2011 Mazda Mazda6 I Touring on 2040-cars

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Long Road Racing will build you the Miata that Mazda won't

One of the frustrating things about new cars today is that many features are exclusive to this trim level, or that package. Even the enthusiast-friendly Miata has many restrictions how you can configure one, which can make choosing one a bit tricky. You can't have the cheapest one or the leather-clad one with a limited slip differential, for example. And adding aftermarket parts on your own runs the risk of voiding your warranty. Long Road Racing, however, has a possible solution for creating the ideal, warranty-covered Miata. You may not be familiar with Long Road Racing, but you probably heard about one of its most-publicized products, the MX-5 Cup car. The car was developed by Mazda with the intention of creating a global spec series, and Mazda reports that about 140 of the cars have been sold so far. Every single one of those cars went to Long Road Racing to be specced out for racing before reaching their customers. So the company is familiar with the car, and has applied its expertise to its "Ultimate MX-5" program. The way the program works is, once you've purchased a 2016 or 2017 Miata, you can send it to the company to have it customized to your needs. The company has an extensive list of parts to choose from, all of which have been selected by the company to work well together. But if you need something outside of its offerings, or just need help choosing from the list, you can get in touch with the company to discuss how best to achieve your goals. Long Road Racing will also customize any trim level of Miata, and can even create a Miata Mazda didn't offer. For instance, you could have a Grand Touring with the leather interior, but also with the limited-slip differential and Brembo brakes from the Club model. All of these parts are fully warrantied by Long Road Racing for the length of the OEM warranty, and they don't void the factory warranty. We had the opportunity to try out a car customized by Long Road Racing at the M1 Concourse track in Pontiac, Mich. The car was there to sample alongside some of the MX-5 Cup cars as well as several of Mazda's stock road cars to drive on course. The road-going Long car started as a Grand Touring model, and it retains its heated leather seats and automatic climate control.

Mazda Miata getting i-ELOOP regenerative 'braking' in more markets

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is getting the company's i-ELOOP regenerative "braking" system in more overseas markets. A few months ago, the company announced it for the Japanese market, and this week it announced the U.K. will have the feature, too. This has us curious as to whether it will be offered on U.S. market Miatas. We've reached out to Mazda, and we'll update this story if and when we hear back. As a quick refresher, i-ELOOP is a system that was introduced here on the Mazda6 several years ago, and it adds a capacitor to store electricity generated by the alternator during deceleration (hence our earlier use of quotes around "braking") that can be used to run interior accessories such as the sound system and climate control. Then, with power coming from the capacitor, the alternator can be disengaged, improving the efficiency of the engine by reducing drag. And by using a capacitor rather than a battery, the system is more compact, lighter and able to recharge faster than a similarly capacious conventional battery. As for effectiveness, the Mazda6 with i-ELOOP managed to get about 5% more miles per gallon on the highway than one without, going from 38 mpg to 40 mpg. While not a massive improvement, it was a measurable, possibly noticeable one. Applying a similar gain to a Miata would increase fuel economy from 35 to nearly 36.75 mpg on the highway, based on the automatic-equipped car's numbers. The manual would go from 34 to nearly 35.7. The i-ELOOP system is standard on all new Miatas in the U.K., which includes the 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter engines with either the manual transmission or automatic. Strangely, only automatic-equipped cars get it in Japan. This means Mazda could offer it on both transmission options in the U.S. Probably the key consideration will be cost. The system, when it launched in the U.S., was only available on the most expensive Mazda6, and even then it was an extra-cost option. And looking at pricing for the U.K. Miata soft-top and comparing equivalent trim levels, the price has increased between GBP2,800 and GBP4,100. The new model does get some new standard safety features, too, but we expect the i-ELOOP system is a significant contributor. If it is offered in the U.S., it might only be available as an option, and possibly only on the more expensive trim levels to keep lower trims more affordable. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Tech of the Year special, plus we drive the hydrogen Mirai and more | Autoblog Podcast #809

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor James Riswick and Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. They kick the discussion off by talking about what they've been driving as of late, including the Toyota Mirai, Dodge Hornet, Alfa Romeo Tonale and a trio of subcompact SUVs. After that, they dive into a discussion about the 2023 Autoblog Technology of the Year award winner, which is Mercedes-Benz's Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio. Once they wrap up that segment, we get to hear the crew's latest Cybertruck takes from before the big reveal. Finally, the show wraps up with a fun Spend My Money segment. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #809 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 What we're driving 2023 Toyota Mirai 2023 Dodge Hornet 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale 2024 Chevy Trax 2024 Kia Seltos 2024 Mazda CX-30 Turbo Technology of the Year winner and breakdown News Cybertruck preview Spend My Money 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 Podcasts Alfa Romeo Chevrolet Dodge Kia Mazda Mercedes-Benz Toyota Technology Infotainment Technology of the Year Crossover SUV Electric Luxury Performance Sedan Podcasts