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Car Club USA: Miatas at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a very popular car for weekend warriors looking for the thrill of automotive racing in an affordable package. These iconic, rear-wheel-drive roadsters are lauded by enthusiasts for their driving dynamics, reasonable price, and plethora of available parts. That's why the annual Miatas at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca track event draws such a diverse cross section of drivers from allover the country. But, still, some types of drivers are more well-represented than others. "I usually am the only female signed up for the high-performance driving," said Carolyn Kulaja of Gila Monster Racing. "The car doesn't care the gender of the person driving." For Carolyn, racing Miatas is a passion that developed later in life, but she's not slowing down anytime soon. "My first racecar was car number 57, which was my age when I started racing," said Carolyn. "The 88 I decided was going to be my age when I quit racing." Young competitor Kyle Koh of Infotech Motorsports has his own reasons for racing. "Driving has changed my life in a major way," said Kyle. "It took me out of a depression." Kyle's first competitive fire was directed toward football, but after breaking his back during his sophomore year of high school, he had to find another outlet. "Kyle came to me one day and he decided that he wanted a project car," explained Kyle's father and racing partner Larry Koh. "Because the Miata community is so friendly to begin with, it becomes a big family." How will Carolyn and Kyle fare through Laguna Seca's infamous corkscrew? Find out on this episode of Car Club USA. Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog.

Mazda sketches Koeru concept ahead of Frankfurt show

Mazda is giving us an early peek at the Koeru concept set to debut at the Frankfurt motor show. With a name derived from the Japanese word for "exceed" or "go beyond," the model is the latest evolution in the company's long-lived Kodo design language. Sketches tend to distort a vehicle's actual proportions, and the perspective on this one appears to be playing some visual tricks. Some things can't be hidden so easily, though. The Koeru appears to wear a more sharply angled version of Mazda's shield-shaped grille, and the headlights evolve the look of the CX-3 with an even narrower squint. The steeply raked rear hatch provides a coupe-like roofline, but we wonder if the angle is this pronounced in real life. Reports from last year suggest that a new CX-9 is on the way in 2016, and we could be getting a preview with the Koeru. Mazda is also purportedly developing a CX-7 successor. We should get a better idea if this show car represents either of those future CUVs when we can see it in the metal in Germany. MAZDA TO UNVEIL NEW CROSSOVER CONCEPT IN FRANKFURT Mazda Koeru features a distinctly powerful rendition of the KODO design theme Japanese carmaker aims to further raise benchmark in competitive SUV segment Hiroshima / Leverkusen, 7 August 2015. In a world premiere at the 66th 2015 Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA), Mazda will reveal the Mazda Koeru, a new crossover SUV concept that makes a bold statement in an increasingly popular and competitive segment. Koeru, Japanese for "exceed" or "go beyond", is a fitting name for Mazda's latest venture into the growing crossover SUV market, where the company is again looking to surpass existing standards and raise the bar for performance, efficiency and overall value. With its formidable KODO – Soul of Motion design, the Koeru expresses the power and vitality of a predator along with a unique level of refined dignity. The full line-up of Mazda's latest SKYACTIV Technology, meanwhile, ensures outstanding dynamic performance, fuel economy and safety with no compromise to Mazda's patented driving fun. The carmaker will also display its new-generation model line-up in Frankfurt. Highlights include an all-new Mazda MX-5 complete with accessories as well as several SKYACTIV powertrains. Mazda's press conference takes place at 13:45 (hall 9.0, B16) on 15 September, the first of two press days. The IAA is open to the public from 17-27 September.

2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata finally has a great pair of seats

We all know the 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata is a truly wonderful car. It takes everything delightful about cars and driving and distills it into a compact and lightweight package. It's a car anyone can enjoy. My wife, who until recently has shown no real interest in sports cars beyond their design, wants one. I want one, too, but I couldn't get past the Miata's terrible seats. For 2018, there's finally an alternative. The 2018 Miata got a number of minor updates. Most people I know were fawning over the new cherry-red top, but I was far more interested in the leather-wrapped Recaro seats. These are now included in the $3,770 Brembo/BBS package. Previously, that package just added a set of two-piston Brembo front brakes and black BBS wheels. Having put thousands and thousands of miles on various NDs, I didn't think it was really a worthwhile option unless you were planning to track the car regularly. These seats have changed my tune. The standard seats in the Miata are bad when new and get progressively worse as they break in. I'm a big guy (6-feet tall and about 220 lbs.), but I know I'm not alone in the assessment. They're thin, unsupportive and wrapped in some cheap fabric. Just look at this photo from our old long-termer. The seats kill any real desire to own one. These Recaros are different. Yes they're still thin, but they have bolstering and padding in all the right places. I no longer feel like I'm riding along on a cheap, worn-out couch. Plus, they're heated (though you can now get heated cloth seats), making the brisk Michigan-morning commute far more comfortable. Now all the Miata needs is a slight bump in power. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Design/Style Mazda Convertible Performance