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Mazda Raceway gets first new MX-5 Cup as pace car

Mazda's motorsports department officially finished the first example of its new MX-5 Cup racer. But while the rest of the fleet will be used in the Global MX-5 Cup championship, this initial unit has been designated for another purpose. It's been dedicated to serve as the new pace car for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Based on the latest ND-generation MX-5, the Cup racer was previewed in racing spec this past November ahead of its debut at the SEMA show. Though we've still yet to see the final spec sheet, it clearly benefits from key upgrades to the rolling stock, not to mention the added roll cage, racing buckets, and more. The pace car also features emergency lighting and a livery designed by Mazda and applied by Sticky Fingers Design out of Huntington Beach, CA. The beefed-up little roadster will join a cadre of pace cars used at the legendary Northern California circuit. Other pace cars in the fleet include a Mazda6, RX-8, CX-5, and the previous Miata. The season is winding to a close at Laguna Seca, with the Pirelli World Challenge finale and Mazda Road to Indy still set to take to the track next month. Related Video: MAZDA RACEWAY IS READY TO PACE THE FUTURE MONTEREY, Calif. (August 13, 2015) – Mazda Motorsports used the annual car-fest known as the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion to roll out the first production 2016 Mazda MX-5 Cup race car. This particular vehicle is guaranteed to lead races as it will be the newest pace car in the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca fleet of Mazda safety vehicles. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Cup race car follows a 26-year history of the MX-5 Miata in motorsports. The first race cars to be sold to customers will be used in the 2016 Global MX-5 Cup, known in the U.S. as the Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup. With the 2016 racing season still many months away, placing the first production race car into pace car duty allows Mazda to gather additional durability data while showcasing it in front of one of the most influential motorsports crowds of the year. "For Mazda, this weekend is the perfect blend of past, present, and future," noted John Doonan, director of motorsports for Mazda North American Operations. "We are celebrating our motorsports heritage on the track with our vintage race cars.

Mazda MX-5 GT gets green light

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is as popular around the Autoblog offices as Kate Upton posters are around fraternity houses. Few staffers have much criticism for Mazda's ubiquitous roadster, and fewer still aren't overjoyed when one arrives in their driveway. So you can imagine how a report from Auto Express about a more potent MX-5 model is going over in our offices today.
The new model, which was shown in concept form as the Mazda MX-5 GT at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, has a slight catch, though. First, we have absolutely no idea if Mazda will bring the MX-5 GT to the US. Secondly, and perhaps more problematically, this isn't a production car - it's a kit from the team at Jota Sport.
Now, to be fair, the kit doesn't sound like a bad thing. It bumps the UK-spec 2.0-liter, 157-horsepower engine up to 203 hp thanks to a sports exhaust and a revamped ECU (46 horsepower from an ECU and exhaust in a naturally aspirated car?). To make the little Miata even more agile, Jota has also fiddled with the suspension. AE doesn't mention things like the grippy tires or Recaro seats that were found on the concept, though.

2016 Mazda CX-3 is a 2 cute ute

One day removed from our latest round of spy photos, Mazda has finally lifted the veil on its 2016 CX-3 crossover, giving us our very first glimpse at the Mazda2-based entry into the rapidly expanding world of subcompact crossovers.
Mazda's KODO design language is once again on display, presenting some increasingly familiar styling touchstones including a five-point grille that integrates neatly with the front headlights to present an almost protruding snout that's both clean and complex. Like previous KODO designs, the CX-3's profile features swoopy character lines that highlight the wheel arches and a higher beltline. Mazda has cleverly chosen to black out the CX-3's D-pillar in favor of a floating roof look, a design decision that adds to the model's fashionable styling. It's the rear of the design that borrows most heavily from the Mazda2, largely in the shape of the headlights and rear hatch.
Globally, under that fashionable sheetmetal sits Mazda's 2.0-liter Skyactiv four-cylinder that can be mated to a six-speed manual or automatic. Unfortunately, in North America, it looks like we'll only get the automatic. Regardless of gearbox, power can be sent to an optional next-gen all-wheel-drive system that uses the active torque control system found on the Mazda CX-5. Like the Mazda2, front-drive is standard.