Mazda MX-5 on Ice
4 hour race for journalists, TV fans and readers
20 modified racing MX-5s set to start
Extensive programme with training sessions, qualifying and the race
Åre, Sweden, 21 February 2011. Mazda opens the 2011 motorsport season on Swedish ice. After the successful MX-5 Open Race last year, Mazda is inviting racing enthusiasts to Sweden for the MX-5 Ice Race from 21 to 24 February 2011. A total of 20 modified MX-5s, tuned for driving on ice and wearing spike tyres, will participate in the four-hour race on the ca. 5 km grid.
The MX-5s will be piloted by teams from 26 participating nations, among them motor journalists with racing experience, and TV fans and readers who won tickets to the event in special contests. The four-day event in Åre, Sweden will include two extensive training sessions, a qualifying session to determine pole and starting positions, along with the race itself which is divided into two sessions. When the snow settles, the team that drives the most laps during the four hour race will win.
Mazda MX-5 Ice Race provides exciting Finish
Lake Kallsjön, Sweden, 24 February 2011. Mazda's MX-5 roadster proved again yesterday its pure sports cars genes, this time on ice in Sweden at the Mazda Ice Race 2011. Clear blue skies and polar temperatures provided the right conditions for an exhilarating festival of drift and control as drivers from 26 nations competed in specially modified roadsters for a podium finish.
Day 1 – the Aussie's make it look easy
After Tuesday's practice sessions and qualifying, a clear favourite emerged with the Australian team, which dominated Day 1 and took pole position. They also won the hearts of everyone by wearing swimming trucks over their racing overalls – in honour of summer down under – and driving with a tiny kangaroo mascot fastened to the top of their car's safety cage. They made it look easy on Day 1 with their only real challenge coming from the Russian team, which took second on the grid.
Day 2 – Russian Heroics and Belgium Consistency
Race day featured beautiful blue skies, glistening snow and a morning temperature
of -31º C. This ensured ideal conditions on the ice of Lake Kallsjön, which is located in the Östersund region of west-central Sweden. The race itself was conducted in two sessions, each two hours long, with the car completing the most laps the winner. Like last year's MX-5 Open Race in Italy, it was drifting control and not pure speed that proved the decisive factor in the race. The Australians continued to dominate as they had on Day 1 and led for nearly the entire race. But then a small mistake, a spin-out, and Russia overtook them at the end, holding on for the chequered flag; with Australia second.
Russia's win followed some amazing heroics from the team. They began the race in second place but spun-out early, fell back to 14th, only to battle their way back to second by the end of the first session. They then patiently held this spot, hoping for a miracle, and were able to capitalise on Australia's misfortune at the end of the final session for a truly exciting win. The Belgium team displayed the consistently good driving you would expect from last year's MX-5 Open Race winners, coming from far back in the pack to take third. The unforgettable day out on the ice culminated with a Champagne spray on the podium from the three winning teams.
The Mazda Ice Race 2011 was crowned later that evening at a gala dinner and show for pilots, teams and invited guests who had won a Mazda competition in their home countries for a place at the event. Jeff Guyton, Mazda Motor Europe's President and CEO, gave a short speech and presented trophies to the tired but happy winners. This was followed by dinner and a celebration of MX-5 Ice Race memories lasting late into the night.
Stolen from Autoblog
Words, words, words, awesome video of miatas ice racing.
A quest to buy, build, and enjoy a car from almost nothing.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Check out my friend Dan's build blog!
So give him some love http://danbrockettdrift.blogspot.com/
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Overdue update of the Registry
I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I have the Miata, Hardtop, some extra parts, and a bunch of stuff left to sell.... but the FMMF is in the red for $1,221.92.
I'm deadset on picking up the Enkei 92's asap, and those with tires are going to be another $900ish. Fortunately I have some more found money coming in to offset the bulk of that, but still looking at needing to make up another $1500 or so still, since I really want to keep to the idea of the FMM.
I'm deadset on picking up the Enkei 92's asap, and those with tires are going to be another $900ish. Fortunately I have some more found money coming in to offset the bulk of that, but still looking at needing to make up another $1500 or so still, since I really want to keep to the idea of the FMM.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Miata Pr0n Vol XI
Taken from a collection of pictures from the parking lot at the Tokyo Auto Salon. And again, shamelessly stolen from Speedhunters. Of course there are many other pictures in the collection, Skylines, RX7's, and even a lowrider. Something to suit many different fetishes.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Miata Special Edition for the big 900k
Mazda is releasing a new special edition to celebrate hitting the 900,000 Miata mark. Saying special edition Miata doesn't mean a helluva lot, since there are 30 some special editions in the 22year old history of the model, but cool none the less.More words over at Autoblog
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Might be true, might be false, might be funny
Found randumbly on the intardwebs. We've heard it all before, Miatas are hairdresser cars, etc etc. I won't feed into this by bitching about the boxster either. I'll just set this here.
Miata Pr0n Vol ???
Very hot roadster & RX4 relaxing by the side of the Highway in Japan. Via Mike Garrett of SpeedHunters
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
On The other side of reality
So the RC video looked real, but was small cars. On the flipside are real cars (and people, and stadiums, and trees....) made to look small via use of a tilt-shift lens. It's the Syndney Telstra 500. Via Hooniverse
Monday, February 14, 2011
Cool Craigslist find
http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/2214263831.html
Electric Car for Sale (Albuquerque) $4000
About the same electric range as a Chevy Volt for 1/4 the cost and you will own a rather rare piece of automotive history!This is a Jet Electrica, which is a factory converted Ford Escort chassis.
These cars were built on brand new chassis as Electric Vehicles by Jet Industries during the early 1980s.
Everything on this car is in very good operating condition and was recently refurbished. Car is being sold AS-IS (It does NOT come with batteries).
Buyer is responsible for purchasing and installing batteries. Everything else with the exception of the heater is operable and ready to function. A Cybertronics charger and a Manzanita charger are available, but are sold separately. Contact me for details.
Year: 1981
Miles: 26,100
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Ok, I have a really good excuse...
Ok, I have a really good excuse for not having much in the way of updates the past few days. As of now I'm engaged to my beautiful girlfriend of 3.25 years!
So yeah, cut me some slack :)
So yeah, cut me some slack :)
Monday, February 7, 2011
Plural of Miata, by a lot.
Mazda recently announced that the 900,000th Miata has rolled off the line in Hiroshima. Mighty impressive, and inching in on an even more remarkable milestone, mind you they hit 800,000 just 3 years ago... here's the press release:
Press Release
-MX-5 Miata reaffirms its position as the most popular sports car ever made-
IRVINE, Calif. (February 3, 2011) – The world's best-selling two-seat roadster, the iconic Mazda MX-5 Miata, continues to set the bar even higher for the competition today, reaching a new milestone of 900,000 units produced. Nearly 45 percent – more than 388,000 units – of those were sold in the United States since the car launched in 1989.
The MX-5 made its global debut at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show and has since received several facelifts, seen many limited and special edition versions, been named "Car of the Year" multiple times around the world and topped countless "Best Sports Car" lists. But its soul has always remained that of a pure sports car, dynamically engineered and tuned to produce driver happiness, whether on a short trip from point A to point B or on extensive S-curve searches. The Zoom-Zoom driving experience evoked by the MX-5 is not lost on consumers, and has always been within their reach with the roadster's affordable pricing.
"As we head toward the next production milestone of one million units, Mazda is committed to further evolving the MX-5," said Seita Kanai, Mazda Motor Corporation (MC) senior managing executive officer, research and development. "We will refine its fun-to-drive character as well as further enhance its environmental and safety capabilities. In the years ahead, we will continue to cherish the MX-5 alongside its loyal fan base as the symbol of the Mazda brand."
The first-generation MX-5 Miata (1990-1997 model years) was equipped with a 1.6-liter, inline four-cylinder engine that produced 116 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque. A removable hardtop was optional and initial color choices were red, white and blue. The starting price was $14,000, and early production of the affordable, grin-inducing roadster could not meet the enthusiastic demand of consumers. A redesigned second-generation model was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1997 (model years 1999-2005 – there was no 1998 model-year car) and the third generation model was introduced at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2005 (model years 2006-present).
Currently equipped with an MZR-series 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder engine, today's MX-5 produces 167 horsepower (158 for automatic transmission) and delivers 140 lb-ft of torque. The soft-topped Sport model starts at $23,110 with top-level, Power Retractable Hard Top Grand Touring models starting at $28,550.
"Since Mazda launched the original MX-5, it has undergone two complete product redesigns and a series of upgrades," said Nobuhiro Yamamoto, MC program manager, MX-5. "Its enduring success is due to the strong support it enjoys from fans around the world, and I will strive to keep the MX-5's spirit alive while evolving it into a car that will be loved by even more people."
The 500,000th MX-5 Miata was produced in 1999 and sold in the United States. In 2000, Guinness World Records recognized the MX-5 as the world's top-selling sports car, a distinction that has been further solidified with every 100,000 additional units built in 2002, 2005 and 2007. The 900,000th unit is a soft-top, six-speed manual-equipped Copper Red MX-5, and destined for Germany.
Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.
Press Release
-MX-5 Miata reaffirms its position as the most popular sports car ever made-
IRVINE, Calif. (February 3, 2011) – The world's best-selling two-seat roadster, the iconic Mazda MX-5 Miata, continues to set the bar even higher for the competition today, reaching a new milestone of 900,000 units produced. Nearly 45 percent – more than 388,000 units – of those were sold in the United States since the car launched in 1989.
The MX-5 made its global debut at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show and has since received several facelifts, seen many limited and special edition versions, been named "Car of the Year" multiple times around the world and topped countless "Best Sports Car" lists. But its soul has always remained that of a pure sports car, dynamically engineered and tuned to produce driver happiness, whether on a short trip from point A to point B or on extensive S-curve searches. The Zoom-Zoom driving experience evoked by the MX-5 is not lost on consumers, and has always been within their reach with the roadster's affordable pricing.
"As we head toward the next production milestone of one million units, Mazda is committed to further evolving the MX-5," said Seita Kanai, Mazda Motor Corporation (MC) senior managing executive officer, research and development. "We will refine its fun-to-drive character as well as further enhance its environmental and safety capabilities. In the years ahead, we will continue to cherish the MX-5 alongside its loyal fan base as the symbol of the Mazda brand."
The first-generation MX-5 Miata (1990-1997 model years) was equipped with a 1.6-liter, inline four-cylinder engine that produced 116 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque. A removable hardtop was optional and initial color choices were red, white and blue. The starting price was $14,000, and early production of the affordable, grin-inducing roadster could not meet the enthusiastic demand of consumers. A redesigned second-generation model was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1997 (model years 1999-2005 – there was no 1998 model-year car) and the third generation model was introduced at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2005 (model years 2006-present).
Currently equipped with an MZR-series 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder engine, today's MX-5 produces 167 horsepower (158 for automatic transmission) and delivers 140 lb-ft of torque. The soft-topped Sport model starts at $23,110 with top-level, Power Retractable Hard Top Grand Touring models starting at $28,550.
"Since Mazda launched the original MX-5, it has undergone two complete product redesigns and a series of upgrades," said Nobuhiro Yamamoto, MC program manager, MX-5. "Its enduring success is due to the strong support it enjoys from fans around the world, and I will strive to keep the MX-5's spirit alive while evolving it into a car that will be loved by even more people."
The 500,000th MX-5 Miata was produced in 1999 and sold in the United States. In 2000, Guinness World Records recognized the MX-5 as the world's top-selling sports car, a distinction that has been further solidified with every 100,000 additional units built in 2002, 2005 and 2007. The 900,000th unit is a soft-top, six-speed manual-equipped Copper Red MX-5, and destined for Germany.
Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.
Spec Miata Hard Top Brackets
The latches on the hardtop scare me a little, plus I'm just not a top down kind of guy. That said, I figured I would get some hard top brackets. After a little poking around, and on the suggestion of Ben from New Mexico Drift Group (which appears to be defunct), I purchased a set of brackets from Kyle at Applied Racing Technology.
Well, I got my hardtop brackets today.
The owner called me up and told me he has the old type available, I said sure, send em, gave me a small price cut ($5). Well unlike the set on the site, this is bare metal, and the hardware is also bare metal. Kinda irritated.
So I got some 'hammered finish' spray paint, figured it would match the interior better than gloss. Sanded the metal a bit to roughen it, and put on two coats tonight. We'll see how the fit and finish is after that. I also hope I can get the latches off since the torx head bolts on there seem a bit worn.
Well, I got my hardtop brackets today.
The owner called me up and told me he has the old type available, I said sure, send em, gave me a small price cut ($5). Well unlike the set on the site, this is bare metal, and the hardware is also bare metal. Kinda irritated.
So I got some 'hammered finish' spray paint, figured it would match the interior better than gloss. Sanded the metal a bit to roughen it, and put on two coats tonight. We'll see how the fit and finish is after that. I also hope I can get the latches off since the torx head bolts on there seem a bit worn.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
C'etait un Rendez-vouz
One of the most storied car films ever shows a ferrari 275gtb buzzing through Paris in the wee hours of the morning. It is not known for sure who the driver was, but the director, Claude Lelouch got in a bit of trouble for the piece, as traffic laws were clearly broken on anything but a closed course.
That aside, enjoy, and don't watch it on silent.
That aside, enjoy, and don't watch it on silent.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Sorry about the sparse posts, catching up on life
Sorry about the sparse posts, had to get some stuff together.
1. Needed to finish with selling my STi
2. Needed to get a daily 4x4 beater
3. Wanted to make sure my girlfriend was happy.
4. Work
5. Everything else
All have been accomplished. I now have a Jeep too, which will make for a good beater/ hauling stuff /screw around off road vehicle. I'll do a few minor mods to it and probably throw that stuff in here.
1. Needed to finish with selling my STi
2. Needed to get a daily 4x4 beater
3. Wanted to make sure my girlfriend was happy.
4. Work
5. Everything else
All have been accomplished. I now have a Jeep too, which will make for a good beater/ hauling stuff /screw around off road vehicle. I'll do a few minor mods to it and probably throw that stuff in here.
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