Beautiful 1988 Mazda Rx7 Turbo Ii 10th Anniversary Rx-7 Fc3s - One Adult Owner on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Bauer Catfish is a Miata-based trackstar in the making [w/videos]

We're not trying to make a joke here. The creation you see above really is called the Bauer Catfish, and while the name is about as attractive as your average bottom feeder, the car itself is built on a sexy notion. Take the mechanical bits of one 1990-2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata, add in a tube chassis for as little weight as possible, complete with some custom body work and go forth. Bauer says the finished product weighs in at just 1,550 pounds, and the company will be happy to pull the stock four-cylinder to drop in a healthy General Motors LS V8.
The pre-production prototype shown above competed in last year's 25 Hours of Thunderhill, finished the race and earned a spot on the podium in the "anything goes for sports racers" ESR class. Very cool.
If you're looking for a dedicated track car, it may not get any better than this for the money. Expect to pay around $13,900 depending on options, plus the cost of your donor Miata. That's a good sight cheaper than a used Chevy Corvette Z06 and likely to be quite a bit more fun. After you're done watching it in action in the brief videos below, check it out over at Bauer Ltd.

Mazda and Fiat finalize deal for Alfa roadster, next-gen MX-5 Miata

Although a little bit later than expected, Mazda and Fiat have signed a final agreement that will bring a next-generation MX-5 Miata to the Japanese automaker and a new roadster to Alfa Romeo. When the proposed arrangement was announced back in May, the two automakers had hoped to seal the deal last year, but it doesn't appear that the production timeline for these cars has slipped any, with both expected to start rolling off assembly lines in 2015.
Other than a shared chassis with a rear-wheel-drive layout, it sounds like the two cars are still planned to be distinct in their own ways from their styling right down to their engines. Mazda will produce both cars at a plant in Hiroshima, Japan, but it isn't clear what role each automaker will play in the cars' developmental process. The big question, of course, is what clever portmanteau name we can come up with, like Toyobaru. Mazda Romeo is the easy choice, but Alfazda might roll off the tongue a little better.
Scroll down for a brief press release from both automakers.

Mazda reveals new 'Game Changers' advertising campaign

Looking to highlight its unique and sporty mindset, Mazda is getting ready to launch its biggest advertising campaign since "Zoom-Zoom" became its tagline in 2000. The new campaign, entitled "Game Changers," will begin in May, and rather than focusing on its sporty past - like it did with Zoom-Zoom early on - the new ads will look at recent advancements made in building its future, including Skyactiv technologies and its new diesel race program, both of which involve its excellent new Mazda6 sedan.
As a part of the ads, Mazda will showcase game changers from the sporting world, including Dick Fosbury who changed how competitors perform the high jump and Laird Hamilton, who redefined how surfers attacked big waves. It doesn't sound like Zoom-Zoom is going away, but "Game Changers" will definitely feature heavily in the Japanese automaker's marketing moving forward. A few examples of the new ad campaign are posted in our gallery, and the press release is available below.