2013 Mazda Mazda3 I Sv Sedan Automatic Cruise Ctrl 34k Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Latest Forza Motorsport 5 car pack leaves us scratching our head (in a good way) [w/video]

As we scrolled down the roster of the latest car pack for Forza Motorsport 5, the Hot Wheels Car Pack, our expression became bemused over the strange mix of vehicles that we now have at our disposal. This is quite unlike any of the other sets of DLC Turn 10 Studios has offered. Sure, there are the typical headliner cars – the Lamborghini Veneno and 2015 Audi S3 – that will appeal to the mainstream racing fan or auto enthusiast. But this latest car pack is so jammed full of nuggets of automotive weirdness that it's hard not to get excited. The Hot Wheels pack has no shortage of racers, with a particular focus on historical offerings. A 1939 Auto Union Type D covers the pre-war era of Formula One, while a 1967 Lotus 49 and a 1952 Ferrari 375 represent post-war racing. For a modern twist, a Mazda USF2000 car slots in below the Indy Lights car from the Nurburgring booster pack. From here, things get vintage and weird. There are a pair of delightfully offbeat coupes, in the form of a 1974 Toyota Celica GT and a 1973 Ford XB Falcon GT (here's hoping we get a vintage Holden Monaro in the future). Those two are joined by a 1956 Ford F-100, which your author already plans on converting into a dragster with vinyl flames down the side (because that's what all vintage pickups should be). The new ride we're most excited about, though, is the 1983 GMC Vandura G-1500. Yes, that's the van from The A-Team, and we're sure it will prove to be an excellent canvas for the artists of FM5 to cover with airbrushed, fire-breathing unicorns and mystical, gray-haired wizards (or just poorly painted letters that read "Free Candy"). This latest car pack is the final monthly car pack for FM5, although Turn 10 is quick to point out that while the monthly updates are over, there will still be new batches of cars made available to gamers. As for the Hot Wheels pack, it's available now on Xbox Live for $9.99. Scroll down for the press release from Turn 10 Studios, as well as a video of the newest additions to Forza Motorsport 5's vehicle roster. Forza Motorsport 5 Hot Wheels Car Pack Now Available Turn 10 Studios is bringing the Hot Wheels® Car Pack to "Forza Motorsport 5," available for download today. The pack features a collection of vehicles built from the ground up for the new generation that car fans can collect and customize while putting their virtual driving skills to the test.

2019 Mazda CX-5 to get 2.5-liter turbo and revised G-Vectoring

The 2019 Mazda CX-5 is getting Mazda's 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine if this supposed internal document from Reddit is correct. The user claims a salesperson showed him the document in question. In addition to the availability of the turbo engine, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto appear to be added onto every trim level. Do take note that the document says it's from Mazda Canada at the bottom, so that's why the trim levels don't have the same names as they do in the U.S. Another interesting mention in there is G-Vectoring Control Plus. We've had Mazda's G-Vectoring Control technology for a little while, but never has a car come out with the Plus moniker on there. Our best bet is Mazda has revised its original G-Vectoring system for 2019; we'll have to wait for official information to see what exactly changed though. At the top of the page Mazda lists "substantial visual changes to the interior" as one of the highlights. The biggest change we can find related to that is a seven-inch LCD display added to the gauge cluster on what would equate to the Grand Touring trim in the U.S. At least Canada — and maybe we too — seems to be getting a fourth trim level called "Signature." This will probably consist of more expensive materials used throughout and maybe a few bonus tech features over the Grand Touring. The page shared looks plenty legitimate, but it's still best to maintain some healthy skepticism. It's also from Canada, so there could be some slight variations between how those cars are equipped versus those coming stateside. We're excited to see the 2.5-liter turbo in the smaller CX-5, though. It should give that car the extra punch it needs to fend off faster rivals in the ever-expanding crossover segment. Featured video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mazda reports highest profits in its 94-year history

We may only be a third of the way through 2014, but for Japanese companies, March 31 marked the end of fiscal 2014, and it was a banner financial year for Mazda's global operations. The Japanese independent saw its highest global operating profits in its nearly 100-year history. Its global operating profits were up a huge 238 percent. Yes, a 238 percent increase over 2012 to 1.36 billion euros ($1.88 billion), eclipsing the brand's previous best year, 2008, by 12 percent. Net earnings, revenue and global sales volume also saw increases over the last fiscal year.
What's most impressive, though, is where Mazda saw improvement. The notoriously rough European market was rather kind to the Zoom-Zoom brand, where sales increased 25 percent to 163,000 units. That figure was bolstered by a 35-percent sales increase in Great Britain and a 20-percent jump in Germany, Europe's two largest markets. Japanese sales, meanwhile, were up a respectable 13 percent, to 244,000 units. In China, Mazda saw a 12 percent bump.
Notice we aren't talking about North American sales? That's because Mazda only saw a moderate, five-percent gain in the New World, with sales climbing to 391,000 units in the US, Canada and Mexico. This is particularly disappointing considering Mazda has launched three critically acclaimed products (CX-5, Mazda6 and most recently, Mazda3) for the North American market over the past two fiscal years. Still, it isn't a particular reason to be concerned, as IHS industry analyst Stephanie Brinley notes. "Five percent isn't terrible," Brinley told Autoblog, saying that Mazda should see a bump in 2014 as the Mazda3 picks up steam.