For the first time, Mazda is now introducing in North America the 2011 Mazda2, a new stylish eco-friendly, fun-to-drive five-door hatchback. First launched in 2007, the new Mazda2 became very popular in Europe, Japan and Australia and it is about to make the same thing on the North American market. Unfortunately, Mazda did not release yet any engine specifications, interior details or prices but as soon as we will find out something we will let you know! Photo gallery and press release after the jump!

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Tags:2009 la auto show, 2009laautoshow, 2011 mazda2, 2011 mazda2 la auto show, 2011 mazda2 us spec, 2011 mazda2 us version, 2011mazda2, car news, LA Auto Show, los angeles motor show, mazda news
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Mazda Motor Corporation announced today that it will bring at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show the North American version of the popular Mazda2. According to the manufacturer the small hatchback is going to be sold in the U.S. and Canada beginning in late 2010.

“Bringing Mazda2 to North America completes the bookends in our line-up. With the seven- passenger crossover CX-9 at one end and the sub-compact Mazda2 at the other, Mazda’s line-up now spans the most significant product segments in the industry, and is the strongest, best-designed, best-built we have ever offered. Mazda2 will be true to everything that makes our cars stand apart from the competition: it will be stylish, fun-to-drive and a heck of a value. In short, it will be the definition of Zoom-Zoom.” said Jim O’Sullivan, President and CEO, Mazda North American Operations. For those folks who don’t know, the Mazda2 was named “2008 World Car of the Year,” besting all other new cars around the world.

Tags:2009 la auto show, 2009 los angeles auto show, 2009laautoshow, car news, Mazda, mazda news, mazda2 la auto show, mazda2laautoshow
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By 2011, Mazda Motor Corp. vehicles will be lighter by at least 220 pounds, according to Robert Davis, senior vice president of product development and quality for Mazda North American Operations. Mazda plans to achieve this goal using a combination of lighter-weight materials, smaller vehicle footprints and new engineering processes. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:2011 mazda weight loss, car news, Mazda, mazda news, mazda weight reducing
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Last Friday we told you about the upcoming Mazda MX-5 that it will be lighter and smaller than the current model. Today we found out more details about the new model thanks to Japan’s Best Car Magazine. According to them, the new MX-5 will also receive a smaller engine (for those who don’t know the current model is powered by a 2.0-liter gasoline engine), the Mazda SKY-G 1.3-liter engine which was recently unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show. This new engine is capable to deliver excellent fuel economy figures of 32 kilometers per liter (under Japan’s 10-15 mode test cycle). So, if you want to buy yourself a Mazda MX-5 you’d better save some money and wait for the new model because it will be a real masterpiece!

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Tags:car news, Mazda, mazda mx-5, mazda mx-5 sky-g engine, mazda news, mx-5 sky-g engine, new mazda mx-5
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A smaller and lighter Mazda MX-5 – that’s what the next model will be like. According to Mazda insiders, this is an attempt to replicate the spirit of the original launched 20 years ago. Mazda’s R&D team is working on making the new car as light and compact as the first MX-5.

The current car was deemed to be too heavy. With a 2.0-litre engine, its kerb weight is 1098kg, compared with the original’s 970kg. The target is 1,000kg. This change would give the new car a figure similar to that of the recent 980kg MX-5 Superlight concept, which was the first of a series of design studies that will indicate the direction Mazda will take with the new car. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:car news, Mazda, mazda mx-5, mazda mx5, mazda news, new mx-5, next mazda mx-5
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Mazda Motor Corp., which is held 13% by Ford Motor Co., posted its first quarterly profit in a year lifting its full-year guidance to call for a smaller operating loss. Mazda recorded better sales and currency rates than had been anticipated. While forecast for the October-March second half unchanged, Mazda has revised its first-half estimates earlier this month due to its announcement of a share sale of about $1 billion.

Currently, Mazda expects an operating loss of 12 billion yen ($133 million) for the year to March, a billion yen less than what was announced in early October. It sees a lower net loss of 17 billion yen, rather than 26 billion yen, on tax-related adjustments. For the July-September quarter, operating profit dropped 82 percent to 5.93 billion yen ($65 million). Net profit was 707 million yen, against a 14.5 billion yen profit last year, as revenue plunged 30 percent to 562.1 billion yen.

Tags:car news, Mazda, mazda news, mazda quarterly profit
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For various reasons, foremost of which is the dollar-yen exchange rate, Mazda Motor Corp. is considering transferring more of its manufacturing base offshore. Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi said that this move would better protect the company against currency swings.

Since the dollar has continued to weaken against the yen, Mazda’s fortunes in dollar-denominated markets are suffering. So far, Mazda has made no decisions. Yamanouchi hesitated to give further details, citing the “quiet period” before Mazda’s $1.1 billion public stock offering. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:car news, Mazda, mazda news, mazda offshore production
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As you may know already, this week we talked about the new Mazda RX-7 but thanks to Autonews we find out more details. It appears that the new car needs more work because the next-generation rotary engine from Mazda dubbed ”16x” unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show does not meet sufficient performance and fuel economy guidelines.

In other words, Mazda needs to improve the engine’s thirsty nature. “The 16X demonstrated the possibility, but that performance is not good enough. We are doing r&d which will incorporate more new technology.  The 16X was to be finished in time for the next-generation RX-8 sports car, to be launched in 2012 or so.” said Seita Kanai, Mazda Motor head of R&D. We also found out that the the codename ”16X” refers to the increase in the current engine’s displacement, from the current 1.3 liters to 1.6 liters. “The 16X is more a profile of a rotary still in our concept stage,” Kanai said. “It needs more evolution.”

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Tags:car news, Mazda, mazda news, mazda rotary engine
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For the Tokyo Motor Show, Mazda chose to display its wares of next-generation engines and automatic transmissions. At the exhibit, we see the Mazda SKY-G direct-injection petrol engine, its Mazda SKY-D clean diesel engine and the Mazda SKY Drive high-efficiency automatic transmission.

Furthermore, for the first time in its home country, Mazda is showing its Kiyora concept car. Firstly, the Mazda SKY-G is a direct-injection petrol engine with significantly improved fuel economy and power output due to enhanced thermal efficiency. Its design is meant to reduce mechanical friction and achieve an optimal air-fuel mix. The Mazda SKY-G’s fuel economy and torque are improved by about 15% compared to Mazda’s current 2.0-liter engine. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:2009 tokyo motor show, 2009tokyomotorshow, car news, Mazda, mazda kiyora, mazda kiyora tokyo, mazda news, mazdakiyora, Tokyo Motor Show, tokyomotorshow
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According to the latest reports from Autonews, it appears that Mazda is currently studying diesel engines for the U.S. market. Seita Kanai, head of Mazda’s research and development effort said that ehicles running diesels are being tested on U.S. soil and the manufacturer is planning a minimum annual volume of 10,000 U.S. diesel sales in order to make a profitable retail case. ”

As an engineer, ideally I would want to introduce diesels, but I am not sure if it makes a business case,” said Seita Kanai. Volkswagen is also a good study for Mazda because the German manufacturer is also trying to improve its diesel sales in the U.S.

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Tags:car news, dieselmazda us, Mazda, mazda diesel us, mazda diesel us market, mazda kaan, mazda news
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