Mazda's Receives Award for Hydrogen Rotary Engine Initiatives

Mazda Motor Corporation recently announced it received the IAHE Sir William Grove Award from the International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE) at a presentation ceremony in Essen, Germany.

The IAHE is an international organization that promotes academic and technological advancements in the field of hydrogen energy. Every two years, the IAHE presents five awards to researchers or organizations that have made significant contributions in areas related to hydrogen energy. The awards are presented during the World Hydrogen Energy Conference (WHEC), the world's largest international conference on hydrogen energy, which the IAHE hosts.

1986 Mazda RX-7

First Drive: 1986 Mazda RX-7

We Are Talking Seriously All-New Here

From the January, 1986 issue of Motor Trend

/ By Ron Grable

/ Photography by Jim Brown

Editor's Note: This year, Mazda celebrates its 90th anniversary and along with an extensive retrospective coming on May 20, we've gone through the archives to bring you a look at several classic Mazdas from the 70s and 80s.

Mazda RX-8 to Bow as RX-7 Prepares for the Stage

Mazda RX-8

According to a Motor Trend-sourced report, the Mazda RX-8 is working toward a 2011 retirement. U.S. sales will cease during that year and there will be a two-year gap before the new RX-7 swoops in and uplifts the hearts of Mazda lovers. The report follows an official Mazda announcement that European RX-8 sales will wind down that same year.

Mazda RX-8 Most Likely to Bid Goodbye After 2011

According to the recent report from the sources, Mazda is due to cease U.S. sales of the RX-8 after 2011. The only rotary-powered production car will no longer be available after the 2011 model year.

Mazda some time back announced that the RX-8 will not be sold in Europe due to more stern EuroV emissions standards. The Wankel-engined 2+2 sports car was refreshed in 2009, abiding by the U.S. emissions standard but it had still failed to gather much sales from the market. Mazda sold only 128 RX-8s in April of 2010 and not even crossing the 500 mark, with a total of 428, year to date.

The auto enthusiast are now pinning their hopes on the next-generation Mazda RX-7. The two seat coupe is currently under development and is expected to arrive sometime in 2013. It is believed that the new Mazda RX-7 will use company’s new Renesis 16X rotary engine and possibly a dual-clutch transmission thus delivering something around 350-hp of output and 215 lb-ft of torque.

2010 Mazda CX-9 Price and Specification

2010 Mazda CX-9

Mazda’s medium-size CX-9 looks a lot like its smaller stablemate, the CX-7. Blink and you wouldn’t pick it until you drive up alongside where the 9’s size becomes more apparent.

The whole differentiation thing got harder with a recent mid-life upgrade to both vehicles which ushered in the new smiley face, five-point grille and other changes inside and out.

A range topping GT version of the CX-9 has been added with everything except the kitchen sink for $63,186.

The GT is the only car in medium sports utlility vehicle territory to get 20-inch alloys as standard equipment. They make it look a little like “puss in boots” but big wheel nuts will like it.

The GT has plenty of kit for luxury motoring including satellite navigation, seven leather-clad seats in three rows, three-zone climate control, cruise control, a reversing camera, premium audio, large info screen and xenon headlights.

Bluetooth is also included in the package along with heated mirrors and keyless entry/engine ignition.

Nothing much has changed under the bonnet to the vehicle that was launched in 2007. It runs a 3.7-litre petrol V6 with 204kW/367Nm output driving mostly the front wheels through six-speed auto offering sequential change mode.

2010 Mazda RX-8 R3 Real Review

2010 Mazda RX-8 R3

The Mazda RX-8's chassis is superb; it honestly doesn't get much better. Precise turn-in, balance, and grip, the RX-8 has it all. The low torque numbers (159 lb-ft @ 5500 rpm) mean you need to rev the living daylights out of it for any power, but the rotary engine has no problem climbing the tachometer to numbers a conventional engine can only spit oil at.

This R3 package looks really, really good: nineteen-inch smoked-gray wheels, Recaro seats, and a body kit with rear wing. My only gripes: $33,000 is a tough pill to swallow, and as great as the engine is, it needs more power. Address these issues, Mazda, and you'd have yourselves a perennial Automobile Magazine All-Star in my book.

Mazda CX-7 finely tuned

Number crunching is one of those terms like business casual that is hard to define but often achieves the desired effect and a case in point is the 2010 Mazda CX-7 crossover utility vehicle.

The CX-7 was launched in 2007 aimed at the compact CUV buyer. With its turbocharged engine, it was (and remains) one of the fastest and best handling vehicles in the segment and sold well.

Mazda CX-7

But going through the sales data, Mazda realized it was losing out at the entry end against Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V because it didn’t have a similarly priced competitor.

That has now been addressed in 2010 by the addition of a 2.5-litre normally aspirated engine in addition to the turbo.

It has resulted in the GX model with front-wheel drive and five-speed automatic transmission, the only CX-7 with FWD offered.

The engine itself is a Mazda stalwart being also used extensively by Ford.

At 2.5-litres, it’s large for a four-cylinder so Mazda uses counter rotating balance shafts in the oil pan to quell the imbalance normally found in big fours. In this form it produces 161 hp and 161 lb/ft of torque.