Swiss Treat: Mazda MX-5 '55 Le Mans' Limited Edition

In a nod to its memorable Le Mans victory in 1991, Mazda has launched a special edition version of its MX-5 roadster model in the land of smooth chocolates and punctual watches. The MX-5 ’55 Le Mans’ is named after the Mazda 787B No.55. Driven by Johnny Herbert, Volker Weidler, and Bertrand Gachot, the 787B No.55 won the 24-hours of Le Mans in 1991 claiming the first ever victory for a Japanese automobile and the rotary engine in the famed endurance race.

The limited production version of the MX-5 was created exclusively for the Swiss market and it is based on the 160HP 2.0-liter model with the 6-speed manual gearbox.

It is equipped with a limited slip differential (LSD), a Bilstein sports suspension, a front strut bar and 10-spoke alloy wheels. It is available in four exterior colors with contrasting profile stripes that extend to the bumpers. The bespoke ‘55 Le Mans’ logos and a numbered plaque in the interior round off the limited changes over the standard model.

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Honda Accord was Also Caught Up in the Same Spider Web as the Mazda6

It seems that the petrol-sniffing Yellow Sac spider that forced Mazda to issue a recall on some 52,000 cars in the USA last week has a thing for mid-size Japanese sedans as the eight-legged arthropod also caused problems to Honda in the past. According to reports, Honda posted a Technical Service Bulletin in the summer of 2009 alerting its dealers to check Accords for possible infestation by the Yellow Sac spider, but had not issued a recall then.

“Spider webs are clogging the EVAP canister vent hose or the drain box,” said Honda’s service bulletin with the corrective action being to clean the webs and install a spring in the drain box.

Now, in the wake of the Mazda6 recall, Honda reportedly told its dealers to be on the lookout for the same spider in 2008-2009MY Accords.

But while in the Mazda6 the spider webs could cause air pressure problems in the gas tank potentially leading to a crack and fuel leakage, Honda says that’s not the case with the Accord. "It's just not happening in our cars," Honda spokeswoman Christina Ra told CNN. The company said that in the Accord, the spider webs create blockages with the only visible symptom being a "check engine" light coming on.

Sources: USA Today & CNN

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A Gasoline-Addict Spider Gets 52,000 Mazda6 Cars Recalled in the US

This must be by far the most hilarious recall action we've ever heard about. It involves some 52,000 US-market Mazda6 cars from the 2009 and 2010 model years and a gasoline-loving spider. Yes, you read correctly; it's about a species of a spider that loves to build its web in the Mazda6 vent line, thus endangering the integrity of the gas tank.

“A certain type of spider may weave a web in the evaporative canister vent line and this may cause a restriction in the line," reads the National Highway Traffic Safety Association press release. "If this occurs, the fuel tank pressure may become excessively negative when the emission control system works to purge the vapors from the canister.”

What could happen is that “the stress on the fuel tank may eventually result in a crack, potentially leading to fuel leakage and an increased risk of fire,” adds the document.

The Yellow Sac spider, a common species in the US, likes the smell of hydrogen oxide that gasoline contains. The Mazda6 “has two pipes coming out from its gas tank, which is extremely rare and means that the smell of gasoline is strong enough to draw the spider in but not strong enough to kill it,” said Japanese automotive journalist Mitsuhiro Kunisawa quoted by Reuters, adding that there's no similar problem with any other Mazda car.

The remedy is to install a spring to prevent the spider from entering the vent line. The recall action will be free of charge for owners of the affected cars and will begin on March 25.

By Dan Mihalascu

Sources: NHTSA, Reuters

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Geneva 2011: Mazda Previews New Compact SUV with Minagi Concept [Updated]

Mazda lifted the wraps off its new Minagi concept SUV today at the Geneva Motor Show. The compact SUV study builds on the Japanese brand's new Kodo design identity first seen on the Shinari concept last year. However, unlike the Shinari, the Minagi, which previews Mazda's forthcoming VW Tiguan rival, looks to be more production ready.

“I wanted to convey something different from the Mazda SHINARI. I felt a compact crossover SUV was the perfect vehicle to express agility and focused movement the flexibility of four limbs moving in unison, and an upright posture,” said Masashi Nakayama, the designer of the crossover concept.

The front uses the same large grille as the Shinari, outlined by a chromed “signature wing” that extends all the way through the headlights, giving the car a sharp and aggressive look. The Minagi sports the same sculpted forms dictated by the Kodo design language, with the contours of the front and rear fenders emphasizing the wheels. The car has a sleek and dynamic profile, which ends at the back with a powerful and muscular look. Both the headlamps and the taillights have similar shapes and a hi-tech appearance, with Mazda's press release comparing the design of the headlights to a “wild animal's gaze”.

Inside, the Minagi features a driver-orientated cockpit with four upright satin chrome struts appearing to support the dashboard. The design of the instrument panel has sporty touches, such as the round chronograph-like clocks or the three-spoke steering wheel.

As for the technical side, the company only said that the concept incorporates the next-generation of powertrain and chassis technologies, reunited under the SKYACTIV name.

Although this has not been confirmed, Mazda's new compact SUV model could be developed together with partner Ford, whose 2012 Escape/Kuga production model was previewed in Detroit by the Vertrek Concept.

By Dan Mihalascu

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