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Mazda dealers in U.S. asked not to order cars from Japan

Filed under: Etc., Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Mazda

Mazda Emblem

Automotive News is reporting that Mazda has suspended U.S. dealers from ordering vehicles made in Japan. The automaker is apparently preparing to close down plants once more after briefly opening doors after the earthquake and tsunami activity on March 11.

This doesn’t mean that Mazda vehicles are going to dry up overnight, though. The automaker says that the ordering would only cover vehicles to be allocated for May, and that the company has decent vehicle stockpiles for U.S. buyers. As of right now, there’s no indication as to when ordering will resume.

Mazda is reported to have had a 93-day supply of vehicles on dealer lots at the beginning of this month. While that figure is down from a 123-day supply in February, Automotive News says that a 60-day supply is considered normal for the industry. The automaker currently imports the Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda5, MX-5, RX-8, CX-7, and CX-9 models

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Mazda dealers in U.S. asked not to order cars from Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Kia planning Mazda MX-5 fighter, all-wheel-drive Soul

Filed under: Convertible, Crossover, Kia, Rumormill

Kia is seriously considering adding a two-seat droptop along the lines of Mazda’s MX-5 to its portfolio. European CEO Paul Philpott has stated that the automaker will expand and enhance its volume offerings during 2011 and 2012, but that a roadster could be in the cards shortly thereafter.

Philpott is not alone in his desires for a Kia sports car. Paul Schreyer, Kia’s Chief Designer, believes that the Korean automaker needs a truly sporty vehicle in the lineup (sorry, Forte Koup).

UK-based magazine Auto Express has put together a rendering of such a vehicle, and it clearly draws heavily from the Pontiac Solstice. However, it should be noted that the idea of a sports car in the lineup is not a totally foreign concept. From 1995 through 1999, Kia held licensing rights to the Lotus Elan and produced the Kia Elan for the Korean Market.

Kia is also reportedly working on a small, all-wheel-drive vehicle to slot below the Sportage. The Soul is due for a revamp within the next two years, so it makes sense that the funky hatchback could get all-wheel drive as part of its overhaul.

[Source: Auto Express]

Rumormill: Kia planning Mazda MX-5 fighter, all-wheel-drive Soul originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Unexplained Mazda violence in Russia

Filed under: Sedan, Videos, Mazda, Russia

Wanton destruction of Mazda sedans – Click above to watch the video after the jump

You know those cranes that you see at many large grocery stores? You know, the ones with the shiny, pointy claws that can’t seem to pick up a teddy bear or some fuzzy dice. They’re infuriating to use, mostly because you know you just got duped into paying fifty cents for something that you just can’t win. They have the same claws in Russia, and apparently they’re infinitely larger, more functional and far more hostile towards the Mazda6.

Beyond the jump is some video that we just can’t explain. It involves a massive, absolutely awesome crane truck grabbing onto the roofs of a pair of perfectly good-looking Mazdas and simply tossing them into an equally huge bin attached to said truck.

We have no idea why these Mazdas were taken in such a hostile manner, but we’re hoping it’s not because they were parked in a loading zone. And why is it that we can only see Mazdas in this parking lot? So many questions. So much destruction. (We’re guessing these cars were somehow damaged and destroyed for insurance purposes, but we can’t say for sure.)

Hit the jump to watch this puzzling and destructive video for yourself, if only to marvel at the skill of the crane operator. And if you speak Russian, let us know what the guys making the video are saying.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Unexplained Mazda violence in Russia

Video: Unexplained Mazda violence in Russia originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultra lightweight Mazda MX-5 GT unveiled for British enduro racing

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Mazda

Mazda MX-5 GT Race Car

Mazda MX-5 GT – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mazda has been trumpeting its “gram strategy” to cut weight on all of its products, and the best example of how this philosophy works is in the new MX-5 GT race car. The roadster, which will compete in the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship this year, weighs just 1,874 pounds while packing nearly twice the punch of the standard MX-5.

The heavily modified MX-5 engine produces 275 horsepower – enough juice to propel the light-weight roadster to 60 miles per hour in a scant three seconds flat. The race-ready Mazda can also crest 160 mph while looking damn fine with its new Spirited Green paint job.

In order to cut several hundred pounds off the base MX-5, the Jota Sport racing team removed interior components, revised other interior fittings and dipped the car’s shell in acid. The doors, like many interior components, are made of carbon fiber and the windows are made of polycarbonate. The racing team also lowered the engine height, adjusted the suspension and added a six-speed paddle shift transmission to aid with handling.

The Mazda MX-5 GT race car sees its first action on Saturday at a three-hour endurance race at Silverstone. See the lightweight MX-5 for yourself in the gallery below. Trust us, you’re going to want one.

Gallery: Mazda MX-5 Race Car

Mazda MX-5 Race Car

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Ultra lightweight Mazda MX-5 GT unveiled for British enduro racing

Ultra lightweight Mazda MX-5 GT unveiled for British enduro racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PETA recommends solving your Mazda’s spider problems by… donating your car

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Recalls, Mazda

2009 Mazda6 in the snow

2009 Mazda6 – Click above for high-res image gallery

People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is offering a unique – if unlikely – solution to 2009-2010 Mazda6 owners who have felt the bite of the company’s recall to chase away gas-loving spiders. They want you to donate your ride to them. The animal-rights group is soliciting donations from any of the 52,000 affected Mazda customers who would rather see the spiders saved than murdered at the hands of mechanics.

Once they’ve chased the itsy-bitsy spiders from the car’s evap pipe, PETA says they’ll use the donated Mazda sedans to champion their cause. PETA says that this won’t be the first time they’ve received cars from animal loving donors: a PETA member who was terrified of mice once donated a brand-new Jeep to the organization after she found a mouse living in it. The mouse was saved, just as the spiders will be.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Mazda6 s Grand Touring

[Source: PETA]

Continue reading PETA recommends solving your Mazda’s spider problems by… donating your car

PETA recommends solving your Mazda’s spider problems by… donating your car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mazda to pay $770k to parents of overworked employee who committed suicide

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Japan, Mazda

The parents of a Mazda worker who killed himself in 2007 have reached a second settlement with the company worth $770,000. The latest settlement brings the parents’ total to just over $1.3 million from Mazda.

According to The Daily Mail, the auto company was found liable in the worker’s death because he killed himself after being chronically overworked. According to the parents’ suit, the employee was ridiculed publicly by his managers for, among other accusations taking “needless” overtime.

Mazda paid the young man’s parents a separate condolence settlement in 2009. Work-related suicide is becoming a real problem in Japan, where the culture favors a workaholic mentality. In addition, many chronic overworkers suffer stress-related heart attacks and strokes.

These sorts of deaths have become common enough that the Japanese have coined a term, “karoshi,” which means “exhaustion death” to describe the phenomenon. Courts have ruled that the employer can be held liable in karoshi cases, as has apparently happened with Mazda.

[Source: The Daily Mail]

Report: Mazda to pay $770k to parents of overworked employee who committed suicide originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Mazda takes the MX-5 to the ice

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Europe, Videos, Mazda, Racing

Mazda MX-5 Ice Drifting

Mazda MX-5 ice racing – Click above to watch video after the jump

Bentley isn’t the only company that’s been busy on the ice lately. Mazda just wrapped up a four-hour race in Åre, Sweden, that brought 20 MX-5 roadsters out on the open ice for a little fender-to-fender action.

Teams faced temperatures that dipped as low as -24 degrees Fahrenheit and stiff competition from racers from around the world. Spiked tires were standard equipment for all of the vehicles, though it’s worth noting that the talent behind the wheel wasn’t professional by any stretch of the imagination. Mazda invited fans and automotive journalists from a total of 26 countries to participate in the event.

While early on it looked as if a team from Australia would take home the checkered flag, a late-race spin allowed a Russian team to pull ahead and complete the most laps around the three-mile circuit within the four-hour time frame. Hit the jump to check out video from the event as well as the full press blast.

Gallery: Mazda MX-5 Ice Racing

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Video: Mazda takes the MX-5 to the ice

Video: Mazda takes the MX-5 to the ice originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition adds exclusivity… for a price

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Convertible, Performance, Mazda

2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition

2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

In the market for a new MX-5 Miata, but want a bit more exclusivity? Check out the 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition, as the new range-topping droptop should fit the bill perfectly.

Based off of a fully-loaded power retractable hard top Grand Touring model and limited to just 750 units by Mazda, the Special Edition is most easily spotted by its Sparkling Black Mica or Dolphin Gray Mica exterior paint and bright-finish 17-inch alloy wheels. The interior sports gray upholstery, chrome accents and aluminum pedals (6MT only). Unique underpinnings include the MX-5’s standard Suspension Package with Bilstein shocks, a limited-slip differential and sport-tuned dampers. Motivating the 2,593-pound two-seater is Mazda’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 167 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque (158 horsepower with the 2,619-pound 6AT).

If the specs catch your fancy, be prepared to shell out $30,925 for the manual transmission model or $31,525 for the six-speed automatic.

Gallery: 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition: Chicago 2011

2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition

Chicago 2011: 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition adds exclusivity… for a price originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda MX-5 Miata hits 900K… next stop, one million

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Mazda

20th anniversary Mazda MX-5 Miata live in Geneva

20th Anniversary Mazda MX-5 Miata special edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mazda has announced that the automaker has turned out 900,000 units of its MX-5 Miata since the car first put tire to pavement in 1989. Of that astronomical number, a staggering 45 percent were sold here in North America, which means that 388,000 of the droptops have been shipped to our continent over the past 22 years.

Mazda attributes the vehicle’s success to its ability to adhere to what made the convertible a sales winner in the first place – offering basic sports car appeal with one of the highest fun-per-dollar ratios of any vehicle out there. Since 1989, the convertible has undergone two complete redesigns and a slew of minor updates along the way. The MX-5 crested the 500,000 unit mark back in 1999, and sales of the winsome roadster continue to march on impressively. Click past the jump to check out the full press release on the occasion for yourself. Thanks for the tip, The Typical Guy!

Gallery: Geneva 2010: Mazda MX-5 20th Anniversary

[Source: Mazda]

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Mazda MX-5 Miata hits 900K… next stop, one million originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda to supply Nissan with its own version of Mazda5

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Mazda, Nissan

2012 Mazda5

2012 Mazda5 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mazda has officially announced that it will supply the Mazda5 minivan to Nissan beginning in May of this year. But before you go dreaming of a Nissan micro-minivan here in the United States, know that this will be a Japan-only affair. As of this writing, mum’s the word on what the Nissan-badged Mazda will be called in the automaker’s home market. The Mazda5, or Premacy as it’s known in Japan, will “enrich [Nissan’s] minivan lineup in the Japanese market” – a place where small MPVs are sold in great volume.

This is not the only collaboration between Mazda and Nissan in Japan. Currently, Mazda provides its Bongo Van/Truck to Nissan under the name Vanette. Likewise, Nissan supplies its AD/AD Expert to Mazda, sold under the name Familia Van. Follow the jump for the official press release.

Gallery: 2012 Mazda5

2012 Mazda5

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Mazda to supply Nissan with its own version of Mazda5

Mazda to supply Nissan with its own version of Mazda5 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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