Mazda S Grand Touring 272 Hp V-6 Fire Glow Red on 2040-cars

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Mazda engineer explains why there won't be a Mazdaspeed3

When Mazda put the new, beautiful Mazda3 on its stand at last year's L.A. Auto Show, it didn't take long before someone asked about a Mazdaspeed3. It took even less time for the Japanese automaker's new global boss, Akira Marumoto, to cite his company's small size and say, " [My] answer would be no." During first drives of the compact hatch last month, Road & Track asked Mazda development vehicle engineer Dave Coleman what Mazda would need in order to resurrect an MPS version. Coleman detailed a few reasons for the Mazdaspeed's continued hiatus, the prohibitive cost foremost. But another hitch is that the Mazdaspeed we'd get now isn't the Mazdaspeed enthusiasts would want. Coleman told the magazine, "If we had an engine on the shelf that would fit that properly, then we could talk." But the price to develop an engine and supporting hardware to do the car right isn't in the budget for an automaker of Mazda's size. Perhaps more important, though, present-day Mazda wouldn't — and couldn't — whip up another raw, rapid hatch. The competition, and consumers, have changed. "Even the Mazdaspeed 3, in its last iteration, came out as raw as it did due to the constraints," Coleman said, and today's market won't put up with that kind of buzzy, excitable uncouth anymore. The question is, even if Mazda had the money, do the buyers pining for a zoom-zoomier Mazda3 want the mature, composed hot hatch they'd be offered? Head over to Road & Track to read Coleman's take on the matter, and how he lays out the gap that would swallow any potential MPS as, "What you think you want is rawness. What you really want is responsiveness and directness." Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Japan carmakers vouch for safety of some Kobe Steel parts

TOKYO — Four Japanese automakers on Thursday said they found no safety issues with aluminum parts supplied by Kobe Steel Ltd, allaying some concerns that falsified quality data on products from the steelmaker had compromised their vehicles. Kobe Steel shares surged after the car makers' statements, but the steelmaker still has to contend with a U.S. Justice Department probe, while checks continue at hundreds of companies involved in complex supply chains spanning the globe. Japan's third-biggest steelmaker admitted earlier this month it falsified specifications on the strength and durability of aluminum, copper and steel products, along with materials for optical disks. The falsifications stretch back for more than 10 years, a senior executive told Reuters this week. Since then, global automakers, aircraft companies and other manufacturers have scrambled to identify potential hazards in their products. Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda said that hoods and other exterior parts used in their cars which were made from aluminum directly supplied by Kobe Steel were safe. Kobe Steel shares ended the day nearly 7 percent higher but are still down by more than a third since it announced the data falsification. Automakers are still making checks on other parts, including those that they received through their parts suppliers. "We confirmed that the materials satisfy applicable statutory standards, and our own internal standard, for key safety and durability requirements for vehicles," Toyota said in a statement. Toyota, one of the world's largest automakers, identified aluminum plates supplied by Kobe Steel for the hoods and rear hatches of Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles. Though outside the automaker's specifications, they were still safe to use. While Subaru and other carmakers said they were still investigating the issue, the announcements by Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda suggest that Kobe Steel's cheating scandal may have a limited impact on product safety."SERIOUS SITUATION" Nonetheless, the company's fate hangs in the balance while checks are being carried out. It must report to Japan's industry ministry by around the end of next week on any safety concerns and provide a more extensive account of the problems a fortnight later. Industry leaders have reached a consensus that Kobe Steel is in a "serious situation," a senior Japanese manufacturing executive told Reuters.

Mazda rolls out unlimited mileage warranty in Canada

Cold weather might be starting to grip parts of Canada, but our neighbors to the north are going to be able to drive their 2015 Mazda cars and utilities from Vancouver to Montreal with a little more peace of mind. That's because Mazda Canada is instituting an unlimited mileage warranty for its new models.
The updated plan starts with all 2015 model year vehicles (even those already sold), and the scheme simply removes that distance limit on everything but the emissions defect coverage. That means that the Mazdas have one year of service adjustments, three years of new vehicle coverage, five years on the powertrain, seven years against corrosion and three years of roadside assistance for as many kilometers as the owner drives.
The change removes at least one, tiny piece of anxiety about buying a new vehicle because it's easy to know when the coverage ends. "By offering our customers an Unlimited Mileage Warranty, we believe it will enhance their ownership experience by alleviating concerns such as kilometre limitations, repair costs and resale value," Kory Koreeda, president of Mazda Canada, in the automaker's announcement.