Twenty years ago Mazda debuted the first MX-5 to the world at the Chicago Auto Show and they’re back in town to celebrate. Maxing out the spending card, Mazda celebrated the Miata MX-5’s 20th birthday party with old concepts, race cars and something Detroit didnt see… food.
A Nissan SilEighty with a little bit of drift damage. It does look mighty mean with its low stance
It has been a whole 15 years since the first Subaru Impreza WRX appeared in the UK and the carmaker has taken an unusual step to shift a few of the latest version.
While desperately trying to avoid a 'the car may have changed but the price hasn't' cliché the news is that Subaru has given the new WRX a 1994 price tag. It will cost the same £17,998 that the original did when it went on sale. This means a saving of £2,100 on the list price.
Considering the car gets a 230bhp 2.5-litre boxer engine, with 236lb ft of torque, power-to-pound it is very good value. Incidentally a price tag of 18,000 pounds was seen as good value for the original 208bhp WRX in the early nineties. The question is whether the price drop will be enough to tempt those who have rejected the new car's hatchback styling.
Lawrence Good, managing director of Subaru UK, said: 'This is the last opportunity for Subaru WRX fans to buy into the latest, best Impreza WRX Turbo model - at a price they were 15 years ago! It is one of our best dealer offers in our history - ideal in these lean times.'
We can’t help thinking that the designers over at Mazda have taken criticism of the dull-looking Mazda3 MPS to heart. In a fit of rage it seems someone started sketching big wings and a crazy bonnet scoop on to the car and these have somehow made it to production.
The new Subaru Impreza-esque face is not bad-looking by any means but it is a bit like Colin from accounts putting on a spangly disco suit for the Christmas party.
Joking aside, the fact that the car never looked like it was a fire-breathing 256bhp monster – one of the most powerful hatchbacks ever – has now been rectified, and it has a new lease of life.
There are now chunky alloys, a roof spoiler and a curiously smiley face surrounding the 2.3-litre DISI turbocharged engine. The car should hit 60mph in around 6 seconds and reach 155mph.
It is slightly lighter than the previous car and thus has better economy. It will be first seen at the Geneva motor show in March and should arrive in Britain in the following months.
Mazda has released a video teaser of its new 256bhp baby. It doesn't tell us much about the new car, but gives us a glimpse of what it looks like on the road. And thankfully not a 'zoom-zoom' in sight...
That’s a pretty cool line up of cars isn’t it? I suppose the fact that this was taken not in the show itself but in the parking lot next door shows just what kind of event the JCCA New Year Meeting is. Not to take anything from the actual show, but you could spend just as much time checking out the cars in the lots. A lot of people know this, because I saw tons of others strolling the parking areas taking photos of the machinery and “tailgating” with their buddies. Yep, this is Japanese classic car culture at its very best.
For years, the New Year Meeting has been one of the biggest classic car gatherings in Japan. All day long, the streets of Odaiba are filled with vintage cars cruising by with the sound of sidedraft carbs and musical horns echoing off the nearby skyscrapers. It’s just beautiful. Continue reading at Speedhunters
Some image of the new Nissan GT-R SpecV
This is a Nissan Bluebird with a Nissan Skyline GT-R RB26 Engine. However it looks a little photoshopped to me? How cool would it be to actually own this car its an ultimate sleeper. Imagine pulling up to the lights against a Supra or another Skyline. Im sure it would be pritty hairy with those wheels and tyres though.
The long-lived Honda S2000 will be no more from next year, according to reports. The car was introduced in 1999 and although not to everyone's tastes it has won over the hearts of many road testers.
Sadly a replacement for the high-revving two-seater sports car is in doubt as carmakers are scaling back on their niche products.
The S2000 is a sports car designed by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. It raised the bar for all future roadsters, and it's already considered a classic by many Honda fans.
The S2000 was only supposed to be a limited edition to mark Honda's birthday but survived for ten years. An estimated 110,000 S2000s have been sold worldwide and production is due to end in June 2009. Fingers crossed for a special run-out model
Trim packages for the Nissan 370Z have been announced, bringing a limited but well-spec'd and competitively priced range into the difficult sports coupe sector.
The entry level model comes in at £26895, which is pricier than an RX8 or entry-level TT, but is generously equipped with climate control, electric seats, bluetooth connectivity, 18" wheels and xenon lights. In the TT, you're lucky not to be charged extra for a steering wheel.
The 'GT Pack' adds a hefty £3300 premium to the Z car, but adds bigger 19" RAYS designed wheels, suede and leather upholstery and a Bose stereo system - as well as the much-talked -about 'Synchro Rev Control', which does the job of double de-clutching automatically for smoother changes. Metallic paint will cost an extra £450.
But should a customer still feel the aching burn of more cash in their pockets, a range topping 'GT Ultimate' spec comes in at £31,895, bringing better leather and a DVD satnav into the mix.
Even in this top trim, the 370Z still undercuts the Porsche Cayman by over £4000 - and with 0-60 known to be under 5 seconds, its notably quicker too. Interesting stuff...
Orders for the new car will be taken from 2 February, with deliveries from July onwards.