It’s recall season in the US, with beleaguered Toyota having to make another recall last week. Already with four massive recalls in its hands – floor mat, stuck accelerator, hybrid ABS, and power steering hose – a fifth issue surfaced last week, forcing the recall of 8,000 Toyota Tacoma pick-up trucks on 12 Feb 2010.

According to PickupTrucks.com, a manufacturing defect might cause the front drive-shaft of the four-wheel drive pick-up to come apart on the move without warning. Fortunately for Toyota, majority of the affected vehicles are still sitting in their stockyards.

Toyota Tacoma (source: toyota.com)

Another report, by The Detroit Bureau, further elaborated that the defective shafts were sourced from Dana, who sold 34,000 with this defect, with Toyota accounting for only 8,000 of them. Of the remaining 26,000 shafts, 17,000 were sold to Ford, who used them in the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, and Mazda Tribute. The remaining 9,000 went to Nissan.

Ford Escape: North American version (left, source: ford.com) vs Asia-Pacific version (right)

A subsequent report, also by The Detroit Bureau, reported Nissan is already looking into the matter, with 2010 models of several Nissan and Infiniti trucks potentially affected, speculating that the affected models are the Frontier and Titan.

Once again, consumers in Malaysia have little cause for concern, as the Toyota Tacoma is not sold in our markets, and neither is the Nissan Titan. Owners of the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute in Malaysia have little to worry either, as the versions sold in North America are completely different from what we get here.

The Nissan Frontier is essentially the Nissan Navara that we get here, though it must be noted that the North American versions are petrol powered, and are thus mechanically different from ours.

Nissan Frontier is among affected model in US, but we expect the slightly different Navara to fare better.

KON

Less than three years into its life cycle, the Mazda Atenza (known as Mazda6 to anyone outside Japan) has just been facelifted for its domestic market. In a worldwide press release, Mazda announced that the facelifted Atenza is immediately available for bookings in showrooms throughout Japan, with three body shell options – Sedan, Sport (5-door hatch), and Sport Wagon.

Mazda Atenza facelift.

Altogether, a total of 12 variants are available in various combinations of two engine options, three transmissions and two drivetrain layouts. For a start, the 2.0-litre engine, fitted in the Sedan and Sport Wagon, is now fed by direct injection, delivering not only improved outputs from the existing engine but also reduced consumption and emissions which qualify it for a 50% tax reduction under the Japanese government’s eco-car incentive programme.

2.0-litre variants now get direct injection

The 2.5-litre engine, though carried over unchanged, does not lose out in terms of its green credentials either. Emission levels of the entire range of the Atenza facelift are certified to be an impressive 75% below the Japanese Government’s 2005 exhaust emissions standard, qualifying them all for the designation of Super-Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles (SU-LEV).

Helping the Atenza in achieving the emission figures is Mazda’s single-nanocatalyst exhaust purification which is said to reduce precious metal usage by 70%. Auto versions also get an eco-lamp on the dash to encourage a more eco-friendly style of driving.

Though the Atenza is offered with front wheel drive as standard, each of the three body style offers the option of one four-wheel drive variant powered by the 2.5-litre engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The front wheel drive variants all come with 5-speed automatic transmission as standard, though the Sport 25Z variant offers the choice of a 6-speed manual equipped with Hill Launch Assist.

Chassis updates claimed by Mazda include revised settings for the power steering and suspension for improved high speed handling and straight-line stability. The 4WD variants get Mazda’s Active Torque Control Coupling 4WD System which ‘optimally distributes torque between the front and rear axles’ to suit driving conditions and road surface.

Atenza Sedan

Atenza Sport

Atenza Sport Wagon

Interior

KON

I was refueling at the BHP station along Jalan 222 in Petaling Jaya when I spotted a silver-coloured unregistered unit of the Mazda2 at the station’s car wash. This particular unit has automatic transmission, but does not have a finished dashboard in place. The front passenger seat has also been removed, although the body panels appear brand spanking new.

Last October, YS was among a contingent of Malaysian media members who went to Rayong to witness the rolling out of the 2 from Mazda’s plant there. From what he was able to find out, the 2 coming to our shores will be powered by a 102hp 1.5-litre twin-cam engine with the option of a 5-speed manual (yay!!) or 4-speed auto transmission.

The 2 is slated for launch in our market this year in both sedan and hatchback form, and word has it that it will be priced to rival the Honda City and Toyota Vios. Is this the signal of an imminent launch?

KON

Yes, you read the title right. Someone along the hierarchy of Bermaz Motor has decided that the second generation Mazda3 will carry a ‘Sport‘ moniker on its bootlid for our shores. The first generation Mazda3, launched worldwide in 2004, was universally acclaimed for lumping all the desirable qualities of handling, performance and styling into a competitively priced package. This is a message Bermaz fully intends to drive home: that the 3 is an enthusiast’s product.

Malaysia is among the first recipients of the new 3 in this part of the world, with only Singapore getting it ahead of us.  Currently only available in saloon body style, the Mazda3 Sport is offered with the option of 1.6-litre or 2.0-litre powerplants, both paired with automatic transmissions. The hatchback variant is due to arrive later this year, as the 3 is set to play a key role in spearheading Mazda’s growth in this region, which includes the possibility of a CKD programme in Malaysia.

During the press conference after launch at Berjaya Times Square last Friday (5 June 2009), Dato Ben Yeoh, Managing Director of Bermaz remarked that they consider the 3 to be a niche player, and that they do not see themselves in competition with any of the existing models. That is presumably a diplomatic answer, but its pricing does put it in range with the likes of the Honda Civic, Peugeot 308, Ford Focus and Mitsubishi Lancer GT, all of which undercut the 3 by a significant margin. Question is, is it good enough to justify the price?

It better do…

Exterior

There is little wrong with styling of the Mazda3 Sport. The outgoing 3 was a fine looking car, so Mazda sensibly retained the same basic proportions. The door frames and the rear three quarters show a clear evolution from the 3 to the 3 Sport (at least the Sport word is good to use for model differentiation). Up front, the massive smiley grille taken from the Furai race car gives the unmistakable message of this being an all-new car. More so than the 3, the 3 Sport is boldly styled, and you would need to look hard to find an angle from which it does not look good.

When you walk into the showroom, do pick up a brochure and compare the images in it with the showroom car. You will see a minor difference, which Mazda has applied specifically for the Malaysian market – at the big ’smile’ radiator grille. The brochure would show an all-black smile, but the showroom car would have a body coloured strip running across it like a set of dental braces.

Image given to us from the press release. Car in picture is LHD, US spec.

Minor styling differences also help differentiate between the 1.6 and 2.0, especially up front. For a start, the 1.6 seems to get a more elaborate design of the body coloured strip running across the front grille. Flanking the massive grille are a pair of huge vents. On the 1.6, it’s filled by a set of dummy vents with two louvres each side, while on the 2.0, fog lamps sit right at the bottom of the slot below honeycomb vents that do let air through. In addition, the headlamps of 1.6 are accentuated by a strip of amber along its trailing edge, in contrast to the all clear set on the 2.0.

Front faces of our local spec 1.6 (left) and 2.0 (right) variants.

Up close of the vent and headlights of the 1.6 (left) and 2.0 (right). 1.6 gets halogen bulbs with manual levellers, while 2.0 gets auto-leveling bi-xenons.

At the side, the door pillars quickly remind us of the preceding car, being molded to the same lines as that on the outgoing 3. Once again, we see model differentiation between the 1.6 and the 2.0, first, at the four corners where the 1.6 sits on 15″ alloys wrapped with thick 195/65 tyres, against the 2.0’s far sportier 205/45 R17 rubber. In addition, the 2.0 has its side signal lights integrated to the side mirror where the 1.6 makes do with fender mounted units.

1.6 gets 15″ wheels while 2.0 goes two sizes up to 17″

1.6(left) gets fender mounted side signal lights, while 2.0 (right) gets them mounted on the side mirror.

From the rear, we once again clearly see an evolutionary rather than revolutionary design from the 3 to 3 Sport. Like the outgoing 3, Mazda3 Sport continues to feature to tall bootlid with the narrow taillights perched at the lid’s top corner. However, on the 3 Sport, the lights are more upswept, with a more intricate pattern arranged behind the clear lenses. In addition, the two-litre variant get LEDs thrown into the bargain. Interestingly, however, the 1.6 gets a touch of sportiness in which the 2.0 misses out in the form of an unpainted diffuser on the rear bumper, which encompasses the reflectors and number plate holder.

Rear end of 1.6 (left) compared to 2.0 (right).

Five colour options are available for the Malaysian market, namely Crystal White Pearl Mica, Velocity Red Mica, Aluminium Metallic, Black Mica and Graphite Mica. The 2.0 display car in the picture above is painted in Olympic Gold Metallic colour, which is omitted from the local brochures.

Interior

While the exterior of the Mazda3 Sport appears to be an evolution of the outgoing Mazda3, the interior was given nothing short of a complete revamp. The centre console now flows smoother onto the dashboard, with the three binnacle-instrument panel replaced by a two-binnacle design. Running over them is a “flyover” that meets with the far side of the centre console, housing a couple of multifunction displays sitting deep under its recession.

Two multifunction displays sit above the air-con vent, but recessed under the ‘flyover’.

The controls are nicely laid out, making the console area looking neither bare nor too cluttered. A slight criticism, if any, probably goes to the air-con control knobs, which are placed rather close to the gear knob. Then again, this would only be an issue when with the gear lever slotted in ‘P’. It is in the cabin where the biggest differences between the 1.6 and the 2.0 can be seen. Here, the 1.6 makes do without dual zone climate control, auto cruise, paddle shifters, six-disc changer, and optitron meters – all standard in the 2.0. A most amusing design element in the Mazda3 Sport’s cabin is the multifunction steering wheel, especially for the 2.0, which has more than a passing resemblance to a smiling cartoon beaver.

Cabin of 1.6 (left) gets a lot less goodies compared to 2.0 (right)

Look similar? (Beaver image from Free Animal Clip Art)

As the Mazda3 Sport is being positioned nearer to the sporty end of the sedan market, many of its users are bound to put its cornering prowess to the test. In such tests, visibility round the bends is important, a point which Mazda noted, and went to great pains to stress that the A-pillars have been shifted slightly rearward to give the driver better visibility of the ‘clipping point’ at every corner. Sitting in a display unit, I failed to see how the visibility has improved by any margin, if at all, but we will be sure to watch out for this in a test drive.

The A-pillars are shifted slight rearwards to improve visibility while cornering.

Room at the rear is rather cramped, Mazda seems to have paid a lot less attention to the rear compared to the front.  Passengers with a great deal of height (or thick legs, for that matter) are advised to sit in front.  Leg room, in particular, is exceptionally poor. Both versions feature 60:40 split folding rear seats complete with a centre armrest and three adjustable headrests. Among the display cars at the launch, the 2.0 units not only had the better looking colour scheme, but also trim materials that feel a great deal more upmarket.

The rear section of the cabin for the 1.6(left) and 2.0(right). Both versions get armrest with 60:40 split folding seats. Low roof line may compromise headroom for taller people.

Engine & Transmission

In the powertrain department, the Mazda3 Sport falls a little short of the competition, on paper at least. Powerplants from the outgoing Mazda3 have been carried forward to the Sport, with almost the same figures published in the specs sheets of both versions. For the 1.6, we get a long stroke twin cam inline-4 displacing 1,598cc under the hood. Output figures are unchanged from the outgoing model, rated at 105hp @ 6,000rpm and 145Nm @ 4,000Nm.

The engine under the 2.0’s hood, meanwhile, is a big bore short stroke unit (it’s stroke is actually shorter than that of the 1.6), with a displacement of 1,999cc. Quoted output figures here are unchanged too, with 145hp @ 6,500rpm and 182Nm @ 4,500rpm. The on-paper comparisons with other 1.6 and 2.0-litre models on the market is hardly encouraging reading for Mazda fans. To start with, the 1.6 loses out to both guises of Proton’s Campro engine, CPS or not, and also the Nissan Latio 1.6, while the 2.0 is absolutely pulverized by the might of the Honda Civic and Mitsubishi Lancer GT, each boasting a substantial power and torque advantage over the Mazda.

1.6-litre MZR powerplant (left) good for 103hp, while 2.0 version (right) good for 145hp.

Of course, the absolute numbers do not matter as much as the manner in which all the power and torque arrive. In Mazda’s words, ’the power delivery of the Mazda3 is now more linear, giving it a more luxurious and lively feel than before.’ The material in the press release made no mention of any claimed performance figures, nor are the power/torque curves made available to us. Attempts to source this information with international Mazda sites similarly yielded little success.

As expected in the transmission department, both versions of the Mazda3 Sport come standard with Mazda’s Activematic automatic transmission with manual override. The 1.6 gets a 4-speed transmission with a 4.416 final drive ratio, while the 2.0 gets five ratios with a 3.863 final drive and steering wheel mounted paddle shifts for manual shifting.

Auto gearbox with manual override standard on both models. 1.6 gets 4-speed unit, while 2.0 gets 5-speeder and paddle shifts.

Chassis

While the engine and transmission hardly made for encouraging reading, here is where we can still expect the Mazda3 Sport to reassert itself against its rivals: the chassis and handling department. Having sampled Mazda’s good work in the Mazda6, RX-8, MX-5 and not to mention the outgoing Mazda3, we know the current crop of Mazdas are among the best handlers of their category, which is why we are very keen to get our hands on the new 3 Sport.

Expect to find Mazda’s best work here: the chassis.

The suspension combo from the Mazda3 has been reworked and carried over, retaining the basic MacPherson/multi-link setup. Overall body stiffness is also increased, with additional braces added to reinforce both the front and rear suspensions. It was the objective of Mazda to not only raise the game in the handling stakes, but also to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. Steering is rack and pinion, assisted by an electro hydraulic system.

Front axle: MacPherson struts, electro-hydraulic power steering, ventilated disc brakes.

Stopping power is provided by disc brakes all-round, for both the 1.6 and 2.0 – a minor upgrade as the outgoing Mazda3 1.6 sedan is equipped with drum brakes at the rear. Both versions also get Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and dual airbags as standard safety features. Buyers of the 2.0 get additional airbags at the side in addition to the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system.

Rear axle: multi-link suspension & solid disc brakes.

Prices & Variants

The price list made available to us quoted an introductory retail price with insurance at RM111,017.50 for the 1.6 and RM131,537.90 for the  2.0 in the Peninsula. This price is valid only for the first 100 buyers, although there is no mention how much the car would cost for the 101st buyer onwards. The first 50 buyers also get a special maintenance package from Shell and Goodyear tyres thrown in.

Only the sedan variant of the Mazda3 Sport is currently available in Malaysia. We were told that the hatchback will be arriving later this year, but that remains to be seen. Be prepared to hear something along the lines of ‘Malaysia is a sedan market, there’s no business case in bringing the hatch here’.

Mazda CKD in Malaysia?

Even granting the fact that the Mazda is a CBU from Japan, its retail prices here puts the Mazda3 Sport at a significant handicap against other  models of similar pricing and specifications. In view of that Mazda has stated that it is ’seriously considering’ the possibility of a joint venture with Bermaz and Prima Merdu to launch CKD operations for Mazda cars in Malaysia.

Mazda views Malaysia as an ‘important gateway’ for them to penetrate and grow in the ASEAN market. We have heard many such promises from car manufacturs of big things being ’seriously considered’ for Malaysia only to end up with the whole affair being completely forgotten.  Nonetheless, the prospect of Mazda setting up shop is an exciting one, and we shall monitor this one closely. Until then, we shall just wait and see.

Mazda has launched a new disabled-friendly version of the AZ-Wagon, the AZ-Wagon i, with sales officially commencing in Japan immediately. It features a gentle sloping ramp to allow wheelchair access from the tailgate of the vehicle. This of course, means that the car still requires an able-bodied driver to bring the wheelchair-bound passenger around. The disabled friendly equipment onboard includes a pair of handrails for support and a three point safety belt for the wheelchair user. Two versions are available, three seater & four seater, both coming with 4-speed automatic transmission.

Mazda AZ-Wagon i

 The bad news just continues to flow doesn’t it?

Mazda’s numbers are even worse than Mitsubishi’s.

To put it into perspective, less than one year ago, Mazda was a company that had a full order book and was struggling to fulfill demand. Luckily they were playing careful and refrained from adding capacity through new plants or investment in existing lines.

Mazda’s limited product range will mean that they will have less to offer to already cautious customers.

I certainly hope that this plucky Yokohama firm will weather this terrible storm and survive another day to give us even better Japanese enthusiast cars like the MX5 and RX8

Below is the full Press Release

Mazda Production and Sales Results for January 2009 (Flash Report)

2009/02/25

The bad news continues to pour in from all over the world’s auto industry players. Honda has pulled out of F1 in anticipation of restricted cash flow. Suzuki and Subaru has both pulled out of WRC. Toyota has announced its first ever year of an operating loss in its 70 year history. Things continue to look bleak for the Big Three despite US senate finally approving a bailout package worth US$17.4b. That sales figures have dropped for everyone goes without saying, and hence it was no surprise that Mazda Motor Corp announced drops in sales and production figures for Nov 2008.

While the total yearly figures have increased, in the context of the current auto industry crisis, one needs to compare between corresponding periods of 2007 and 2008. While there was a 9.1% increase in overall production figures for the period of Jan-Nov 2008 compared to Jan-Nov 2007, comparing Nov 2007 against Nov 2008 paints a bleaker picture – a massive 17.9% decrease.

Preventing an even bigger slide is the increased production of the highly acclaimed and capable Mazda6, accounting for 13,597 of the total 23,297 vehicles rolling out of Mazda’s overseas plants. Adding on to the 10,781 Mazda Atenzas (JDM Mazda6) rolling out from Japan, the 6 accounted for 24% of Mazda’s total global production. Year-on-year (Nov ‘07 vs Nov ‘08) the 6’s production actually increased by 3.8% in Japan and an impressive 13.3% overseas.

Mazda6 accounts for 24% of Mazda’s worldwide production

Note: As of January 2007, overseas production figures are based on Mazda brand units coming off the production line (does not include CKD units).

Also seeing a production increase was the Mazda2, which saw an 8.9% year-on-year increase for its JDM production to 18,374 units for Nov ‘08. However, this production increase did not translate to a sales increase, as only 3,387 of those cars found their way into Japanese homes – a massive 34.4% year-on-year decrease, corresponding to a 28% decrease in total JDM sales.

Increase in production for Mazda2 did not translate to increase in sales.

The export figures are a little more encouraging, but not by much, with total year-on-year export registering a 14.9% drop to 62,535 cars. It is here we learn that the Mazda2’s increase in demand was fuelled primarily by overseas demand, with a 1.4% increase in shipment to 11,656 units. Unfortunately, with the other models not performing as strongly, notably the 3 which registered a 5.8% year-on-year drop, overall exports were hit.

3 didn’t perform so well, bad economy, or are people just waiting for the new model?

In the current economic climate, a drop in sales is definitely to be expected, and Mazda has no need to ring the alarm bells yet, though they would do well to brace for what will be a very rough impact as 2009 unfolds. Perhaps it is in anticipation of that that they have announced a shake-up of their management which would take effect on 1 Jan 2009.

The goals of the change are to improve business efficiency and maintain Mazda’s strategic relationship with Ford. The changes will support collaborative projects, joint programs, and other business concerned with product and technology development and basic technologies. To meet that goal, an R&D Liaison Office has been established to enhance communication functions between Mazda R&D and Ford PD. These functions have been transferred from the R&D Technical Administration Division and the Program Management Division.

The changes saw the removal of three key personnel: one executive and two GM level officers, and the remaining ones taking up increased responsibility. Quite a few people are actually being promoted to being full General Managers. There seems to be a lot of attention being paid to China, as no less than four of the listed changes directly involve Mazda’s China operations.

See list below for full details.

Executive officers

General managers and above

With that, I hereby conclude this post wishing all AW readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2009.

Some hours ago, someone in a press room in Stuttgart put together a news release to announce to the world that the W204 Mercedes-Benz C-class was named in as one of 2009’s Top Safety Picks by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), adding another star to the C-class’ cap after receiving a five star rating by EuroNCAP. In essence, the IIHS’ crash test IS the United States’ answer to the EuroNCAP.

In the IIHS crash tests, cars are subject to frontal and side crashes, besides a rear impact test where evaluations to the cars’ protection against neck injury are evaluated. According to Mercedes, the W204 scored ‘top marks’ for each of the criteria, but whether the term is defined to mean maximum marks or highest marks among competitors could not be ascertained.

The US spec C-class which was tested had seven airbags, belt tensioners, belt force limiters and NECK PRO crash-responsive head restraints fitted as standard. Buyers can also opt for an anticipatory occupant protection system (dubbed PRESAFE) which pre-activates certain safety systems when it anticipates a collision to be imminent – a system that Mercedes claims would reduce the impact on occupants by as much as 40%.

Merc C-class, one of 72 Top Safety Picks of 2009

But, I was not going to just take Mercedes’ side of the story, and thus I went on to examine the claims at the IIHS’ official website (link here) where they listed no fewer than 72 Top Safety Picks for 2009 with another 26 ‘also-rans’. Here they are: (cars sold in Malaysia highlighted in bold)

Large cars
Acura RL
Audi A6
Cadillac CTS
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
Mercury Sable
Toyota Avalon
Volvo S80

Midsize cars
Acura TL, TSX
Audi A3, A4
BMW 3 series 4-door models
Ford Fusion with optional electronic stability control
Honda Accord 4-door models
Mercedes C class
Mercury Milan with optional electronic stability control
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy (previously sold in Malaysia)
Volkswagen Jetta, Passat

Midsize convertibles
Saab 9-3
Volkswagen Eos
Volvo C70

Small cars
Honda Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional electronic stability control
Mitsubishi Lancer with optional electronic stability control
Scion xB
Subaru Impreza with optional electronic stability control
Toyota Corolla with optional electronic stability control
Volkswagen Rabbit (VW Golf)

Minicar
Honda Fit with optional electronic stability control (Honda Jazz)

Minivans
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Large SUVs
Audi Q7
Buick Enclave
Chevrolet Traverse
GMC Acadia
Saturn Outlook

Midsize SUVs
Acura MDX, RDX
BMW X3, X5
Ford Edge, Flex, Taurus X
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe, Veracruz
Infiniti EX35
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes M class
Nissan Murano (only unofficially availabe in Malaysia)
Saturn VUE
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota FJ Cruiser, Highlander
Volvo XC90

Small SUVs
Ford Escape (new generation not sold in Malaysia)
Honda CR-V, Element
Mazda Tribute
Mercury Mariner
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan

Large pickups
Ford F-150
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Tundra

Small pickup
Toyota Tacoma (Toyota Hilux)

ALSO-RANS
These 26 vehicles earn good ratings in front and side crash tests. They have ESC, standard or optional. They would be 2009 Top Safety Pick winners if their seat/head restraints also earn good ratings:

Chevrolet Malibu
Chrysler Sebring, Sebring convertible, Town & Country
Dodge Avenger, Grand Caravan
Infiniti G35, M35
Kia Amanti
Lexus ES, GS, IS
Mazda CX-7, CX-9
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, Endeavor
Nissan Altima, Pathfinder, Quest, Xterra
Saturn AURA
Smart Fortwo
Toyota 4Runner, Camry, Prius, Sienna

Mazda recently unveiled a midlife facelift of its Roadster (or MX-5 to the rest of the world) for the Japanese market, available either with a soft top or a Power Retractable Hard Top (RHT). As before, only one engine, the 2.0-litre MZR 16 valve DOHC is offered, can be paired with any one of three transmissions. Soft top models come with either a 5-speed or 6-speed manual transmission, whereas the RHT variants all feature six-speeders, manual or auto.

In the world that has now seen a plethora of triple alphabet driving aids, the Roadster remains steadfastly loyal to its original Jinba Ittai philosophy (man and horse, or machine, as one) which gives endless joy in the form of pure and simple electronic free motoring. This is old school fun at its very best, and it is a concept that is not going out of date any time soon. However, it didn’t stop the engineers at Mazda (God bless them) from giving the Roadster a mild refit.

On the outside, the designers gave the front end a mild reworking, with the front-grille reshaped to bring the car’s design language with the current Mazda6 and the upcoming Mazda3. Viewed dead from the front, especially in yellow paint, it has the effect of giving the Roadster a hugely cheerful cartoon face. Behind, the designers settled for minor tweaks in the taillight as well as the lower portion of the bumpers, essentially not messing too much with a simple yet elegant design.

Mazda Roadster facelift

Rear end gets minor tweaking

The 1,999cc in-line 4 engine offered comes in different states of tune for the manual and auto versions. Both states of tunes sees the torque curve peaking at the 5,000rpm mark, giving out 189Nm, however those who opt for the manual have a slightly higher power output (125kW @ 7,000rpm) and redline (7,500rpm) compared to the auto (119kW @ 6,700rpm and 7,000rpm redline).

 
Torque curves for manual(L) and auto(R) versions.

The engine features a newly forged crankshaft that Mazda claims gives extra strength, and when combined with the stiffer plastic surge tank gives improved quietness when cruising, and yet gives a ‘clearer sound’ at the mid to high range. There was also claims that new full floating piston pins and revised valve springs raise the engine’s overall operational precision.

For those who opt for the 6M/T variants, you are going to get (and I kid you not) an Induction Sound Enhancer, which, upon filtering all the sugar-coatings in the press words, is essentially something that does nothing that makes the car louder. The other extra with the 6M/T, which is far more useful, is the use of carbon-coated meshing surfaces on the first to fourth triple-cone synchronizers and a larger diameter third to fourth synchronizer which supposedly gives a smoother shift feel.

6M/T gets improved synchros and ‘go-loud device’.

Buyers of the 6A/T are not left out either, as they are being given steering mounted paddle shifters (which are becoming more and more of a gimmick these days), which can straight away override the gearbox with the selector in ‘D’. The marketing boys and girls creatively named this feature Direct Mode. The transmission also features Active Adaptive Shifting (AAS) – bombastic speak for fuzzy logic programming that adapts shift patterns to driver’s style and road conditions.

6A/T gets paddle shifters

The interior features a newly redesigned instrument cluster, and options of sporty black fabric seats, black leather seat covers, and RECARO bucket seats upholstered in a combination of black leather and Alcantara^® available as factory-installed options. There is also sound system, developed by BOSE^® exclusively for the Roadster, which is connectable to your portable audio players.

Dash gets minor revisions, and exclusively designed BOSE HU.

There are a total of six variants of the Roadster currently marketed in Japan, with the soft top and hard top having three variants each. They are priced from 2.33m Yen upwards until 2.95m Yen. Let’s see how long would it take them to reach here as the MX-5.

I remember the very first time I took a showroom car for a test drive, I was only 18 years old and was still holding my P-license. On that day, EON was having a Test Drive Carnival at Glenmarie, and I walked in and enquired if I could take the Waja for a test drive. At that point in time, I have only ever driven, not including the Kancils during my L-license time, a Wira 1.6, Wira 1.5 and an Iswara 1.5 – and they were all autos. I filled in the necessary forms, surprised that my P-license did not raise any eyebrows, and also the fact that the salesman was chatting with me as if as I was buying!

No matter, on the road I went. Having only driven other Protons, the Waja came off as a truly impressive car to me. On the long stretch of straight to the old Subang airport, I thought I was doing a mere 80kph until I saw the speedo pointing at 120kph. The car felt planted and stable. Of course, with the test drive lasting about 10-15 minutes, I did not pick up on the inherent ergonomic errors, massive blind spots, and questionable build quality. Nevermind that, I was impressed, and I posted it on Autoworld’s forum (or more popularly known as “AW Forum” in short) . Don’t bother searching, the thread is gone – it was that long ago.

Of course, if I were to test drive that same Waja today, I probably won’t be half as impressed. No doubt I would have appreciated the tight handling and stable riding even more – I would also have noted the coarse nature of the 4G18 at high revs and the cheap nature of the materials used inside. Fortunately, this didn’t happen back then, and it only whetted my appetite to go out and do more test drives. I went on to add the Toyota Vios, Hyundai Elantra and the Nissan X-Trail into my list of driven vehicles.

Not satisfied, I also went on to test expensive and powerful continental cars like BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Peugeot and Alfa Romeo. There was a period of time where I went to every test drive event there was in the Klang Valley. The most memorable ones include a BMW test drive at Souled Out, Sri Hartamas and a Mercedes event where I got my hands on the E55 AMG – I suspect that was a blunder by the showroom staff, because the E55 was parked at a secluded corner after I was done with it.

A very quick and rough estimation tells me that up till now, I’ve easily driven a total of RM15-20 million worth of cars. Somehow or rather, news about test drive events organised by car companies just never seem to escape my attention. Many of them are grandiose events that are part of the company’s investments into good brand building and public relations, some are also haphazardly done and poorly organised. There were quite a few events that I went to with a newspaper advertisement promising test drives, only to be turned away because of one excuse or another.

One event I went to recently, which was advertised in a local paper. It was just a small ad (not occupying more than 2 square inches of area) in the listing of events which was very very easy to miss. Fortunately though, my eyes were sharp enough to spot the words ‘Mazda RX-8 Test Drive Campaign’. The event was listed as happening ‘today’ at the Bermaz Motor outlet at Glenmarie. Needing no second invitation, I headed there after lunch for my first drive of the highly rated sports car.

I have read a lot about the RX-8, thus I know all about the fantastic handling, the suicide rear doors, and the rev happy 1.3-litre Renesis motor. Unfortunately, the closest I got to feeling all these are in the Need for Speed games, which hardly beats the real thing. Driving with the keyboard means you lose out on feedback, you lose on precision, and you don’t get to develop a good old-fashioned bonding with the car.

Arriving at the showroom, I felt a little underwhelmed. For a car with such a massive and enthusiastic following the atmosphere could have been injected with a lot more enthusiasm. There wasn’t really much of a crowd to speak of, and the overall atmosphere was too sombre for a car as exciting as the RX-8. No matter, all the better actually, since I won’t have long queues to deal with.

RX-8 test drive here, are you sure?

I signed up for the test drive, with only one customer ahead of me in the queue. He and his mate left as I was filling in the request forms. He was gone for quite a while, which also excited me to an extent because it meant that I would be out on the road for just as long. As I waited for my turn, I strolled around the showroom, inspecting their range of products that also includes Skoda cars and a Mercedes van.

On display: Mazda6 2.0, a Mercedes van, and the CX-9

The Skoda lineup

The Octavia 200FSi, with the VW Group’s famous 2.0 FSI engine. In NA guise, this engine feels just as powerful and revs smoothly all the way to the redline.

My turn came soon enough, after the previous customer’s long awaited return. I felt like I should have timed his session, because my turn on the wheel felt much shorter than his. Nevermind, I still got a good enough feel of the Renesis motor powering its way to the 7200rpm redline. My test car, was worth RM230k that sports a 6-speed automatic transmission channeling 212 bhp to the rear wheels. There’s an option package worth RM14k that includes a nice bodykit enhancement.

My test car

Turning the ignition key not only brings the engine to life, but lights up an ultra-cool looking three-binnacle instrument panel that houses the all important tachometer in the centre with the fuel and temperature gauges in the flanking binnacles. The digital speed indicator is in the centre binnacle together with the tacho, and while it gives the panel a cool racing game feel, it also makes the side binnacles look decidedly empty

Instrument panel… cue Knight Rider music.

The 6-speed auto is equipped with paddle-shifting manual override mode, and as I said before, all these manual overrides wear off their novelty eventually because under the skin, it’s still a torque converter automatic transmission that’s best left to its own devices. However, in the case of the RX-8, you do need to go to manual mode for more spirited driving – be it to explore the full range of revs or to give you the extra control of traction when taking a fast corner. Having said that, it is a massive disappointment that manual transmission is not even offered as an option for the Malaysian market.

It was also most unfortunate that I was only given a short test route, which did not give the car its chance to sufficiently display the finest qualities of its engine and chassis. I was able to push the car all the way to the 7200rpm redline, but never did I manage to feel the car at the three-figure speeds it was meant to cruise at, nor was I able to fully test the car’s handling abilities with fast sweeping bends.

I have to be frank in saying that it was neither an event nor a test drive that did the RX-8 any justice at all. I truly applaud Bermaz Motor for bringing in fantastic cars like the RX-8, Mazda3 and Mazda6, and I think they deserve even more praise for giving free test drives to the public for this exciting model. Unfortunately, despite the good intentions, the execution lacked enthusiasm and energy, thus undermining the whole exercise. 

See also: Showroom Experience: Mazda RX-8