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Mazda Vision Coupe | Tokyo Motor Show's big, sensuous 4-door

Mazda has been making a lot of noise recently about not giving up on the rotary engine. Enough that we started to think it might show a new epitrochoid-engined concept at this year's Tokyo Motor Show. But the brand is nothing if not surprising. Have you driven a CX-5 or a CX-9? Have you noted the real-world fuel economy in a Mazda3? Have you looked at a Miata RF? So instead of trotting out the latest in Wankel weirdness, today in its home market, the Mazda folks pulled the silk off of a stunning full-size four-door design concept, the somewhat inaptly named Vision Coupe. Known mainly for sporty and affordable small(ish) vehicles, Mazda hasn't really had an entry in this category since ... ever. Well, save for the staid and short-lived 929 of the '90s (and the rotary-powered, 7/8-scale Olds Cutlass, JDM-only Roadpacer of the '70s.) As customers flock to crossovers, it's not exactly a category brimming with vitality, at least in the American market — sales of the existing Mazda 6 are down in the States by nearly 25 percent this year, double the market average for cars. And this thing is bigger than that. But the decision is intentional and strategic in Mazda's mission to head upscale and focus on clean design — differentiators from its mass-market Japanese peers. "A big sedan has always been the symbol of a brand going premium. It's the icon of a brand," says Julien Montousse, Mazda North America's director of design. "It tells that Mazda is becoming serious in reaching that goal." Breaking even more conventions, while Mazdas generally are cohesive and well-rendered in their design, you would be hard-pressed to find one quite this sensuous. The Vision Coupe looks like an Aston Martin Rapide that has been placed in a sauna until its body-mass index has whittled down to marathoner levels, and then scalloped and stripped of any unnecessary ornamentation, save for a kind of fingerprinted whorl in its side cove. It is elemental, at once planar and burnished, with the lovely long-hood/short-deck proportions of a classic front-engine, rear-wheel-drive grand tourer. Its interior is similarly edited, doing away with the proliferating screens of other vehicles in the category, utilizing instead a digital analog instrument panel and a sophisticated heads-up display that keeps a driver focused on the road and shows just what is deemed necessary, and nothing else.

First batch of 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miatas lands in US [w/video]

Have you been patiently awaiting the arrival of the all-new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata? Then we're glad to report that your patience has paid off. In fact, even if you haven't been so patient, we're still glad to report that the wait is finally over, as the first batch of the new Japanese roadsters has arrived on American soil. The initial batch of several hundred MX-5s arrived at the port of San Diego from the factory in Hiroshima on board the Phoenix Leader, a 636-foot vehicle carrier ship registered in Panama and operated by Japanese shipping giant NYK Lines. The vehicles are currently being processed at the SoCal port, with deliveries to commence "in the next several weeks," according to Mazda in the brief statement below. The fourth-generation Miata, designated generation ND, mad its global debut at the Paris Motor Show, and its US debut at the LA Auto Show. Production commenced in Japan this past March. The new roadster arrives in US showrooms with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (the smaller 1.5 kept away from these shores), a six-speed manual (replacing the previous five-cogger), a folding soft roof (no retractable hard top this time), and a starting MSRP of $24,915 (plus an $820 destination charge). That, of course, is for the base Sport model, with higher-spec Club and Grand Touring trims also on offer. Along with the images above, you can watch footage of the vehicles driving off the ship in the video below. Might we recommend, however, muting the cheesy soundtrack and playing something more suitable over it instead. Neil Diamond's (Coming to) America ought to do the trick... today! This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Mazda Welcomes the First Shipment of All-New 2016 MX-5s Mazda North American Operations today welcomed the first shipment of the all-new 2016 MX-5s. They will begin their port processing procedures and deliveries will follow in the next several weeks. Featured Gallery 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata: US Arrival Mazda Convertible Performance mazda mx-5 san diego port

This is the 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF targa-roof fastback

We knew Mazda was going to introduce a new Miata variant ahead of the 2016 New York International Auto Show, but the smart money was on a power retractable hardtop version that largely mirrored the last-gen car's folding number. So it was a surprise when the new 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF – retractable fastback – drove onto the stage sporting wild buttresses and a hide-away targa roof panel. The buttresses lift up and swallow the rear window and roof panel in a matter of seconds, and then the buttresses snug back down. This leaves a hoop spanning the buttresses, but at least it's done up in black to be less visually apparent. The result is more of a targa roof experience, rather than the previous PRHT which gave occupants essentially the same experience as the soft-top with the top down. No matter. The result is stunning, and will differentiate the RF even more from the standard MX-5. Mazda designers took extra care to make sure the interface between the MX-5's dramatic fenders and the trailing edges of the roof support provided enough visual drama. Mission accomplished, we'd say. We can't take our eyes off that part of the car. View 13 Photos As you might expect, mechanical changes seem to be minor, although we'll be asking for detailed specs. Both the 1.5- and 2.0-liter engines will be available globally, but only the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine will be sold in the US. The roof can be operated at up to 6.2 mph. Mazda claims the truck space is unaltered from the soft-top model. We don't yet know how much, if any, the RF's mechanism adds to the bantamweight roadster, nor the premium it'll command. Expect those details closer to launch. Related Video: