After 12 years at the top of the charts, Civic is about to lose its thrown spot. So far this year, sales of the Mazda3 are tracking ahead of the ubiquitous Civic. True, it’s a slim margin – Mazda leads by just a hair more than 100 cars so far – but if growth trends continue, Mazda could overtake Honda as the best-selling car in this country in 2010. The Mazda3 has seen its sales grow roughly 15 per cent year-to-date, while the Civic’s sales are down 1 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Dennis DesRosiers, the industry analyst who compiled the numbers, said “You can’t avoid getting one year older every year. When products get long in the tooth like the Civic, and you have a competitor that’s better priced and better equipped, then you have a hard time competing.”

The best-selling brands – Toyota, Honda and Mazda – have reliability in common, Mr. DesRosiers said. They can differentiate themselves by lowering prices, offering more features in a package, and updating the engineering. Honda has been unwilling to compromise on pricing and equipment levels; the Mazda model has the advantage of engineering that is four years newer than the Civic’s.

“The Mazda3 is just phenomenal. Every day we have a few dozen people coming in, and they just want to drive it,” said Alexandre Saillant, the general manager and co-owner of Laurier Mazda in Sainte-Foy, Que. A former Pontiac dealership, in the months since they began selling Mazdas Mr. Saillant said he’s seen a difference in how customers approach the car. “They’re not buying it because it’s the cheapest car around. They’re buying it because they desire it, they want to drive it,” he said.

America is known for some of the more stringent emissions requirements for engines throughout the world. The one place with even harder emissions ratings – Europe – which is where they’ve killed Mazda’s RX-8 The new rotory engine which powers RX-8 does not meet those tough European regulations.

According to Top Speed, “The car’s Wankel engine did not meet the necessary requirements of the EuroV emission regulations that came into force last September, so the Japanese company decided that instead of developing the current engine in the RX-8 at a substantial cost, the current generation will be axed.”

The current RX-8 is powered by a compact 13B twin rotor Renesis engine making 232 HP at a screaming 8,200 RPM and 155 lb-ft of torque. This allows the RX-8 to accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in just 6.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 145 MPH.

Mazda plans to combine Toyota’s hybrid system with its new technology and car design, in hopes to produce their very own gas / electric vehicle by 2013. For now, a Mazda hybrid will only be available in Japan – as no word has been said on whether they’ll sell outside a home market.

Mazda has lagged these past few years in producing their very own hybrid technology. Upon signing the Toyota agreement, Mazda Executive Vice President Masaharu Yamaki stated; “We want to develop a hybrid car quickly.”

Toyota does not solely share hybrid components with Mazda. On the contrary; Ford, Subaru and Nissan have all been in partnerships with Toyota for sharing of hybrid research, production and design.

Gas prices in the United States may be lower then just a year or two ago, but hybrids are still in demand. Toyota alone manufactured 655,180 vehicles in February globally, up 83% from 358,573 vehicles in the same month last year.

Mr. Yamaki added his insight on the growing demand for hybrids in Japan, sparked by government buying incentives as well as Toyota’s Prius model.

Sources: WSJ | Mazdapedia.org

Mazda is releasing a special edition of their well-known roadster to celebrate 20 years on sale in France. The Mazda MX-5 Black and Matte will get its public introduction at the Salon du Cabriolet, Coupe & SUV in Paris.

The show car will feature logos, mirrors, and other accessories crafted by jewelers as a way of off-setting the effect of the matte black paintwork. The 2.0-liter model with an automatic transmission features darkened windows and black rims.

Mazda’s special edition was designed in partnership with fashion designer Laure Kczekotowska. Interior photos have not been released, but it could include the same “rhinestones, gems, [and] crystals” present on the designer’s LK Paris label dresses. Specifics about the edition size, sales date, and cost were not revealed.

Report via WorldCarFans

Now don’t expect to see the same Furai concept model used in the production of Mazda’s RX-7. According to sources at Edmunds Inside Line, a “more conventional” design will be implemented for RX-7. RX-8’s replacement was originally slated to appear in 2012, but Edmunds claims you’ll see it as early as 2011.

It’s a banner-day for North America, as the Mazda2 – a staple of Mazda autos in Japan & Europe – is headed stateside. Mazda2 will make a somewhat-official debut in the US of A at the Los Angeles Auto show, but as announcement yesterday states that Mazda2 will be a for-sale vehicle by 2011. There were rumors for over a year about bringing the small city-car to the Birthplace of Apple Pie, now we can stop crossing our fingers. Good, they were beginning to cramp.

No official word on the US-spec 2 – it’s Japanese/Euro counterpart includes 1.3 and 1.5 liter gasoline/petrol engines as well as two diesels – a 1.2 and 1.6 liter. It was also voted World Car of the Year in 2008. “Bringing Mazda2 to North America completes the bookends in our lineup,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO of Mazda North America, in a press release.

That’s right friends – the Mazda City Car – Mazda2 (or MAZDA2 as all Mazda brands are supposed to be in caps) is coming to the United States – Finally! Jalopnik & Automotive News both have reported that Fall 2010 will be an official release date for the 2011 Mazda2. Excitement!

There wasn’t any word on an engine the Supersport concept will carry. Many speculate that either a 1.8-liter or the 2.0 with good power to C02 emissions ratios. Check out more in Mazda’s official press release below.

Mazda ‘MX-5 Superlight version’ Show Car to Premiere at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show

Japan-The Mazda MX-5 Superlight version, a show car capturing the pure essence of the world’s most popular roadster, will see its world premiere at the 63rd Frankfurt Motor Show, which will be held from September 15 through 27, 2009.

After 20 years of global success, the Mazda MX-5 is the best-selling two-seat sports car in the world. At Frankfurt, Mazda will present a new take on its affordable roadster with an all-new show car, the Mazda MX-5 Superlight version, designed at Mazda’s studio in Frankfurt, Germany. A pure show car, it takes the lightweight technology that Mazda is famous for to a new level, improving driving performance, handling, fuel economy and CO2 emissions. This is combined with a radical exterior design requiring no windshield, and sporty chassis settings for pure roadster driving fun.

The new Mazda MX-5 Superlight version will be unveiled at Mazda’s press conference in Hall 3.1, Stand A7, on September15 at 12:45 local time.

* Officially titled the 63rd Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA); press days are Septemeber 15 and 16, and the public days are Septemeber 17 through 27.

Mazda vehicles are still selling, and with news that Mazda’s new Axela (the Mazda3 here in America) is selling well in Japan – as it surely will in North America. We hope to find more concept models as the year progresses – but with car makers cutting funds at every end no one may hear about them.

Mazda is calling this new system “Aqua-tech painting” – which further reduces VOC emissions compared to the typically used Three Layer Wet Paint system. Water-based paints have a lower VOC content, so they generate fewer emissions. This process can be more carbon-intensive since evaporating the water and drying paint requires much energy. A better paint shop air-conditioning system and evaporation system to remove water from the paint will also be enacted.