New Mazda Takuya Special Editions for UK Market

Obviously Mazda has embarked on a journey to teach Japanese to British buyers. After the MX-5 Miyako limited edition series - named after a Japanese island, Mazda is now introducing the 'Takuya' special edition range, available on the Mazda2, Mazda3 and Mazda6 models. The name 'Takuya' – pronounced 'tah-koy-yah' – is taken from the Japanese for forerunner or pioneer. Changes on the special edition models are limited to cosmetic and equipment upgrades.

Starting with the Mazda2, the Takuya model comes with a 86HP 1.3-liter petrol engine and features 16-inch alloy wheels, a sports styling kit with spoiler, sports bumpers and side skirts, and front fog lights. The five-door hatch's interior is upgraded with black sports trim, trip computer, leather steering wheel and gear knob, steering wheel remote audio controls and a Parrot Bluetooth hands-free kit. Prices start from £11,915 (OTR).

Priced from £15,780, the Mazda3 Takuya gets a 105HP 1.6L petrol engine and boasts a leather steering wheel and shift knob, automatic dual-zone climate control air conditioning, black sports interior trim, sports seats, an integrated Bluetooth system, LED lights, a six-disc CD changer and rain-sensing wipers.

Those interested in the Mazda6 Takuya have the option to choose from three different version - 2.0-litre five-door (£19,845), 2.2D 163ps five-door (£20,945) and 2.2D 163ps Estate (£21,595).

All three models benefit from the fitment of 18-inch alloy wheels, a sports grille and dusk-sensing headlights on the exterior, while the interior is upgraded with an alloy pedal set, half-leather heated seats, auto-dimming rear view mirror, dual-zone automatic climate control air conditioning, and leather steering wheel and shift knob.

Mazda Launches Not so Special 90th Anniversary Editions of Axela and Biante in Japan

On January 30, 2010, Mazda will reach its 90th birthday and to celebrate the event, the automaker has begun churning out special edition versions of its cars like the Axela (known to the rest of the world as the Mazda3 hatch) and the Biante minivan, both of which went on sale in Japan today.

However, truth to be said, there's nothing really 'special' about the two models other than the Axela's exclusive exterior body color that's called Gunmetal Blue Mica and the fact that both cars come with more standard features such as the 'i-stop' start & go system that reduces fuel consumption.

First Recall for 2010 Mazda3 in the U.S.

The new 2010 Mazda3 has only been made available in the U.S. market since March 2009, but the subcompact model has already received its first recall. Overall, Mazda will be calling back to its dealerships 25,400 sedans and hatchback models because of a problem concerning the starter motor. More specifically, the company found that the clearance between the engine harness and the housing of starter motor may be inadequate as vibration during operation may cause a short-circuit between certain harness wires and the starter housing.

If this happens the fuse may blow out causing the engine to stall and not restart again. The Japanese firm's dealers will have the engine harness inspected and add a protector clip on the affected section of the harness while if deemed necessary, the harness will be repaired.

2010 Mazda3 Priced from $15,045 in the States

Despite the fact that the all-new 2010 Mazda3 comes with many new features, the Japanese firm has kept prices at the same levels with the outgoing model. The entry-level Mazda3 Sedan with a 148-horsepower 2.0-liter engine mated to a manual transmission, starts at $15,045 or a mere $355 more than its predecessor. The 2.0-liter Mazda3 i Touring Sedan with automatic transmission, which is expected to remain the most popular model in the range, will be priced at $18,350 and includes standard features such as Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Traction Control (TCS) and Bluetooth wireless mobile phone and audio capability and hands-free operation.

Starting at $19,540 for the 4-door and $20,030 for the Mazda3 5-door, the 167HP 2.5-liter Mazda3 S Sport with automatic transmission adds 17-inch alloy wheels and a Multi-Information Display (MID) with 4.1-inch monochromatic screen that conveys MP3 and i-Pod program information, trip data including fuel economy, plus various maintenance and alert messages.

For those that are not satisfied by the standard equipment, the S models are offered with a Technology package that costs $1,195 and includes keyless entry, push-button start, a compact full-color navigation system, Sirius satellite radio with six months of free service and a perimeter alarm.

Buyers can also opt for the 'Audio Package that includes a Moonroof and a BOSE audio system with a six CD changer for $1,395.

New Mazda3 i-Stop to Premiere in Geneva

Joining the new Mazda3 MPS at the Japanese firm's Geneva Motor Show stand will be the a new variant of the Mazda3 equipped with a fuel-saving start-stop system. The 2009 Mazda3 i-Stop will be offered with the company's 2.0-liter direct-injection engine that produces an output of 148-horsepower. According to Mazda, the start-and-stop system helps the new model achieve approximately 12 percent lower fuel consumption in the urban cycle than the current-generation European Mazda3.

Video: 2010 Mazda3 MPS - Mazdaspeed3 Teaser

Having already released official photos of its new 2010 Mazda3 MPS, the Japanese automaker took the next step and published a 30 second-long teaser video of its hot hatch that will bow at the Geneva Motorshow in early March. All we know about the new iteration of the sporty Mazda3 MPS is that behind that annoyingly happy face is the same turbocharged 2.3-liter direct-injection 4-cylinder engine of the current model. It remains to be seen if Mazda's engineers have performed any upgrades to the engine that delivers an output of 260HP in the 2009 Mazda3 MPS launching it to 100km/h (62mph) in 6.1 sec and on to a top speed of 250 km/h or 154mph.

2010 Mazda3 MPS - MAZDASPEED3: First Official Photos

Today, Mazda published the first official photos of the all-new Mazda3 MPS - known in the U.S. as the Mazdaspeed3, that will be uncovered at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3. The Japanese firm was tight lipped about the hot hatchback's specifications in its press release, as the only detail revealed was that the Mazda3 MPS will continue to use the outgoing model's turbocharged 2.3-liter direct-injection 4-cylinder engine.

No performance figures were released, but the current MPS's MZR 2.3 DISI Turbo engine produces (in European-spec) 260HP at 5500 rpm and 380 Nm of torque at 3000 rpm launching the car to 100km/h (62 mph) in 6.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 250 km/h (154 mph).

The photos show that the company's exterior designers had an easy job with the Mazda3 MPS / Mazdaspeed3 which has been fitted with a wide hood scoop, different lower grille trim, large rear wing, twin tailpipes, side sills and a set of newly designed alloy wheels.

For a hot hatch that wants to compete with the likes of the VW Golf GTI, Ford Focus ST and Opel / Vauxhall Astra OPC / VXR, the whole package seems a wee bit subtle and somewhat uninspired if you ask us, but maybe that's what Mazda was aiming for.

Insider: New Mazda3 MPS - Mazdaspeed3 will Debut in Geneva

Having already unveiled the sedan and 5-door hatchback versions of the '3', Mazda is now preparing to take the wraps off the sportiest variant of its C-segment model, the Mazda3 MPS or as it's known in the US, the MazdaSpeed3, at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March. While this is something that you may have heard as a rumor in the past, we are in a position to verify the debut as a fact.

What we couldn't manage to extract from our source is what kind of engine will find its way under the hood of the 2010 Mazda3 MPS / MazdaSpeed3. The most obvious choice is a turbocharged version of the 3's new 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder unit, but we wouldn't be surprised if Mazda takes advantage of its FoMoCo ties and uses a variant of the Focus ST / RS 2.5-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder engine that can deliver up to 300HP.

Mazda to Present Circuit Trial Versions of New Mazda3, Mazda6 and RX-8 at Tokyo Salon

While the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon that will be held in Japan from January 9 to 11, isn't considered a major event from a global perspective, nevertheless Mazda has announced that it will showcase a lineup of 13 vehicles and eco-friendly technologies. Mazda's exhibits will include the next-generation Axela (known as the Mazda3 in international markets), which is being revealed for the first time in Japan. Other exhibits will include "Circuit Trial" versions of the new Axela, RX-8, Demio (Mazda2) and Atenza (Mazda6) and six customized versions of the new Biante minivan, which went on sale earlier this year.

It goes without saying that the most attention-grabbing models are the Circuit Trial versions that have been developed by Mazdaspeed. The racing circuit ready variants of the Mazda2, Mazda6, Mazda3 and RX-8 will feature an array of equipment and performance upgrades that include M'z Custom aeroparts, Recaro bucket seats and large diameter tires and alloy wheels made by Yokohama.

Mazda's exhibits at Tokyo Auto Salon 2009

No.	Model	Vehicle/Accessory type
1	All-new Mazda3 (N.A. spec model)	Reference exhibit
2	All-new Mazda Axela Circuit Trial*2	Reference exhibit
3	Mazda RX-8 Circuit Trial	Reference exhibit
4	Mazda Demio Circuit Trial	Reference exhibit
5	Mazda Atenza Circuit Trial	Reference exhibit
6	Mazda Biante WAGONIST Custom	Production accessories
7	Mazda Biante SYTLE WAGON Custom	Production accessories
8	Mazda Biante Rotas RV Special	Production accessories
9	Mazda Biante Columbia Sport MTB Special	Production accessories
10	Mazda Biante DAMD	Production accessories
11	Mazda Biante KENSTYLE	Production accessories
12	All-new Mazda Roadster NR-A	Production vehicle
13	Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid	Reference exhibit

New Mazda3 Hatchback to Make North American Debut at Detroit Show

With all the drop outs at the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), any news, is good news. Mazda on its behalf has confirmed that the all-new Mazda3 5-door hatchback that made its world premiere at the Bologna Show earlier this month, will make its North American debut at NAIAS which will be held in Detroit from January 11 through January 25, 2009. Like its sedan sibling, the U.S.-spec Mazda hatchback will be offered with a choice of two 4-cylinder engines, a 2.0-liter unit with 148HP and a new 2.5-liter unit with 167HP.

2011 Mazda3 Teaser Video Released at Sydney Motorshow

As Mazda was sending the pictures of its all-new Mazda3 Sedan to the world's automotive media, the first teaser film of the subcompact sedan broke cover at the Japanese automaker's video wall at the Sydney Motor Show late last night. The presentation was performed by Mazda Executive Vice President Philip Spender who flew to Australia specifically for this reason. "Today is the world's first look at the new-generation Mazda3, a compact car that will build further on the Stylish, Insightful and Spirited foundations laid by its predecessor," said Mr. Spender. -Continued

"We chose Sydney to give the world its first look at the new Mazda3's striking design. Following that, North America will host the world debut of the Mazda3 sedan in late November. Shortly after that the new-generation Mazda3 five-door hatchback will debut on the European continent," he added.

"We've developed the new-generation Mazda3 to be a small-car leader around the world. The Mazda3's expressive and emotional styling, heightened driving dynamics, quality and refinement will propel it to even greater heights than the very successful model it replaces."

2011 Mazda3 Sedan Revealed - World Debut in LA

Mazda not only confirmed earlier reports by announcing that the sedan version of the all-new Mazda3 (known as Mazda Axela in Japan) will indeed be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19, but the Japanese automaker also released the first batch of official shots. While retaining the basic shape of the current model, Mazda's designers adorned the new 3 with styling elements from their latest models and especially the Mazda6 and the RX-8. Some could even say that the 2011 Mazda3 looks like a more compact and aggressively styled version of the Mazda6 -especially the Euro and Japan spec model. Either way, both are right. -Continued

Technical details are limited to the initial engine range for the North American model which will be available with 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gasoline units. As for the equally interesting 5door hatchback variant, Mazda simply said that it will be revealed in line with the company's global sales schedule. However, from what we know, the new Mazda3 5d will be revealed at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy in December.

2011 Mazda3 Renderings Italian Style

From what we gathered by looking around the net, the forthcoming 2011 Mazda3 is one of the most highly anticipated future vehicles. That was more than evident with the supposedly official Mazda3 Concept pictures (see here) that managed to create quite a hype on the internet. Unfortunately for some, these new renderings come from the Italian website “Infomotori”.

The designer of these new chops took a different approach, applying elements from the Nagare, Ryuga, Hakaze, Taiki and Furai concept cars to a an enlarged version of the Mazda2. Not bad but we would have definetely preferred a different styling for the front-end. –More pics after the jump

Via: Infomotori

2011 Mazda3 Concept: Nope, It’s Not Official, It’s Photoshop...

Some of you may have wondered why we didn’t post anything on the Mazda3 Concept images that took the web by surprise yesterday. To be frank, we had discovered these images during the weekend but we were 99% sure they weren’t official. The only problem was we didn’t know where they came from. Of course, we could have created a nice story hiding the real-facts, but that’s not our style.

Today our hunt down finally paid off as we managed to discover the “culprit”. Turns out that these, rather convincing, pictures of a Mazda3 Concept are the work of "Grif-1", a member of the Russian design site, "Render". If anything else, we’ll give our kudos to Grif-1 for doing a wonderful and quite detailed work on the Mazda3 Concept. Hopefully we’ll hear from him again in the near future. -Continued

Link: Render

2011 Mazda3 Rendering Speculation

This artist’s rendering featuring a Mazda6-inspired design for the successor to the Mazda3 sedan (called Axela in Japan) was shown on Japan’s “My Car” automotive magazine. There’s no way of telling how close the artist’s rendering will be to the actual model that’s expected to be introduced in 2009 as a MY2011, but we must admit that it looks pretty neat overall.

Via: WindingRoad

2018 Mazda3 Facebook Winner: Concept To Be Displayed At The 2007 LA Show

…and the winner of Mazda’s innovative “Design Challenge” contest hosted on Facebook is Mallory McMorrow of South Bend, Ind., a 21-year-old Industrial Design major at the University of Notre Dame. McMorrow, who managed to beat out nearly 300 contestants to win the Design Challenge will work with Mazda designers on stage in the Mazda booth at the L.A. Auto Show from Nov. 14-24 to bring this sketch to life. The sketch was completed with the help of Mazda designer Jacques Flynn.

The “Car Girl”, as she’s called by her classmates in the Industrial Design department, described her vision of the 2018 Mazda3 as an everyday sports car, a 5-door that makes her forget that she owns a 5-door, a car that can be practical yet sporty. The sketch looks great and we cant wait to see it in real life.-Details and pics after the jump

Mazda and Self-Proclaimed 'Car Girl' to Bring 2018 MAZDA3 to Life at 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 12/ - It is neither a commuter vehicle nor boring sedan. It is also not an undersized sports coupe or awkward, disproportionate hatchback. At the moment, the 2018 MAZDA3 is nothing more than a lump of clay on stage at the Mazda booth at the 2007 Greater Los Angeles Auto Show -- and the vision of Mallory McMorrow of South Bend, Ind., the winner of the Mazda Design Challenge. By the time the auto show comes to a close, an exciting, life-size model will be unveiled for all eyes to see -- and a talented woman will be one step closer to fulfilling her automotive design career dream.

A landslide victory, McMorrow's entry was voted number one by Facebook members, as part of the first-ever program between Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) and the social networking site. To enter, contestants submitted a 150-word description of their vision of the 2018 MAZDA3 and an optional sketch drawing.

After weeks of voting -- first by Mazda designers, then Facebook members -- McMorrow was selected as a finalist, at which time she was paired with Mazda designer Jacques Flynn who helped bring her design to life on paper. "Jacques took everything I said and sketched, and put my thoughts and feelings on paper," said McMorrow. "I was thrilled when I opened up the images of the final renderings. I'm proud to say that the end design was still definitely my car and I can't wait to see it come to fruition on the show floor."

On Nov. 14, McMorrow will begin working one-on-one with Franz von Holzhausen, director of design, MNAO, and his team to bring her concept to life, live from the Mazda booth at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. A formal press conference will be held at 12:50 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, at the Mazda booth.

"The Mazda Design Challenge brought in a flood of cool, unique design ideas. The winning design concept is a fresh new way to look at the design of a vehicle," said von Holzhausen. "This competition was a tremendous success, and the entire process was really beneficial to my team and me to understand what design means to our target buyers. Now the hard part comes -- to see if we can actually build a full concept car on the show stand in ten days and in full-view of show goers."

Auto show attendees can watch von Holzhausen and his team in action from 12 noon to 8:00 p.m. daily, as they mold, carve and smooth the would-be 2018 MAZDA3. The final clay sculpture of the concept will be unveiled at 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24.

Mallory McMorrow -- "Car Girl" by design

An Industrial Design major at the University of Notre Dame, McMorrow, 21, of Whitehouse, NJ, first heard of the Mazda Design Challenge from her professor, Paul Down. Dubbed "the car girl" by her classmates in the Industrial Design department, McMorrow, who discovered her love for cars at a young age, jumped at the chance to enter.

With a background in graphic and industrial design, most of McMorrow's design experience to date has focused primarily on product design, including automotive cleaning and car products. "All throughout college, I've heard nothing but how hard it will be to get into the auto design world, how I should keep my options open, and even how I should 'think about interiors (because)... women work on interiors," said McMorrow. "Now, thanks to this contest, I have a completely refreshed feeling about pursuing a career in cars."

Mallory's 2018 MAZDA3 -- In her own words

"A decade from now, I want a car that doesn't believe in falling into a category. A car that makes sure sedan and hatchback are no longer four letter words. A chassis made to handle every s curve that comes its way. Fast. I want a car with the body and soul of a sports car, but a car that knows that sometimes I want to bring my friends, my things, or my dog. I want a car that has a sunroof that's actually a sunroof, not a sun-one-quarter roof.

I want a car that causes heads to turn -- even before the first rev of the engine. I want a car that went from concept to showroom without meeting muted for the masses -- unapologetically. I want a MAZDA3 that gets me -- the everyday sports car, the 5-door that makes me forget I own a 5-door."

In addition to McMorrow, finalists in the Mazda Design Challenge included Christopher Chung, Silver Spring, Md.; Preston Gilliam, East Bend, N.C.; Andrew Kinomoto, Bothell, Wash.; and Danny Song, San Mateo, Calif.

2009 Mazda3 Photoshop?

If we had to choose between saying that the above picture is a photoshop or a “true-blue” scoop image we’d most probably vote for the first answer. However, even if the picture is the work of someone with a photoshop program and plenty of time in his hands, we must admit that the car doesn’t look bad at all. What do you think?

Via: Diariomotor

Video: Mazda3 Gets Pissed When Dog Takes A Leak

In this German market Mazda3 TV commercial, a dog decides to take a leak on the Japanese car, only to discover that the Mazda3 has a mind of its own giving our four legged friend a lesson to remember. Not bad if it’s your first “car vs animal” commercial but otherwise, nothing new. -See the video after the jump

Via: egmCarTech

Mazda3 MPS Extreme 282Hp: 2007 Sydney Show

Mazda took us by surprise today by unveiling a modified version of the Mazda3 MPS (Mazdaspeed3 in the U.S.) at the 2007 Sydney Motorshow. Dubbed “Extreme”, the show car has received engine, suspension and exhaust upgrades that according to Mazda, improve performance by about twenty per cent. This is not the first time that Mazda Australia has developed specially tuned versions as they presented a turbo-charged version of the RX-8 in 2004 and a rally-ready Mazda2 in 2005.

The Mazda3 MPS Extreme’s 2.3-litre turbocharged engine has been modified by Mazda Australia Motorsport Manager, Allan Horsley who recalculated the car's Powertrain Control Module (PCM) raising output by 19 Hp to a total of 281 Hp at 5,300 rpm and maximum torque by 32-lbs-ft to 313.5-lbs/ft (425 Nm) at 4,400 rpm. Other mechanical modifications include a free-flowing two-inch exhaust system and a sports muffler that ensures a “deep-throat” exhaust note. -Continued after the jump

Murray Coote, one of Australia’s top suspension tuners reconfigured the Mazda3 MPS’ suspension package to complement the increased power. The car also sits 25mm lower than the standard model, giving it a sportier stance. In terms of wheels, the MPS Extreme is equipped with 19-inch BBS alloy wheels and Dunlop Sports tires (225/35ZR19).

Design-wise, the Mazda3 MPS’ features “True Red” paintjob with black stripes and a black roof and rear spoiler. Other exterior alternations include extended black wheel arches to accommodate its larger wheels and tinted windows. In the interior, the Extreme sports package brings black leather trim accentuated by red leather trimming. The red theme continues with red highlights in the dash, gear-shift knob and steering wheel and doors trimmings. (Scroll down for the spec sheet)

MAZDA3 MPS EXTREME SPECS:

Specifications
Engine
Engine Type		MZR 2.3-litre DISI turbo
Displacement	cc	2,260
Max. Power	kW	210 @ 5300rpm (Standard: 190 @ 5500rpm)
Max. Torque	Nm	425 @ 4400rpm (Standard: 380 @ 3000rpm)
Exhaust
Type	Two-inch sports
Transmission
Type	6-speed manual
Suspension
Front	Murray Coote designed
Rear	Murray Coote designed
Brakes
Front	Ventilated disc
Rear	Solid disc
Steering
Type	Hydraulic power assisted
Wheels & Tyres
Wheels	Dunlop Sports (225 X 35 X ZR19)
Tyres	19-inch alloys with "MPS" monogram