2009 Grand Touring Used 2l I4 16v Automatic Rwd Convertible Bose Premium on 2040-cars

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What a 181-horsepower 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata means for us, and you

Last month, we reported on a VIN filing dug up by Road & Track that showed that the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata's 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine would get a power bump, from 155 to 181 net horsepower. As for how the 2019 Miata would make that extra power, we heard rumors it'd utilize a new cylinder head allowing higher revs, accounting for that extra power. Now we have what appears to be a leaked document from Mazda Canada showing exactly where that extra power comes from. According to the document posted at Miata.net (registration required to see the image), Mazda will alter camshaft lift and valve size on both the intake and exhaust side, fit freer-flowing exhaust, and smooth and enlarge the piping on the air intake side. There are also internal engine modifications: lighter pistons with lower crowns for better swirl in the combustion chamber, lighter connecting rods, and a crankshaft balanced for higher-RPM operation. All those extra revs mean extra vibration and noise, so Mazda will ditch the single-mass flywheel for a "low-inertia" dual-mass flywheel – which will attempt to find a nice balance between DMF damping action and SMF directness. Overall, it's a pretty serious engine revision with some driveline changes that will heavily affect the driving characteristics of a fantastic driver's car. Contributing Editor James Riswick and Senior Editor Alex Kierstein, both well versed in Miatas past and present, are here to analyze what this could mean for the little roadster. James Riswick: I don't know much about them lighter crank combustion rods, but I for one welcome the news of more power to the Miata. The jump from 155 to 181 seems like a very prudent Mazda-like thing to do, accomplishing that task through various aforementioned technical wizardry as opposed to slapping on a turbocharger, exclaiming "yee-hah" and calling it a day. Alex Kierstein: That's true. I'm wary of additional power, but you do make a good point that at least this is the right way to do it. Going all-motor will keep the bright responsiveness of the engine intact. But higher revs might make power delivery peakier. Frankly, I'd be ok with moving the torque and horsepower peaks up a bit in the rev range, making it a bit more work to access the engine's sweet spot. The dual-mass flywheel should also help if low-end torque suffers, so less stalling in traffic. JR: Did wonders in the 911 and 718s.

Edmunds ranks the best used cars for 2013

When people ask us what car we would recommend for them, it's usually not easy to answer. To make a useful recommendation we must consider which of the numerous vehicle segments fits their needs best, and then choose one of the many vehicles offered in each segment. For some people, new cars don't meet their expectations of value, because they lose so much of it the moment they are purchased and driven off the dealer lot. For them, there's always the used-car market, where great deals can be found, but cars' histories of reliability and maintenance records - and perhaps that Certified Pre-Owned warranty - become ever-important factors playing into purchase choice.
To help out, Edmunds has done us the favor of assembling a list of the best used vehicles money can buy, covering model years 2006-2011, according to what it considers the most important criteria when shopping for used autos: reliability, safety, value and availability. That means unreliable, unsafe, super-expensive or limited-edition models don't appear on the list, but instead cars from each segment that are more likely to satisfy the general population.
There are some real goodies on the list, including but not limited to vehicles such as the capable Honda Fit, the cultish Honda Accord coupe (which can be had with a 240-horsepower V6 and a six-speed manual transmission some years), and the powerful Chevrolet Corvette. While Edmunds' choice of the Volvo C70 for best used convertible baffled us at first (not that it's a bad car), it redeemed itself by stating that the Mazda MX-5 still is an unofficial top choice if you don't require more than two seats.

Even Ferrari swept up in latest Takata recall expansion

The scope of Takata's deadly airbag problems continues to widen. Eight manufacturers announced recalls Friday that affect more than 12 million vehicles, according to documents filed with federal regulators. The automakers include Honda, which is recalling 4.5 million units, Fiat Chrysler with 4.3 million, Toyota with 1.65 million, and Subaru, which is recalling almost 400,000. Some of these cars include the Saab 9-2x and Pontiac Vibe that Toyota and Subaru made for General Motors. Mazda will recall 730,000 vehicles and Nissan has 400,000 affected units. The smallest numbers were posted by Mitsubishi, with 38,000 Lancers manufactured from 2006 to 2007, and as a noteworthy high-end manufacturer, Ferrari is calling back 2,800 vehicles. These are all US-market cars. Beyond America, the Japanese Transport Ministry has announced seven million additional vehicles will be recalled, which means 19.6 million vehicles across the globe are affected by recalls announced. The defects have been traced to an insufficiently manufactured airbag inflator, which lacks a drying agent that would prevent the inflators from deteriorating over time. Thirteen deaths have been linked to the faulty airbags, which have become unstable and are prone to exploding and showering vehicle occupants with lethal amounts of metal shrapnel. A private equity firm, KKR & Co., has been named in a possible buyout of the struggling Takata. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Shutterstock Government/Legal Recalls Ferrari Honda Mazda Automakers Mitsubishi Nissan Pontiac Subaru Toyota Saab Safety