Mazda museum accessible through Google Maps

Mazda announced a new service, virtual tours to Mazda Museum in Hiroshima, Japan, via Google Maps Street View. "This is so new and unusual that visitors have to live the spirit of Mazda experience, getting to know the technological innovations and the whole history of the brand," says Mazda

A virtual visit to the Mazda Museum is through the official website of Mazda: Mazda Museum

This virtual museum promises to be an almost real experience with the ability to turn in any direction and approaching of the exhibitors enough to read the text. Promise Mazda.

Ward's Auto Announces the 10 Best Engines of the Year

The annual list of Ward's 10 Best Engines of the year has been released. The magazine's editors chose the winners after spending October and November driving 36 vehicles with 34 of those featuring new or significantly upgraded powerplants.

To be eligible to participate in the competition, Ward's states that "each engine must be available in a regular-production U.S.-specification model on sale no later than first-quarter 2012, in a vehicle with a base price below $55,000".

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Rumors: Four-Seat Coupe to Join Next-Gen Mazda6 Range?

When you put the words "Mazda" and "Coupe" together, they immediately conjure images of models like the RX-7 and RX-8. Especially the latter since, save for the Japanese market-only Spirit R special, the RX-8 has being discontinued for the rest of the world.

Mazda has already confirmed that it is not giving up on the rotary engine that has become synonymous with its larger rear-wheel drive coupes.

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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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Mazda Hints at Next Mazda6 with Diesel-Powered Takeri Concept in Tokyo

Arguably, the Takeri concept is Mazda’s most important attraction at this week's Tokyo Motor Show. Intended to showcase the styling of the Mazda6's replacement that is due in 2013, it adopts many elements of the new “Kodo” design introduced in the Shinari concept, which is also on display at the firm's Tokyo stand.

Powering the 4,850mm long four-door sedan study is the new SKYACTIV-D 2.0-liter diesel engine linked to the firm's new 6-speed automatic transmission.

The Takeri is also fitted with Mazda’s i-stop idling stop system and a unique regenerative braking system called ‘i-ELOOP’ (Intelligent Energy Loop). The i-ELOOP is billed as the world’s first kinetic energy recovery system that uses a capacitor and a 25V to 12V alternator instead of a traditional battery pack.

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Mazda Readies New Biante GRANZ Prototype for the Tokyo Motor Show

The 42nd edition of the biennial Tokyo Motor Show that opens for the public on December 3 will see Mazda unveiling a new prototype version of its Japanese domestic market Biante people carrier.

The Biante GRANZ showcar is a design study for a more luxurious version of the 4.7-meter (186-in.) long minivan. The most noticeable changes take place up front where Mazda's designers moved the firm's new five-point grille from the lower part of the bumper to right under the hood. The new grille also gains prominent horizontal chrome slabs.

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Japan gets Special Edition Versions of Mazda Demio hatch and Verisa

Mazda's Japanese division has rolled out two new special edition models, one based on its Demio sub-compact, which is known as the Mazda2 in overseas markets, and the other on the Verisa, a tall hatchback based on the previous generation Demio / Mazda2 that was launched in 2004 and is available exclusively in Japan. Read more »

Mazda Signs MoU With Sollers for a New Joint Venture in Russia

China isn’t the only market where carmakers are currently expanding. Mazda, for example, is already producing the Mazda2 in Vietnam and will also produce the Mazda2 and Mazda3 in a new factory it is building in Mexico.

Today, the Japanese company announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with OJSC Sollers for the establishment of a new joint venture plant in Russia.

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Mazda Develops i-ELOOP Capacitor-Based Regenerative System, Debuts on Takeri Concept

Regenerative braking systems that store energy into batteries during braking are becoming increasingly common in new cars because they help reduce fuel consumption.

Today, Mazda presented what it claims to be the world’s first passenger vehicle regenerative system that uses a capacitor instead of a battery pack for storing energy, named i-ELOOP (“Intelligent Energy Loop”).

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