR in the company's release. The 3's version of the engine is rated at 155 hp and 150 pound-feet of torque but is expected to be tuned for additional grunt for the droptop. Still, it gives BBR something to experiment with before the real thing is available. The tuner also got the opportunity to take a look at a pre-production 2016 Miata and is already developing "subtle bodywork alterations" for the upcoming convertible. You can get a taste for the company's plans with the rendering above. It sports tinted lights, a front lip spoiler, lower side sills and a tiny rear spoiler. Scroll down to read more about BBR's plans in the official announcement. BBR UNVEILS STUNNING 200 BHP ALL-NEW MAZDA MX-5 CONCEPT Despite deliveries not scheduled to begin until July, legendary Mazda performance tuner BBR is making great progress with both its visual concept and powertrain development for the all-new MX-5. "A program of detailed performance enhancements has already commenced at our Brackley base," says BBR's Neil Mckay, "thanks to our investment in a 2.0-litre Skyactiv powered Mazda 3. Our objective with the all-new MX-5 is to achieve the same 200 bhp output that we can easily enjoy with simple bolt-on components on the current 2.0-litre NC model, before building on further power upgrades using forced induction." Having viewed a pre-production version of the car BBR is also working hard on visual enhancements to add more presence to the svelte lines of the all-new MX-5.

Mazda CX-5 facelift leaks online

It's only been a couple of years since Mazda introduced its CX-5 crossover, so it's hardly in need of replacement just yet. But to keep it fresh, the Japanese automaker is apparently preparing to roll out a facelift for the compact crossover.
The facelifted model is expected to debut at the LA Auto Show later this month, but before it does, a handful of images - apparently scanned from a brochure - have leaked out online. From what we can see, it looks like the revised CX-5 features a new grille with horizontal bars, LED headlamps derived from those on the new Mazda2, new fog light surrounds, new taillight graphics and, of course, new wheels.
Unfortunately we can't see what's going on inside, but it'd be safe to bet that, along with the revised exterior detailing, Mazda's probably taken the opportunity to update the interior as well.

2020 Mazda CX-9 gets more torque and second-row captain's chairs

The 2020 Mazda CX-9 is here, and it’s even more enticing than the 2019 model year SUV. ItÂ’s not a full redesign, but Mazda shook up the features list to make it more competitive with other three-row crossovers. Most notable (arguably) of all changes comes from a small increase in torque — the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gets bumped from 310 pound-feet of torque to 320 pound-feet. Horsepower remains the same at 250 horses. Those figures are only applicable when using 93 octane fuel. They go down to 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque when on 87. Another new feature is an off-road traction assist button, replacing the traction control button. This new feature is meant to help when navigating rougher terrain. HereÂ’s how Mazda describes its function: “When the diagonal wheels lose traction, off-road traction assist will stop reducing the engine torque and increases the brake force on the wheels without traction. This transfers power to the wheels still on the ground to help allow the vehicle to regain traction and continue the drive.” WeÂ’ll be interested to see how this helps the CX-9 on a snowy Michigan winter day soon. The number of standard features on the base Sport trim is up, too. Now all CX-9s get heated front seats, a power driverÂ’s seat, rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated outside mirrors and auto high-beams. Additionally, Mazda made its full suite of i-Activsense safety features standard. This includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and other driver assistance niceties. Mazda is also adopting the new key fob design of the Mazda3 for the CX-9. Optional on the Touring and Grand Touring are second-row captainÂ’s chairs. Previously, Mazda only offered bench style seating for the CX-9, so this addition could be a huge turn-on for some folks in this segment. The chairs have armrests, and the lack of a center pull-down means Mazda had to redesign its cupholder layout in back. In CX-9s equipped with the chairs, the cup holders and USB ports are now integrated into the backside of the front center console. If you opt for the captainÂ’s chairs in the Grand Touring or Signature trims, the seats are heated.  Pricing does increase a fair amount for the 2020 CX-9. A base front-wheel drive Sport is now priced at $34,835 including destination, a $1,510 increase from last yearÂ’s base price. The top of the range only got $750 more expensive, though, as the Signature starts at $47,160.