Mazda RX8 SP 2009

A production Mazda RX-8 GT – the only rotary-powered performance car in Australia – has been turbocharged, given a roll cage and readied for the toughest test in Australian endurance racing.

The Mazda RX-8 SP will enter the hotly-contested Modern Competition, piloted by a man used to racing at the highest level: 2008 Targa champion Steve Glenney.

South Australian horse trainer Glenney and his co-driver Bernie Webb are accustomed to setting the pace on Tasmania’s challenging roads, winning the 2008 event outright.

They jumped at the chance to give the Mazda RX-8 SP its motorsport debut. Glenney says nothing short of a podium finish will do.

MX-5 2009 Mazda Superlight Concept

Based on the brand icon Mazda MX-5 Roadster, the Mazda MX-5 Superlight Concept is powered by the cultivated and frugal MZR 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine paired to the production roadster’s five-speed manual transmission. It develops 93 kW/126 PS of maximum power at 6,500 rpm.

The Mazda MX-5 Superlight Concept uses a four-piston, fixedcalliper brake system with perforated discs that, because of their size required an increase in track of 50 mm. A specially tuned chassis with a Bilstein® B16 coil-over suspension and Eibach® stabilisers give the body of the Mazda MX-5 Superlight Concept a ground clearance that is 30 mm lower than the production Mazda MX-5.

Also from the production model are the roadster’s 205/45 R17 original-equipment tyres and alloy wheels from the 2.0-litre version, which are some of the lightest on the market today at less than 8 kg.

The Mazda MX-5 Superlight Concept is fully-drivable, but the company says there are no plans to produce it in the near future.

Mazda CX-9 2010

For the 2010 model year, Mazda CX-9 receives an exterior and interior facelift, added options and reinforced safety features, while further improving Zoom-Zoom driving characteristics. The 2010 Mazda CX9 is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 engine that develops 273 hp at 6,250 rpm and 270 lb-ft of maximum torque at 4,250 rpm.