1993 Mazda Rx-7 Touring Coupe 2-door 1.3l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Weekly Recap: Tesla loses money, still dominates the news

Some people get an inordinate amount of attention. In politics, it's Donald Trump. In football, it's Jim Harbaugh. And in the auto world, it's Elon Musk and his always-fascinating electric car company, Tesla Motors. General Motors is spending $877 million to upgrade a factory. So what! US auto sales are up. Who cares? Tesla has a metal snake that will recharge your car! So was the week in Tesla – er, the industry. Snarkiness aside, Tesla did dominate the news cycle, led by the announcement the company lost $184 million in the second quarter. Tesla also said it expects to deliver between 50,000 and 55,000 vehicles this year, and is preparing for a full launch of the Model X crossover in September. Musk also made news during the earnings call by simply not answering a question about ride sharing, leading to speculation Tesla could be considering its own operation. While the financials were the arguably the most important company news, reports of a Model S cyber hacking were more compelling fodder for Tesla followers. Researchers were able to attack the sedan and bring it to a stop, though they required access to the car first. Tesla says it already has deployed a remedy for the situation. On a lighter note, Tesla published a video of its metal charger prototype that autonomously uncoils like a snake to power up the company's vehicles, provoking plenty of humorous comments and comparisons. Watch it and decide for yourself. While some of this might seem trivial, much of Tesla's recent attention has been warranted. It's the first startup US automaker in decades to launch from nothing and actually gain traction in the market. Sure, Musk is a lightning rod and Tesla always seems to be in the spotlight. But amid all of the publicity, it easy to lose sight of the new reality: Tesla is a force. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 Chevy Volt lights up 106 MPGe The Chevy Volt's vitals are looking healthier for 2016. The second-generation plug-in hybrid racks up a gaudy 106 miles per gallon equivalent, which is an increase of eight MPGe from the 2015 model. The new Volt can travel 53 miles on electricity, a significant jump from the 2015 Volt's 38-mile range. The new car also has a 420-mile total range when factoring in the capability of the gasoline engine, which is 40 miles greater than the current car offers.

China's FAW now building all three Mazda6 generations

The Chinese auto market is one of the most interesting in the world to look at. Its automakers appear to still be figuring things out and remain open to experimentation. For example, at this moment, you can buy new copies of all three generations of the Mazda6 from showrooms there.
Mazda joint-venture partner FAW recently introduced the latest generation to China as the Mazda6 Atenza, according to Just Auto. Yet buyers still have the option of getting the previous generation as well, which is sold as the Mazda6 Ruiyi. Obviously, that isn't too remarkable - companies in the US have briefly sold two generations of the same nameplate simultaneously for brief points in the past, and the practice is much more common in developing markets. However, Chinese consumers still have the third choice, too - the first-generation model that dates back to the early 2000s, is still on offer, known simply as Mazda6.
While it would be hard to imagine selling three generations of the same models at once in the US, the idea is an interesting one. We enjoyed our long-term test of the latest generation, and the previous models weren't bad cars either, so provided there's a healthy difference in pricing and marketplace confusion is limited by differing names, we can see it working. If nothing else, it's a fascinating illustration of how broad China's developing auto market really is.

Perk up your Mazda Miata with BBR's new 248-horsepower turbo kit

For three decades, enthusiasts have argued whether the Mazda MX-5 Miata needs more power. For its part, Mazda seems fine with leaving the Miata as is, even reducing the horsepower from the third- to fourth-generation models, though the car lost a little weight. That's where tuners like BBR in the UK and Flyin' Miata here in the US step in, offering aftermarket solutions for those that crave a little more grunt. BBR announced today that its new 248-horsepower Stage 1 turbo kit is ready and waiting for the new 2.0-liter-powered ND Miatas, including the new Miata RF. BBR's first Miata turbo kit was released all the way back in 1990. Since then, the shop has been tuning and honing its craft, releasing ever-more potent variations its comprehensive power kit. This new version, like the previous ones, focuses not only on adding more power but maintaining the level of drivability and refinement you expect from all Miatas. The Mazda electronic safety features are retained, and the team is working on CARB emissions approval. That said, with BBR tune an ND Miata will hit 60 mph in just 5.0 seconds, roughly two seconds quicker than stock. To get the peak 248 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque, BBR does more than simply slap on a big turbo. In 2014, BBR began using a Mazda3 as a development vehicle in preparation for the new Miata's launch. A twin-scroll turbocharger is mounted onto a custom cast-iron manifold. A front-mounted aluminum intercooler keep things cool and doesn't require cutting up the bodywork. The engine breathes in through a K&N air filter and exhales through a stainless steel downpipe. The whole thing is controlled by BBR's Starchip / EcuTek RaceRom ECU software package. Other upgrades include silicone turbo pipes, an aluminum battery tray, a recirculating piston type dump valve, a carbon-fiber heat shield, and stainless steel oil and water lines. BBR is offering extended warranties from 12 to 36 months. In the US, the sole distributor is Flyin' Miata in Colorado. At $5,695, it's not a cheap proposition, but it is less expensive than one of Flyin' Miata's V8 swap kits. Less expensive (and less potent) performance kits are also available. Related Video: News Source: BBR Aftermarket Mazda Convertible Performance turbo tuner tuning