2006 Mazda Mx-5 Miata on 2040-cars

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100th Anniversary 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata announced for sale in the U.S.

The 100th Anniversary Special Edition Mazda MX-5 Miata will be sold in the U.S. When Mazda initially announced all of its 100th Anniversary vehicles, U.S. availability was still questionable for Mazda’s roadster. ThatÂ’s no longer the case, as the company announced all the details on the car today. ItÂ’s going to be based off the Grand Touring trim, so itÂ’s outfitted with the maximum amount of equipment. Those that purchase one will be able to choose from either the traditional soft top or an RF version. The soft top is red, while the RF gets a black-painted roof. Every last one of them will be painted in Snowflake White Pearl Mica and feature red accents throughout. Mazda plans on making them with both manual and automatic transmissions. We asked how many will be available, but Mazda told us it isn't sharing that information yet — limited edition Miatas tend to sell out quick. On the exterior, the front fender gets a “100 Years 1920-2020” badge. Wheel center caps for the 17-inch dark-silver wheels also have the 100th Anniversary logo on them, but thatÂ’s it for the exterior. The inside is where Mazda really had its fun. Full red leather seats and red carpeting pop and make this interior unlike any other Miata on sale today. Both the headrests and the floor mats feature 100th Anniversary logos, and as a finishing touch, Mazda put together a special 100th Anniversary key fob that is embossed with the same logo and comes presented in a special edition box. Since this car is based on the Grand Touring, you get performance goodies like Bilstein dampers, limited-slip differential, front shock tower brace and sport-tuned suspension. Of course, it needs the proper six-speed manual transmission to get all of that. From a cost perspective, you only pay a small price for the special edition car. With the soft top and six-speed manual, it totals $33,615. ThatÂ’s just $1,000 more than an identically-equipped regular MX-5 Grand Touring. An RF with the manual totals $36,370, which again, is just $1,000 more than the standard RF. The difference is the same with the automatic transmission Miatas. A soft top auto costs $34,140, while an automatic RF costs $35,695. Mazda says the special edition Miatas will be arriving in dealerships “later this year.” Related Video:

Next-gen Mazda MX-5 could use carbon fiber to cut weight

The current Mazda MX-5 Miata has only been out for a few years, but the automaker is allegedly looking for ways to lighten the next one. According to a report from Autocar, Mazda is looking to carbon fiber to help the next-generation MX-5 cut weight and use a smaller engine. Despite having more safety features, modern amenities, and a stiffer body, the current MX-5 is the same size as the original sports car from 1990 and weighs less than its immediate predecessor. In a recent interview with Autocar, Nobuhiro Yamamoto, head of the Miata program, revealed that the next generation of the Miata will probably stay the same size, but could be even lighter thanks to the utilization of carbon fiber. The current MX-5 uses high-strength steel and aluminum, and Mazda doesn't use carbon fiber in any of its cars. Carbon fiber is expensive to incorporate into road-going vehicles, and so Yamamoto notes that Mazda has been hard at work making it more affordable. A lighter car could result in a smaller engine, Yamamoto said. In the US, the MX-5 comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 155 horsepower, while the Japanese and European version comes with a 1.5-liter, 130-hp engine. A smaller engine would make the sports car even lighter. It's unknown at this time if the automaker is collaborating with another automaker or a supplier to make produce carbon fiber, or if it'll make it in-house. There's no word on how much carbon fiber the next MX-5 will wear or how it will affect the sports car's price. Autocar reports that the next MX-5 won't arrive anytime before 2021, which could make the ND MX-5's lifespan an unusually short five years long. With cars getting heavier, it's nice to hear that Mazda is working on finding a way to make its lightweight sports car even lighter. Related Video: News Source: AutocarImage Credit: Mazda Mazda Convertible Coupe Lightweight Vehicles

Next Mazda CX-9 to launch by 2016, could get turbo-four

Mazda has a lot going on these days, what with launching the new Mazda6 and Mazda3, with the new Mazda2 just around the corner. We know the new Miata is also on the way, and after that it looks like the next vehicle in its lineup due for an overhaul is the CX-9 crossover, due to launch by 2016. The move makes sense because the CUV is growing long in the tooth. It was first introduced in 2007 and was refreshed twice since then.
The next-generation CX-9 will move away from Ford-derived components like the V6 in the current model and will likely use a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. However, a final decision hasn't been made yet. "If I ask Mr. Hitomi, our top guy of powertrains at Mazda, he believes the downsizing turbo solution costs more. But real downsizing means six-cylinder to four-cylinder turbo could make sense from a cost point of view," said Mazda's global marketing boss Masahiro Moro to CarAdvice at the New York Auto Show. The executive said a hybrid powertrain option would be unlikely, but markets outside the US could get a diesel, as well.
Moro also tipped his hand at future Mazda model plans. He hints that the Japanese automaker is considering building a luxury vehicle with a six-cylinder engine. "It's too early, we don't have a car yet. But we are collecting advice as to V6 or straight-six," he said to CarAdvice. We'll definitely be watching.