Section: Mazda
Written By: David Yang
April 14th, 2008 10:00 AM
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Haima Auto, a sub-brand of First Automobile Works (FAW) based in Haikou, will debut its self-designed MPV concept Haima H2 at the upcoming Beijing Auto Show.
The model will be powered by Haima’s own 1.8-liter HA-VIS engine and has a wheelbase of 105 inches. According to a technician from the company the MPV is set to go into production in the fourth quarter of this year. The prices will likely range from RMB 100,000 to 130,000 (roughly $14,285 to $18,571).
The new concept is tagged as new Mazda Premacy by the local media for the company’s connection with Mazda. Haima Auto has been involved in a joint venture with Mazda since 1992 under the name of Hainan Mazda Motor & Stamping Co., Ltd. Its new name “Haima” is derived from the Chinese initials of “Hainan Mazda,” which also happens to mean “sea horse” in Chinese.
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Written By: David Yang
April 2nd, 2008 3:00 PM
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The sedan version of Mazda2, called Jingxiang Chinese, made its world debut at last year’s Guangzhou Auto Show. The car is scheduled to start Chinese sales on April 2 with prices ranging from RMB 86,800 to 115,800 (roughly $12,400 - $16,500).
The Mazda2 is the first B-segment car released by the company into the Chinese market. The 4-door sedan version will then be launched next, joining its 5-door hatchback sibling. Traditionally, many Chinese customers have a special liking for sedan models, which are considered more roomy, and stylish.
The front-wheel drive sedan has two standard burners available: a DOHC 1.3-liter 4-cylinder and a DOHC 1.5-liter version. The 1.3-liter engine has a maximum output of 86 horsepower, while the 1.5-liter engine reaches a max output of 104 horsepower.
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Written By: Winding Road Staff
April 1st, 2008 10:00 AM
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The Mazda CX-7 is a pretty neat package. It has turbocharged power, all-wheel-drive, and loads of options for just above $30,000. Some staff members thought the interior was a bit gimmicky and that the engine could have had just a bit more power, but we still found the CX-7 to be a very well-rounded crossover vehicle.
Click through the jump to read our staff’s full impressions and click the images below to open a gallery.
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Written By: Winding Road Staff
March 22nd, 2008 10:00 AM
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It’s hard for us to find a vehicle that we’d willingly drive every day, but the Mazda3 fits the bill. This is one of the few cars we’ve tested that can really pull off a white exterior color, and while we are big fans of the hatchback, we like the grown-up looks of the four-door Mazda3.
Click through the jump for more of our impressions and click the images below to open a gallery.
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Written By: Chris Paukert
March 21st, 2008 1:01 PM
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It’s been nearly two years since the cargo ship Cougar Ace tipped on its side near the Aleutians in Alaska, in the process damaging thousands of new Mazda vehicles in its hold. And while company officials were originally optimistic that most of the 4,703 vehicles could be salvaged, in the end they are all finally set to be scrapped.
The damaged vehicles have been rusting away at a Portland, Oregon metal recycling facility since shortly after the July, 2006 incident. Company engineers have finally assessed the damaged vehicles (which had been resting on their sides in salty sea air for a month before they were moved to port), and the new plan is to have them all drained of fluids and scrapped over the next two months.
+ Associated Press: New Mazdas aboard listing ship going to scrap in Oregon (via Oregon Live)
Written By: Phil Floraday
March 4th, 2008 10:30 AM
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Mazda is displaying a rather attractive three-door hatchback here in Geneva. We’re excited to see the little ‘2 since the five-door car has done so well with sales and awards. The best part is the rumors of bringing the Mazda2 to U.S. shores. We already know the Ford Fiesta will eventually reach the U.S., and it rides on a Mazda2 platform, but we’re genuine fans of Mazda’s portfolio and would love the option of a smaller car with a little zoom-zoom in the DNA.
Would you rather have a Ford Fiesta hatchback or a Mazda2 hatchback? Let us know which car is more appealing to you in the comments.
Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
March 3rd, 2008 5:30 PM
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Mazda’s ASV-4 (Advanced Safety Vehicle) will take to the roads in Hiroshima this week for testing. The unassuming ASV-4 is a bustling test balloon filled to the brim with safety technology.
The ASV-4 project is developing a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system that will warn the driver of other cars presence in low-visibility and blind intersections. The warning system is said to help eliminate two-vehicle accidents – hence improving road safety.
The Advanced Safety Vehicle program has been in operation since 1991. The previous three phases of the project have already brought safety features to the foreground, including a rear vehicle monitoring system and Mazda’s Precrash Safety system. ASV-4 promises to further the safety technologies in models around the globe.
(Press release after the jump)
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
March 3rd, 2008 12:00 PM
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Mazda is considering adding its Mazda2 subcompact to its stateside lineup in the future. Jim O’Sullivan, president of Mazda North America, also said the company is considering selling diesel engines in the U.S. market for the first time.
“We’re not ready to make the announcement but obviously we sell diesels in Europe,” O’Sullivan said during a lunch with reporters in Detroit. “The Mazda 2 is extremely successful in Europe and Asia. We’re continuing to watch that space in North America.”
(More details after the jump)
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
February 21st, 2008 10:30 AM
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Ford and its local Chinese partners have announced a $58 million investment to fund future expansion.
The move, according to Edmund’s Inside Line, approved by the Chinese government, will push the group’s capital to over $350 million. Ford Motor China will invest $20.3 million, while Chang’an Auto, the nation’s fourth-largest automaker, will invest $29 million, and Mazda will invest $8.7 million. The shareholding structure will remain, with Chang’an Auto owning 50 percent, Ford owning 35 percent and Mazda 15 percent.
Chang’an Ford Mazda’s sales were up 60 percent last year, selling a record 217,000 units. The record sales number comes courtesy of the new S-Max, Mondeo, and Focus models. Ford plans to make as many as 410,000 vehicles in China this year, in hopes of topping 2007’s record number.
+ Edmund’s Inside Line: Ford Invests More in China
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Written By: Mike Garrett
February 20th, 2008 1:00 PM
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While Mazda recently rolled out a facelifted version of the current Axela/Mazda 3 in Japan, the car is going on five years since its debut and a new model is on the horizon.
Japan’s The My Car magazine has put together a rendering of the upcoming next-generation Axela/Mazda 3. Not surprisingly, the rendering includes a lot of styling features borrowed from both the new Mazda 6/Atenza and the popular Mazda 2/Demio compact car.
Engines for the new Axela in Japan are expected to range from a base 1.5-liter four cylinder to a 2.5-liter four cylinder borrowed from the Atenza/6. Like the current car, both a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback are likely to be offered. Rumors have the redesigned model being shown in Paris this fall and it may be on sale in the spring of 2009.
Written By: Seyth Miersma
February 13th, 2008 5:00 PM
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If this heavily modified 1993 RX-7 looks really familiar to you, you’re probably guilty of letting your love of cars overpower your fear of bad film.
The wide-body RX-7 is wearing the same Veilside body kit as can be found on the car that appeared in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. As if that weren’t fame enough, this specific Mazda was the poster car for 2007’s Hot Import Nights car and music tour.
Aside from the showbiz connections, the Veilside has obviously been tricked out to maximum effect, with the seller from eBay Motors offering up a list of mods that would make the most die-hard Import Tuner subscriber blush. Some might say that this wild treatment has completely ruined what started out as a lovely and sinuous Mazda design, but you certainly won’t find anyone with that mindset on the well-heeled list of top bidders. Enjoy.
+ eBay Motors: 1993 Mazda RX-7
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
February 13th, 2008 8:30 AM
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A London court has found former design student guilty of blackmailing automotive designers.
Guy Lloyd-Parker, graduate of the London College of Fashion, claimed that 95 design sketches were stolen from him by two college professors back in 1994. He claimed his designs have turned up as Audi TT, BMW Z3, Mazda RX-8, and the Volvo XC90.
He began to send threats to California-based Volvo Design Director Geza Loczi, former BMW and Aston Martin designer Henrik Fisker, and ex-Mazda designer Tsutomu Matano demanding he be compensated at least £90,000 ($175,373) for his sketches. The letters, he titled, “The Truth”, threatened to expose the designers to the media if his demands were not met.
However, for his troubles, Lloyd-Parker has been found guilty on three counts of blackmail and is to be sentenced later this month.
+ Car Design News: Car Designers Blackmailed (via Autoblog)
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