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2016 Mazda CX-3 AWD – Instrumented Test

2016 Mazda CX-3 Touring AWD 2.0-liter inline-4 engine

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First batch of 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miatas lands in US [w/video]

Filed under: Mazda, Convertible, Performance

Mazda North American Operations has received its first shipment of 2016 MX-5 Miatas, arriving by the hundreds from Hiroshima at the port of San Diego.

Continue reading First batch of 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miatas lands in US [w/video]

First batch of 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miatas lands in US [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2015 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Distracted driver jumps car over drawbridge

Filed under: Weird Car News

A Florida man achieved every aspiring stunt driver's dream when he accidentally jumped a drawbridge this week.

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Distracted driver jumps car over drawbridge originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2015 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TVR already taking deposits

Filed under: Misc. Automakers, Car Buying, UK, Performance, Supercars

Barely a month since bringing the big names on board, TVR is already opening the order books for its upcoming new sports car - which prospective customers are eager to buy, sight unseen.

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TVR already taking deposits originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2015 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda Rules Out Faster, More Powerful Miata Variants

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Now here’s a report from Top Gear that, first of all, has nothing to do with a loud belligerent ex-TV-show-presenter, but that still has us torn. Pertaining to the all-new Mazda MX-5 Miata sports car, which already is a staff favorite here at Car and Driver, the crew over at Top Gear uncovered that there is not, in fact, a faster version of the two-seat roadster in the works. With rumors swirling of a spicy Mazdaspeed-branded Mazda 3, the news is surprising, to say the least.
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2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata

It would appear as though the U.S.-market Miata’s 155-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder is it, power-wise.

On the one hand, we’d never argue against a fine-driving car like the Miata getting more power; on the other hand, you have to admire Mazda’s ballsy fixation on getting the Miata’s driving experience just right, even if that means selling a car with just 155 horsepower in a world prowled by Hellcats and Veyrons. Apparently, Nobuhiro Yamamoto, the program manager for the 2016 MX-5 Miata, agrees with the latter sentiment, telling Top Gear at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that his plucky little sports car isn’t about performance numbers at all. In Yamamoto’s words, “What’s very important to me is the feeling, and that you are happy driving it. I don’t want any more power or torque for the MX-5, but the sensation is important.”

You can read Yamamoto’s full statement over at TG, but the gist is that a higher-performance Miata, much like the turbocharged Mazdaspeed Miata sold from 2004–05, comes saddled with too many compromises to the basic Miata ethos to pass muster today. Add power, and the balance of the car’s power and handling shifts; add power, and the price goes up; add power, and you stray away from the lighthearted, fun roadster concept. For now, the Miata will remain exactly what it wants to be, something we’re very okay with. We should also point out that Yamamoto missed one key point in his remarks to TG: The current Miata, despite its meager power, is the quickest ever, hitting 60 mph in 5.9 seconds in our testing thanks to its low curb weight. If you want more, perhaps try sticking it out for the next-generation Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S, which assuredly will pack more than 155 ponies and are rumored to be developed on MX-5 bones.

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Hybrid Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 Vanish from the Lineup

2014 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum hybrid

After only two years in the lineup, the hybrid version of the Nissan Pathfinder and its upscale twin, the Infiniti QX60, have silently motored off into history. Neither is returning for the 2016 model year.

Combining a supercharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder and a 20-hp electric motor, the hybrid SUVs didn’t offer a huge increase in fuel economy compared with the standard 3.5-liter V-6 versions. The front-wheel-drive hybrids had an EPA combined rating of 26 mpg, 3 mpg better than the nonhybrid, while the all-wheel-drive hybrids, also at 26 mpg combined, beat the standard AWD model by 4 mpg.

In our test of an all-wheel-drive Pathfinder Hybrid, we did considerably worse, averaging only 19 mpg versus the 20 mpg we recorded in a long-term test of a Pathfinder V-6. We concluded, “it’s hard to justify the added mass and cost.” Seems that most Pathfinder shoppers agreed.

It’s not known whether Infiniti will continue with its Q50 and Q70 hybrids—yes, they do sell those—or whether they will exit, as well. For hybrid-loving SUV buyers, Nissan may soon have a new alternative in the form of a Rogue hybrid—its platform-mate, the European-market X-Trail, is offered with one. We’ll have to wait and see whether it comes here.

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How Much for Those Range Rover Diesels? Now We Know

rangie

Diesel engines are nothing new to the U.S. or to Range Rovers, but never before have Range Rovers been sold in the U.S. equipped with a diesel. As we’ve reported before, a diesel V-6 with 254 horsepower and 440 stump-pulling lb-ft of torque will be offered in both the 2016 Range Rover Sport and the big daddy 2016 Range Rover models, denoted by a “Td6” badge. And now we know how much Land Rover will charge for the upgrade: $1500 over their gasoline V-6 counterparts.

The cheapest among then is the standard Range Rover Sport Td6, which starts at $67,445, with the Range Rover Sport SE Td6 costing $72,455. Stepping up to the Range Rover line, and the Td6 starts at $87,445 while the HSE Td6 will set you back $94,445, plus whatever options one might want to pile on.

You don’t have to be a compression-ignition fanboy to find the new oil-burners a rather compelling proposition, considering that the diesels are said to increase fuel efficiency by nearly a third. Land Rover estimates that both models will achieve 22 mpg in the city, 28 on the highway, and 25 mpg combined. Even with diesel being slightly more expensive than regular unleaded, that won’t take long for the diesel to pay off.

Range Rover

And of course, the oil-burners benefit from all of the upgrades bestowed upon the other Range Rover models, from automatic vehicle lowering for easier entry/exit to Land Rover’s remote vehicle services that include remote door locking and unlocking, remote starting, and emergency roadside services.

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Project Trail Force Jeep Wrangler goes to SEMA, then to a lucky winner

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Jeep, SUV, Off-Road

Extreme Terrain worked with Barricade Off-Road, Rock Krawler, Rugged Ridge, and Kevin Tetz to create the Project Trail Force Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. They're going to take it to SEMA and give it away.

Continue reading Project Trail Force Jeep Wrangler goes to SEMA, then to a lucky winner

Project Trail Force Jeep Wrangler goes to SEMA, then to a lucky winner originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2015 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Putting the Limited-Release Track Toys from Ferrari, McLaren, and Aston Martin Into Context

Aston Martin Vulcan, Ferrari FXX K, and McLaren P1 GTR

From the July 2015 issue

Speed limits, emissions regulations, and the always-newsworthy rift between rich and poor make today’s roads an inhospitable climate for supercars. But the pace of technological development means the segment is evolving faster than ever, especially with the advent of anything-goes mega-mutations made exclusively for the track. These monsters free engineers from real-world constraints, allowing them to try new technologies unhampered by regulations.

Ferrari invented the segment a decade ago with the Enzo-based FXX, but today Maranello is just one of three factories offering ultra-expensive, track-only ordnance. And, as if being personally approved for the purchase isn’t exclusive enough, buyers don’t take these cars “as is.” The fortunate—literally, blessed by great fortune—new owners get the benefit of personalized detailing and factory perks. All three cars include Nomex wearables and a helmet matched to the car’s color scheme, as well as private coaching both on simulators and in the real world. But the extras included with each vary, so we’ve prepared this handy comparison guide. (Not that it matters, because the cars are all sold out.)

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	Aston Martin -Vulcan	Ferrari -FXX K	McLaren -P1 GTR
Cost	$2.3 million	$3.0 million	$3.1 million

Production limited to	24	40	40–45

Horsepower	800-plus	1036	986

Estimated 0–60 time	3.3 seconds	2.4 seconds	2.6 seconds

Duration of program	TBD	2 years	1.5 years

Track sessions	TBD	Up to 7 per year	6 per program

I quit! I’m selling the car	Okay.	Not in the first two years, you’re not. You signed a contract.	That’s fine. But the new owner doesn’t get to play in any remaining track sessions.

Program bonuses	Training sessions chaperoned by Le Mans winner Darren Turner, plus warm-ups in lesser cars such as the V-12 Vantage S, Vantage GT4 race car, and that other limited-edition Aston Martin, the One-77.	Two-day training and car fitment takes place at the historic Fiorano test track. Plus, the XX program also includes the FXX and the 599XX. So even while you’re hobnobbing with Ferrari’s 39 other handpicked favorite customers, there will still be people around for you to look down upon.	Chief designer Frank Stephenson is personally available to discuss your P1 GTR livery. That means an extended period of him saying “No” before finally arriving at “Let’s just do this.” You also get up to four hours of simulator time at McLaren’s headquarters in Woking, England, prior to each event.

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Putting the Limited-Release Track Toys from Ferrari, McLaren, and Aston Martin Into Context

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Spotted: Kylie Jenner Riding Shotgun in Tyga’s Bentley

Earlier this week, Kylie Jenner and Tyga were spotted getting into Tyga's Bentley Mulsanne outside a restaurant in Los Angeles. Between all of Tyga's cars and Kylie's growing collection, they probably have a nicer lineup than Kimye...

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Alfa Romeo shows off Giulia, new logo in latest video

Filed under: Videos, Alfa Romeo, Sedan, Luxury, Performance

"Alfa Romeo is back," the title of this video defiantly declares, and based on what we've learned about the new Giulia, we have every reason to believe them.

Continue reading Alfa Romeo shows off Giulia, new logo in latest video

Alfa Romeo shows off Giulia, new logo in latest video originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2015 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This new F1 2015 video game trailer is awesome

Filed under: Motorsports, Toys/Games, Videos

Codemasters released a second teaser trailer for the F1 2015 video game. Updates include a brand new game engine with new physics and more realistic tire performance.

Continue reading This new F1 2015 video game trailer is awesome

This new F1 2015 video game trailer is awesome originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2015 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MPG-eeek! Toyota Announces EPA Figures for the Mirai

In the months since Toyota unveiled the Mirai at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, the world’s been abuzz with talk of its homeliness. Toyota would like to take some of the chatter about the fuel-cell-juiced hydrogen car away from its questionable aesthetics and toward its capabilities. With the first cars due for delivery to California customers this fall and numbers from the EPA now in hand, maybe they can.

The pertinents? An estimated 312-mile range and 67 miles per gallon equivalent city/highway/combined. That bests Hyundai’s fuel-cell variant of the Tucson by 47 miles of range and 18 MPGe city, 16 MPGe highway, and 17 MPGe combined. The Tucson, of course, looks like a normal, everyday, average crossover, while the Mirai, well, the Mirai looks like a mechazoid Dizzy Gillespie whose cheeks just exploded.

For the first three years of your Mirai stewardship, the hydrogen’s on Toyota, along with three complimentary years of Toyota’s Entune and Safety Connect services. They’re also throwing in scheduled maintenance for three years or 35,000 miles, and an 8-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the fuel-cell stack, fueling ECU, power control unit, fuel-cell air compressor, the hybrid battery pack and its ECU, and the power-management control module.

Will the numbers be convincing enough to get customers to see past the Mirai’s ungainly appearance? Who knows? One might recall that the first-gen Prius wasn’t exactly a looker, either.

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Julie Hamp leaves Toyota in wake of drug smuggling arrest

Filed under: Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Toyota, Japan

After having been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle Oxycodone into Japan, Julie Hamp has stepped down from her post as Toyota's Chief Communications Officer and most senior female executive.

Continue reading Julie Hamp leaves Toyota in wake of drug smuggling arrest

Julie Hamp leaves Toyota in wake of drug smuggling arrest originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2015 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Osamu Suzuki names son Toshihiro president and COO

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Suzuki

Toshihiro Suzuki, currently an executive vice president of his family's company, has been named its president and chief operating officer. His father remains chairman and CEO.

Continue reading Osamu Suzuki names son Toshihiro president and COO

Osamu Suzuki names son Toshihiro president and COO originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2015 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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