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Top Gear recounts the fiery demise of the Mazda Furai

This past September we reported on Top Gear's destruction of the Mazda Furai, one of the finest concept cars to ever grace an auto show stage. It turns out that the Furai, which was burned nearly beyond recognition at the hands of the British magazine, was actually destroyed back in 2008, and that the entire thing had been covered up for five long years.
Now, a few months after publishing that heart-wrenching composite of a half-baked Furai (shown above), the lads at TG have published their account of just what resulted in a priceless concept car being transformed into a smoking hulk on a Suffolk runway. Click over to read the full story about just what happened, along with pictures of the Furai before, during and after the inferno.

The 2017 Mazda CX-5 is new, and oh so very red

After examining the teaser photo and poring over spy photos, we knew that the 2017 Mazda CX-5 would adopt some design features from the larger CX-9 and Chinese-only CX-4. What we didn't know, though, is that the CX-5 would look like a miniature version of the CX-9. From the outside it's obvious the design is all new. The front of the SUV looks nearly identical to that of the CX-9's. Gone is the cutesy, roundish face in favor of a more angular theme. The headlights are slimmer, while the grille ditches the horizontal bars for a mesh pattern. Mazda calls the design theme Kodo - soul of motion, and the original 2013 CX-5 was the first production model under this mantra. View 12 Photos The changes at the back are less drastic than on the CX-5's new beak. The black trim that underlines the rear fascia is less prominent and the taillights looks leaner, but it's harder to tell the differences between the old and new model. Mazda says the CX-5 will be available with two engines here: the Skyactiv 2.5-liter gasoline engine and the Skyactiv-D 2.2-liter diesel (the Skyactive-D 2.0-liter, currently only used on Sport models, has been dropped for our market). We don't have specifics on power and torque yet, but in the old CX-5 (and current Mazda 3) the 2.5-liter four-cylinder generates 184 horsepower, while the diesel makes 173 hp and 310 pound-feet of torque. We expect front- and all-wheel-drive options, and of course we're hoping that the six-speed manual (previously on the base, front-drive model only) stays around as an alternative to the six-speed automatic. The interior follows the template of recent Mazdas, with the infotainment screen sitting on top of the dashboard with a control knob located aft of the shift lever. We'll have more information on the 2017 CX-5 at the vehicle's debut later today at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. Related Video:

2021 Mazda CX-30 2.5 S gets new name, adds tech, keeps same power

For its second model year, Mazda's in-betweener compact crossover is getting a new-ish name: the 2021 Mazda CX-30 2.5 S. No, those extra digits at the end aren't a trim level. The 2.5 S is apparently part of the name. They also don't indicate a boost in output, as the CX-30 won't be following the example of the recently announced Mazda3 2.5 Turbo. They're all for show. Instead, Mazda adds some new connectivity and safety features to the package. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard across the lineup. They join Mazda Connected Services with a three-year trial and in-car WiFi hotspot with a six-month or 2GB trial, and they pair with the carryover 8.8-inch center infotainment screen that is controlled by a rotary dial mounted behind the gear shifter. The CX-30 2.5 S keeps as standard the 7-inch reconfigurable digital gauge display, Bluetooth phone and audio, two front USB ports and electronic parking brake. There are also some new safety options to go with the standard i-Activsense package, which includes Mazda’s version of adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, smart braking support, a driver attention alert, lane departure warning with lane-keep assist and high-beam control. Upgrade to the CX-30 2.5 S with Select Package, the second of four trim levels, and you get blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, side mirror turn signals and Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry, plus a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, leatherette seating and upgraded, 18-inch wheels, among other perks. Step up to the Preferred Package and you get features like a power moonroof, heated front seats and black gloss front grille. The top-tier Premium Package, meanwhile, brings a Bose 12-speaker sound system, a three-month SiriusXM trial subscription, navigation, windshield-projected Active Driving Display, power liftgate, paddle shifters and LED head- and taillights, among other features. As before, power comes from the Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter inline-four that it shares with the Mazda3. It makes 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque and is mated with a six-speed automatic transmission. The standard setup is front-wheel drive and G-Vectoring Control Plus, but predictive i-Activ all-wheel drive with off-road traction assist is an option across the range for an extra $1,400. Base price creeps up by $55 from 2020 to an even $23,000, including the $1,100 destination fee. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party.