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With new cars getting heavier as the years go on, Mazda is bucking this trend for their next MX-5, aiming to cut the car's weight from its current 2500 lbs to 2200 lbs, just slightly heavier than the original 1990 Miata's weight.
Mazda executives felt that the current car is straying too far from the essence of the original Miata, and the weight reduction is part of a plan to completely overhaul the upcoming MX-5. Engines will also get smaller, with Mazda's ultra-efficient SKY-G four cylinder motors appearing in 1.6L and 1.8L configurations, smaller than the current 2.0L MZR engine. Most significant is the addition of a dual-clutch gearbox alongside a 6-speed manual gearbox. The twin-clutch unit will help increase efficiency and performance while appealing to the MX-5's slightly older demographic.
More controversially, Mazda's Nagare styling is slated to make an appearance, despite an unpopular reception on various concept cars and the upcoming Mazda5 minivan.
Mazda appears to be on the cusp of banishing their former "Nagare" design language to the junk heap. Nagare was responsible for the controversial front fascias on the upcoming 2011 Mazda5, the current MX-5 and the Mazda3. However, Mazda executives were apparently unhappy with the execution of the styling and demanded a change.
Unfortunately no details on the new styling have been announced, but if Mazda really wants to be the "Japanese Alfa Romeo", they'll need to figure out a styling direction quickly, that can also compete with the Italian firm's world class designs.
With the release of a new model, automakers generally see a big surge in sales. Mazda may be counting on that, or perhaps they've got a few tricks planned, because the company has announced it intends to sell as many as 30,000 Mazda5 models next year. Last year Mazda sold just 18,500 units of the MPV (commonly called a minivan), a 16 percent drop-off from 2008.
Mazda introduced the second-generation Mazda5 at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this year, and while Mazda exec Thomas Pixton has said that the car's sporty driving dynamics and improved fuel economy will attract buyers, it's not clear if the car will get the same 2.0-liter direct-injection 4-cylinder (with Mazda's start-stop system) offered in Europe.
Mazda has been at the forefront of the MPV segment, competing only with the Kia Rondo. That, however, will soon change with Ford's introduction of the Grand C-Max. Chevy also has it's new Orlando MPV but has decided to not sell it in the U.S., while Hyundai is also rumored to be thinking about the MPV segment.
With increased competition, Mazda is also certain to put some added marketing budget behind the Mazda5, which should help it reach the 30,000 unit mark.
We've heard of people swapping Mazda rotary engines into older Miatas, but if reports out of Japan are to be believed, the next MX-5, due out in 2012, will come standard with an all new, super efficient rotary engine – as well as a hybrid system.
7Tune is reporting that an article in the Japanese magazine Best Car outlines Mazda's plans for a "rotary hybrid" MX-5, set to compete with the "Hybrid Sports" competitors from Honda and Toyota. After that, things start to get a little suspect, as 7Tune reports that
"According to the popular magazine, Mazda is pondering whether to offer their newly developed Sky-G Hybrid Rotary Engine in a 1.2 liter ( commonly known as the 12A ) or 1.3 liter ( commonly known as the 13B ) engine capacity for their venerable Roadster."
Despite these claims, the SKY-G has previously been announced as a highly-efficient piston engine, while the 12A – and the 13B for that matter- hasn't been build for a couple decades. Last December, the SKY-G seemed to be a sure bet for the MX-5, and the engine was confirmed off the record through Mazda sources, who stressed that the new car would be an ultra-lightweight affair, with a 1.3L SKY-G being an integral part of the package. To put a rotary into an MX-5 would be a dangerous blurring of Mazda's two strongest brands, their RX sports cars (famous for their rotary engines) and the MX-5 (which follows the classic 2-seat, bare bones sports car format that has made it so successful).
On the other hand, Mazda recently announced a patent for a new type of integrated electric motor, mounted in the wheel hub. A compact system like this could actually work on a car like the MX-5, where packaging and a light weight are essential, bu only time will tell what powertrain Mazda decides to go with for their iconic sports car, but with over 1 million cars sold over 20 years, Mazda has a lot of customers that they can't afford to alienate, and a hybrid system would be the antithesis of the no frills experience that made the MX-5 such a hit.
If you're shopping around for vehicles with the lowest insurance rates, you're in luck. Insure.com has just released their Low Cost Car Insurance Awards of the least expensive vehicles to insure.
Topping the list of the least expensive 2010 vehicles to insure is the Mazda Tribute i, which costs an average of $1070.25 to keep insured. Insure.com garners these awards based on a survey of average car insurance rates for more than 2,400 vehicles for the 2010 model year.
The top Low Cost Car Insurance Award winners in each category are as follows:
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