Mazda Mx-5 Miata B on 2040-cars

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Mazda RX-9 could be a 400-hp, 2,900-pound coupe due in 2019

Mazda poured fuel on the white-hot rumors of an RX-8 successor with the RX-Vision earlier this year. The long, low rotary-powered coupe was lovely, but as we reported, it wasn't going to happen. But now, there's another chapter in the RX rumormill, and like overnight parts, it's from Japan. Japanese site Holiday Auto claims that Mazda will debut the so-called RX-9 at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. But before that happens, the Zoom-Zoom company will preview the production model with a concept at next year's Tokyo Motor Show. 2017 is important, marking 50 years since Felix Wankel had the screwy idea for his eponymous engine and 40 years after the company's first rotary powered car, the Cosmo, hit the market. Exciting as Holiday Auto's report is, the stats on this long-rumored car are better – via Google Translate, the Japanese site claims the RX-9 will use a 1.6-liter, two-rotor Wankel with a single turbocharger. It's good for around 400 horsepower. Holiday Auto isn't exaggerating when it claims the car could have "bike-like acceleration." As with other Mazda products, a low curb weight is key, which is why engineers are targeting a meager 1,300 kilograms (2,866 pounds) for the production model – that weight should be pretty evenly split, too, thanks to a rear transaxle. So yes, the RX-9 will be stupid fast and extremely agile. But it will come at a cost. And by cost, we mean that the RX-9 will start just south of eight million yen. That's $79,641 at today's rates, or enough to purchase about 2.5 RX-8 R3s, the hardcore handling trim of Mazda's last-gen rotary car. And if Mazda follows Nissan's GT-R pricing model, we'll see a six-figure RX-9 by 2025. When it comes to Mazda rotary rumors, grains of salt are a must. That's doubly true when we're talking about a possible concept that won't debut for over a year. But with the RX-Vision, Mazda showed that it hasn't abandoned rotary power, and with 2017 marking a big anniversary for the technology, it seems unlikely that the company will let the date pass without some acknowledgement. A concept car seems like a solid bet. Related Video:

More photos of the 2014 Mazda3 sedan

Thanks to the folks at Top Gear Russia, we got an early glimpse of the 2014 Mazda3 sedan. Now, Mazda has released more images of its sleek new four-door, and if you like what the Japanese automaker has done with the five-door hatchback, you won't find anything to complain about with the sedan.
Many would argue that the Mazda3 sedan looks like a scaled-down version of the new Mazda6, and in many cases, that's true. But there are subtle details about the Mazda3 that we really like, starting with the larger grille that makes for a slightly more aggressive front end. On the profile, we like how the strong arching character lines that flow over the front and rear wheel wells intersect in the middle of the car and then taper off. At the rear, a short decklid rounds off a very clean design with taillamps that are indeed reminiscent of the larger Mazda6.
We can't yet confirm powertrain details (or any other specifications, really), but we fully expect the same 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G engines to carry over from the hatchback, as well as the six-speed automatic and manual transmissions.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata has arrived

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. The highly anticipated fourth-generation (ND) model made its official debut in Monterey, CA this evening, and while details are slim (as in, we have practically none), there's one big thing to talk about: less weight.
Yes, Mazda has confirmed that the new Miata sheds some 220 pounds over the model it replaces, and is "the most compact of any generation MX-5 so far." For those keeping track, that means the new MX-5 should weigh in somewhere around 2,200 pounds.
Mazda's Kodo design language is obvious here, with a seriously wide and low demeanor, and a mix of flowing lines and sharp angles. We don't have any powertrain details to report as of this writing, but Mazda says the full suite of Skyactiv technologies are onboard, and the motto in creating this car was "Innovate in order to preserve."