One for the Road: New Mazda Venture Edition for the UK

We wouldn't blame you if you have lost count of all the special edition versions of the MX-5 that Mazda has launched…this year alone. And there's another coming, this time for the UK market, though despite its Venture Edition moniker, it's the same model as the Spring Edition Mazda announced for the Geneva Salon.

The MX-5 Venture Edition is available as a 126ps 1.8 MZR Soft-top (SE) with a five-speed manual gearbox or as a 2.0 MZR Roadster Coupe (Sport Tech) with a six-speed manual, with on-the-road prices set at £18,995 and £22,285 respectively.

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New Mazda MX-5 Special Edition Spring with Integrated Sat-Nav to Debut in Geneva

There's unquestionably no shortage of special-edition MX-5s for those that want a more unique version of the world's best-selling roadster model. In fact, only just last week, Mazda displayed the black-top "Special Edition" for the U.S. market at the Chicago Auto Show.

However, in Mazda's books, there's always a niche to fill with the MX-5. Today, the Japanese automaker announced another special edition designed exclusively for the European market that will make its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in early March.

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New Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition Unwrapped Ahead of Chicago Auto Show

Do you remember the MX-5 Sport Black Edition launched in Britain last summer or perhaps its twin from Japan, the MX-5 Black Tune Edition released this past October?

If the answer is yes, we would like to congratulate you on your excellent memory and tell you that the 2012 MX-5 Miata Special Edition that will be unveiled at the upcoming 2012 Chicago Auto Show is more or less the U.S. market version of those two models – hence the RHD pictures released by Mazda.

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Look what Someone Noticed about the First and Last Generation Mazda MX-5…

How many times have you heard or read about a car's overall appearance or a particular section reminding people of something? The answer is probably too many times to count.

Well, here's one more for your list that comes courtesy of a reader over at Reddit. The photo shows a first and third generation MX-5 parked together in a garage with a humorous comment about each model's fascia. If you can think of a better quote (s), the comments section is all yours.

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A Streetcar Named Desire: Mazda MX-5 Miata with a Morning Glory [Video]

Someone just gave a new meaning to the saying that "some men see their car as an extension of their male reproductive organ while others behave as if it's a replacement for it".

Hiding somewhere between a pair of oversized balls at the rear end and the glans (see, we did our medical homework before posting this story) on the tip of the car, is a first generation Mazda MX-5 / Miata roadster.

The hows and whys behind the erection of this mobile tally whacker remain elusive, though Youtube poster, Allandiablo, says it was being filmed at the time and that it could be for an upcoming episode of Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory TV show on MTV.

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Mazda to Launch Customized Versions of CX-5, Mazda3, RX-8, MX-5 et al at Tokyo Auto Salon

It may not have the same international flavor as the Tokyo Motor Show, but the Tokyo Auto Salon, which will take place in Chiba, Japan, from January 13 to 15, is nevertheless an event that will draw the attention of all Japanese car manufacturers.
Mazda was the first to announce its line-up for the auto salon, led by the new CX-5 that will be launched in Japan next spring. The new compact-size crossover will be shown in two versions: the standard model, and a customized special edition sporting red bodywork color, matte-black alloy wheels and a slightly lower ride height.
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2014 Mazda MX-5 to Return to its Roots, Get a Small-Displacement Turbocharged Engine

[2003 Mazda Ibuki Concept pictured above]

During the last two decades, most new models are bigger, safer, better equipped but also heavier than the vehicles they replace. The Mazda MX-5 is a typical example: the first generation launched in 1989 tipped the scales at just 980 kg (2,150 lb), while the current, third-generation model starts from 1,095 kg (2,410 lb).

Sure, it’s roomier and more luxurious, but it’s also more expensive and, although in no way a boring car, not quite as fun to drive as the original. In addition, you need to get the 2.0-liter engine to have the same kind of poke the original enjoyed with a 1.6-liter engine and its successor with a 1.8-liter unit.

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Video: Was This a Dangerously Close Call or a Ballsy Move?

A minor spat has broken out on Youtube over whether or not a Lotus Exige GT3 traveling close to 250km/h [155mph] should have passed in between a Mazda MX-5 and a Porsche Boxster during the Production Sports Cars CUE Enduro Series held at the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, Australia.

If you watch the first video shot from an inboard camera on the MX-5, it looks like a rocket ship flew by inches away from the Japanese roadster. In fact, it all happens so fast that you have to actually pause the video to see the Exige GT3 driven by Barton Mawer.

According to the Philip Island Circuit's official website, the driver in the No66 MX-5 was Michael Hall. Here's what he said on Youtube:

"I'm chasing down a Porsche Boxster in the #66 Mazda MX5 whilst trying to hang onto the lead of Class E. Meanwhile Barton Mawer is trying to hunt down Alan Simonsen in the Lambo for the overall lead, and obviously not in the mood to waste any time."

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Sweet: Supercharged Mazda MX-5 Super20 gets a New 'Do for 2011 SEMA

Joining the new MX-5 Spyder Concept at Mazda's 2011 SEMA Show booth is a blast from the past, the MX-5 Super20 that returns to Las Vegas with a new color scheme.

Introduced during last year's SEMA extravaganza, the refreshed MX-5 Super20 ditches the original model's dark color theme for an eye-popping Hyper Orange Mica exterior treatment offset by a matte black finish for the hardtop, wheel arch extensions, trim accents, stripes and 16-inch Enkei RPF1 twin-spoke racing wheels matched with Toyo Proxes RA-1 245/45ZR16 tires.

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2011 SEMA: Hot Mazda MX-5 Spyder Revealed in Detail

One of the most intriguing concept models of this year's edition of the SEMA automotive aftermarket extravaganza, which takes place in Las Vegas from November 1 to 4, is the Mazda MX-5 Spyder.

Based on the soft-top MX-5, the two-seater roadster model has been tastefully modded with a mix of bespoke accessories and body parts such as the ground effects kit and the redesigned front bumper that sports a new grille and air vents.

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Mazda to Woo SEMA Show Crowd with MX-5 Spyder and Mazda2 Turbo Hot Hatch

The countdown to the 2011 Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas is heating up with only a few days left before the big event kicks off on Tuesday, November 1.

Mazda will be there with at least two concept models including the MX-5 Spyder and the Mazda2 Turbo.

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Mazda Launches MX-5 “Black Tuned” Limited Edition in Japan

The Mazda MX-5, also known as the Miata, is the best-selling two-seater sports car in the world. Now in its third generation, Mazda’s roadster has seen its fair share of special editions since it was first launched in 1989. The latest variant to hit the streets is the Black Tuned edition, which was launched today in Japan. Read more »

Britons Vote Ford Mustang as the World’s Manliest Car

Bluebeards Revenge is a UK brand of shaving cream and post-shave balm scientifically proven by Science™ [sic…] to reduce beard growth- or so it says on their webpage. The brand recently conducted an email poll of 1,835 Britons, asking them to rate the world’s “manliest” and “least manly” cars.

The results are in, and –drumbeat please- the winner is the Ford Mustang that was found to be the “manliest car on the planet” with a net total of 21% of the vote.

Runners up were the Aston Martin DB7 (15%), Range Rover (13%), Dodge Viper (11%) and Hummer H1 (10%). On the opposite end of the spectrum – the world’s “least manly” cars – were the Volkswagen Beetle (31%), Mazda Miata / MX-5 (20%), Ford Ka (11%), Toyota Prius (9%) and Nissan Cube (8%).

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Chilling Mazda MX-5 Touch and Roll Over Accident

The accident you are about to watch in the video after the break occurred during the third race of the Ma5da MX5 Mk1 Championship at the Snetterton circuit in the UK.

It all went down when the Jamie Ingram (car No.108) lost control of his Mk1 MX-5 and hit Mark Leach's blue MX-5 (car No.16), who at the time was passing on the right. Leach's car was launched into the air and then rolled over seven times before coming to halt.

Fortunately, despite the severity of the accident, Leach made it out alive but not without some injuries including a bruised lung, some whip lash, and a broken arm.

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Video: A Lap of the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit in a Mazda MX-5 GT

The Ardennes Forest in Belgium is famous not just for the failed German offensive against the Allied forces, which signaled the beginning of the end for World War II and the fall of the Third Reich, but also for its Spa-Francorchamps circuit that is a place closely linked with Formula 1.

Spa includes one of the championship's most demanding corners, the flat-out Eau Rouge. With the F1 teams heading to Ardennes for the Belgium GP on August 26, Mazda has released a video with its race driver Mike Ticehurst guiding us through a lap behind the wheel of a 275HP MX-5 GT.

You can watch it right after the jump.

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New Mazda MX-5 and Mazda2 Sport Black Editions Inspired by GT Race Car

The 275-horsepower Mazda MX-5 GT racecar, which competes in the 2011 Britcar Production GTN Championship, has inspired the Japanese firm's UK division to develop a pair of limited edition models based on the MX-5 and the Mazda2 for the local market.

The word "inspired" should be taken very loosely as the Sport Black Editions of the two Mazda models do not feature any performance upgrades and are all about bespoke color choices and additional standard features.

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The...Lime Lantern: Mazda’s Special Edition MX-5 Roadster Coupe Karai

Another week, and rather than just another Mazda, it’s another MX-5 special edition. This one is called Karai, which according to the company is Japanese for ‘sharp’, and it comes to us from Mazda’s European division.

The Karai is based on the MX-5 Roadster coupe, which means it is fitted with a retractable hardtop. It boasts a unique lime-green paint called “Metal Green Metallic” for the body and contrasting glossy black finish for metal top, exterior mirrors, trim accents such as the front grille and fog lamp surrounds, as well as the 17-inch multispoke alloy wheels that are shod in low profile performance tires.

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A Mazda MX-5 On Steroids: Australia’s V8 Engined Bullet Roadster

In the late ‘90s, Australian John Bettini unleashed onto the word the Bullet Roadster. What begin life as a heavily modified Mazda MX-5 with an RX-7 13B powerplant gradually evolved into a V8-engined monster like the one you see here that we found for sale in Queensland, Australia.

According to the seller, this was the fifth Bullet Roadster built and the first V8-engined one to roll out of the company’s then new Chinderah, NSW factory. It’s all hearsay, of course, but I’m willing to believe the words of a 62yo motoring enthusiast with arthritic knees. So here goes...

Bullet No. 5 was a special order from a man named George Covacic who supplied a 4.6-liter all-alloy, fuel injected V8 crate motor along with a Tremac 5-speed manual transmission and the differential from a Holden Commodore SS. Like all Bullet supercars, the brakes and suspension came from the Mazda RX-7.

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Mazda, Honda Suspend U.S. Orders for Japan-Made Models

Mazda has suspended all US orders for cars built in Japan as the carmaker is preparing to shut down its plants once again after a short reopening period. According to the automaker’s American spokesman Jay Amestoy, the decision will affect shipments of cars that were due to arrive in the U.S. in May. The Mazda official added that it was uncertain when normal activity will resume.

Mazda USA imports almost all its range from the Japan, except the U.S.-built Mazda6 and Tribute. The models produced in Japan are the Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda5, MX-5 / Miata, RX-8, CX7 and CX9. Mazda halted production at its Hiroshima and Hofu plants from March 14 through March 21, but three days ago, it resumed temporary production using parts it had in its inventory.

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New Mazda MX5-GT Racer with 275HP Completes 0-60mph Sprint in 3.0 Seconds

Meet the all-new MX5-GT, a featherweight race car with which Mazda will participate in the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship 2011 taking on Aston Martin, Porsche, Lotus, and BMW. It may seem like a difficult task but Mazda, in cooperation with Jota Sport, the race engineering team that will run the cars in the 2011 series, have a few tricks under their sleeves.

For starters, the GT is claimed to be the lightest and most powerful MX-5 ever built. Jota Sport took some 400 hours to build the car’s shell to a specification that ensured it was 17 times stronger than required by the FIA. Weight-saving measures include the removal of interior parts, reducing component weight and dipping the shell in acid to shave 15kg. The end result is a total weight of just 850kg or 1,873 lbs.

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