2005 Mazda Rx-8 Sports Coupe 4-door Orig. Owner, 9k Miles (yes, 9k).pearl White. on 2040-cars

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Farmer moves illegally parked car with tractor

Bad parking in London can get you a ticket or the boot, but bad parking in the West Country is treated in a more direct manner. One motorist learned this fact in early May when a video published by The Daily Mail showing a farmer moving a car with his tractor went viral. Lianne Dunn and Ally Boxall were out for a drive near Marksbury when they came upon a strange sight. Coming at them down the narrow country lane was a tractor with a red Mazda6 perched on its front-end loader attachment. One of the women pulled out her cell phone and filmed the odd scene while the other backed into a convenient driveway to let the tractor past. As the tractor trundled by with its load, they asked the young man guiding the driver what was going on. "They parked in this chap's drive," he said in his broad, West Country burr. "He asked us to move the car, nobody claimed it." When asked where the pair were taking the car, the unnamed farmer replied, "We're going to put it up on the main road. It's the police's problem then." The two women, obviously entertained by the spectacle, exchange a few more words with the young farmer before they finally drive off. "This is the best!" one of the women says as on the video. "Never piss a farmer off!" News Source: The Daily Mail, The Western Gazette Humor Weird Car News Mazda Nissan Driving Diesel Vehicles Sedan parking tractor farmer

2019 Mazda3 pricing starts at over $20,000, 2.5-liter engine standard

Pricing for the 2019 Mazda3 hatchback and sedan has been announced, and the base price has gone up by about $3,000. The new cheapest model is a front-drive, automatic Mazda3 sedan, and it starts at $21,895. The base Mazda3 now has the 186-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder as the standard engine, whereas the old model came with a 155-horsepower 2.0-liter engine and manual transmission as standard. Compared like-to-like, a 2018 Mazda3 in a similar spec would be slightly more expensive ($22,035) than the 2019 model. Opting for the hatchback on the base trim adds an additional level of equipment, with 18-inch wheels instead of 16-inch ones, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual automatic climate control, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. It also gets more safety equipment including blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, radar cruise control, automatic high-beams, automatic wipers and lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist. That all adds up to a $2,600 price increase over a base sedan. These features are available on the sedan for an extra $1,600 in the form of the Select package. For all other trims, opting for the hatchback adds $1,000. Higher trim levels add features such as better sound systems, real leather, a sunroof, heads-up display and power heated seats. In addition to pricing, Mazda revealed drivetrain options for the Mazda3, and they're not great for fans of manual transmissions. The Mazda3 hatchback with front-wheel drive and Premium trim is the only manual offering, and it starts at $28,395. On the upside, at least Mazda isn't relegating manual transmissions to the stripped out versions, but on the downside, there isn't a cheap manual option for those on a budget. And of course, if you want the sedan or all-wheel drive, the six-speed automatic is your only choice. Mazda has told us that it could match a manual with all-wheel drive, but clearly it doesn't see a market for that in the U.S. But like with the addition of the turbocharged Mazda6 and CX-5, if there's demand, such a combination could become available, but keep in mind the odds will still be slim. You can see the full breakdown of trims and prices below. The 2019 Mazda3 will be available in March.

Mazda revamping dealers with 'Retail Evolution'

Mazda introduced its Retail Revolution dealership design language 12 years ago, which focused on open-plan spaces, multimedia areas, and allowing customers to interact with the brand before needing to interact with a salesperson. Two years ago the carmaker started work on the next step in its dealership design, and the new language, called Retail Evolution, was unveiled at Mazda of Everett in Seattle, Washington. Aiming to make the Mazda brand feel more premium and increase dealer profits, it goes even further on the open-plan to create "a new level of business transparency." It's all done with a lot of black, white, raw wood, metal finishes, and a lot of glass. Mazda Lounges will offer free wi-fi, and digital displays will replace static photographs. So as not to hurt showrooms still recouping their investment in Retail Revolution, Mazda will work with dealers to figure out how best to update facilities, and the Retail Evolution has three tiers that can be adapted to particular locations. The press release is below, a couple of renderings are above. MAZDA ANNOUNCES ALL-NEW RETAIL EVOLUTION DEALERSHIP DESIGN Mazda of Everett Showcases First Ground-Up Retail Evolution Design IRVINE, Calif. (August 27, 2015) – Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced its all-new dealership design, dubbed "Retail Evolution", featuring an open concept floorplan that offers a new level of business transparency, and a look and feel enhanced through the use of natural materials that results in an even more upscale decor than the company's current popular Retail Revolution design. The first Retail Evolution dealership built from the ground up to this exacting standard will be Mazda of Everett in Seattle, Wash., opening today. "Thanks to our KODO design philosophy and suite of SKYACTIV technologies, our vehicle lineup has never been stronger. We are now able to take that groundbreaking design language and translate it into our dealership experience," said Jim O'Sullivan, president & CEO, MNAO. "Retail Evolution embodies the spirit and direction of the Mazda brand, while offering an upscale experience our customers expect and deserve." Clad in premium black, clean white, and featuring new chrome Mazda signage, the new Retail Evolution Mazda dealerships will provide dealers with strong curb appeal. New materials throughout the building give dealers an upscale look and feel with warm raw-material tones of wood and metal in the showroom.