2013 Mazda2 May Come In Turbo Flavor: Report

When it comes to the current batch of minicars available in the United States, the Mazda2 is among the most entertaining to drive. Like all things Mazda, the car handles better than you expect it to, belying its economy car roots. In fact, the Mazda2 wants to be driven hard, and like the Mazda MX-5 Miata, rewards drivers who know to carry speed into corners. With modest horsepower, preserving momentum is the key to good lap times. Read more…

Mazda’s Rotary Engine Program Could Be Done

It’s been 44 years since Mazda first launched the Cosmo with an unconventional rotary engine. In the years since, Mazda has become synonymous with rotary engines, despite the fact that piston-engine vehicles make up the lion’s share of their worldwide sales. Certainly no manufacturer has done more to develop the rotary engine than Mazda, who views the technology as an essential part of its soul. Read more…

Will Technology Save The Rotary Engine?

The rotary engine has been a trademark for Mazda since 1964, when the then-fledgling Japanese automaker debuted their Cosmo sport coupe with rotary power. Since then, Mazda has expanded and then reduced the number of rotary engines in their product line; today, only the soon-to-be-discontinued RX-8 offers a rotary engine. The biggest reason is fuel consumption; when driven to make adequate power from its 1.3 liter displacement, the rotary engine sucks down gasoline like Lindsay Lohan knocking back appletinis at happy hour (when she isn’t under house arrest, that is). It also produces a significant amount of carbon dioxide, which is why the RX-8 has already been discontinued in the EU. Read more…

Report Says Mazda To Halt U.S. Production

Mazda and Ford used to be like a newlywed couple. Arm in arm, they seemed to do everything together, from collaborating on new cars and trucks to building them on the same production lines. Mazda sold rebadged Ford Escapes and Ford Rangers in their dealerships, and even used Ford engines in Mazda cars. Like a lot of couples, the automakers drifted apart as the years went by, and today the pair are separated if not yet divorced. A recent rumor had Mazda ending production of the Mazda 6 sedan, but the story turned out to be just that. Mazda isn’t killing off the 6, but they may well be changing where it’s built from Flat Rock, MI to Mexico or Japan. Read more…

Mazda Builds Their Three Millionth Mazda3

The Mazda3 has been built for just under eight years, and Mazda recently announced the production milestone of three million cars assembled. A global product, the car is built in three factories (one each in Japan, China and Thailand) and sold in roughly 90 countries and regions around the world. Over 1.1 million Mazda3s have been sold into North America alone, and the Mazda3 has become the fastest-selling model in Mazda’s current lineup of passenger vehicles. Read more…

Ugly Rumor We Hope Isn’t True: Mazda RX-8 Successor To Be A Hybrid

Let’s be clear on something up front: I have nothing against hybrids or EVs, but building a hybrid sports car is a contradiction in terms. Hybrids have two propulsion systems, and propulsion systems add weight. Weight is the natural enemy of sports cars, hence the two are mutually incompatible. You can build a “sporty” hybrid, which is exactly what Honda did with the CR-Z, but you really can’t build an effective hybrid sports car unless you’re willing to price it into the stratosphere (like the Porsche 918 Spyder). Even Porsche’s 911 GT3 Hybrid is a compromise: it adds weight (the rotary accumulator and the electric motors) and only provides a few seconds of additional power at a time. Read more…

Report: Subaru Tribeca, Mazda6 Living On Borrowed Time

If Japan’s Nikkan Kogyo newspaper is correct, both the Subaru Tribeca crossover and the Mazda6 sedan may be put to rest in the very near future. Subaru has stopped working on development of a next-generation Tribeca, primarily since the current version has sold just 910 units year to date. The Tribeca is chewing up production capacity at Subaru’s Indiana plant, which could be used to produce more high-demand Legacy and Outback models. Even a design change from the original (and controversial) styling hasn’t been enough to boost Tribeca sales, since consumers have a hard time figuring out exactly where the crossover excels against its competition. Read more…

Mazda Tribute To Be Replaced By CX-5

Remember the Minagi concept crossover that Mazda showed us at this year’s Geneva Auto Show? The one that drew rave reviews from journalists and the general public? Mazda has confirmed that the replacement for their aging Tribute SUV will indeed be based on the Minagi concept, and in keeping with current naming conventions it will be called the CX-5. The Kodo-design-themed crossover will make its North American debut at this week’s New York Auto Show, while the first showing of the near-production CX-5 is scheduled for September’s Frankfurt Auto Show. Read more…