Mazda B2500 pick up truck from 2000. 4WD and diesel engine. Regular cab. I have bought the truck 5 yrs ago from International Motors. Car is in fairly good condition. 30000 miles
I'm looking for $6500 OBO
There’s a certain allure to the prospect of piloting a car without a roof down a twisty road: The slipstream buffeting your face, the exhaust note rudely ringing in your ears, the smell of hot metal and burning rubber confirming that you’re giving it stick. It’s the ultimate expression of freedom on four wheels.
Sports cars come in many flavours. For many, the exotics from Ferrari and Lamborghini count among the most desirable. Arguably more rewarding are the everyday, easy-to-drive supercars like the Audi R8 V10 and the Porsche 911 Turbo.
Hardcore sports cars? Think Lotus Exige S, or Aerial Atom. Sports coupés? Audi’s TT, and the impressively affordable VW Scirocco come to mind. And let’s not forget sport sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, or the Subaru Impreza WRX.
Though the roof is undoubtedly clever. It stows away in a dedicated receptacle behind the seats, and doesn’t encroach on boot space at all. Which is just as well: at a shoebox-sized 150-litres, there isn’t much of a boot to start off with.
The interior is everything you’d expect of a roadster: snug, comfortable and well equipped. The heated sport seats are shaped for support, the small, fat-rimmed steering wheel looks and feels just right and the analogue instrument dials are clearly legible.
Indeed, with the five-passenger CX-7, and its larger seven-passenger sibling, the CX-9, Mazda has tried hard to position itself as emphasizing "sport" over "utility" in its bigger SUVs. Just as important as styling is the CX family's stiffer-than-usual suspension and, with the CX-7, at least the option of a powerful engine.
That suspension and larger-than-average tires and wheels also mean a mildly rougher ride, especially on uneven pavement, and quite a bit of tire noise on coarse concrete. Even so, I'll happily take the rougher ride to get the CX-7's crisp handling. It doesn't feel like an SUV, and that's a compliment.
In a straight line, though, the thrill is gone if you have this 2.5-liter, 161-horsepower four-cylinder engine, mated to a plucky five-speed automatic transmission that tries hard to help the slightly coarse engine motivate the 3,500-pound sport-ute. At least mileage isn't bad, with an EPA-rated 20 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, on regular-grade gas. This engine, shared with the Mazda6 and Mazda3, is new to the CX-7 this year. Previously, you could only get the now-optional turbocharged engine, which gave the CX-7 an abnormally high base price.
You can, of course, get that 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pumps out 244 horsepower, and rides on 18- or 19-inch tires and wheels, instead of the standard 17-inchers. That model is also offered in all-wheel-drive, as well as the standard front-wheel-drive. With all the options, the turbo version of the CX-7 can hit almost $33,000, pricey in this class.
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.
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
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.