RideLust

What is it about cars doing burnouts in slow motion that makes us get all tingly inside? Maybe it’s just the process by which the camera captures the action or the fact that in slow motion we now have the ability to see what is really going on. Either way car enthusiast videos like this one are some of the coolest out there and we can’t get enough of them. Shot by a company called DK Video Productions in Koropi, Greece, these shots were captured by utilizing a TREX 700N remote controlled helicopter with an HCS mount and a Canon 550d camera with 18-55 lens. Filming with remote controlled helicopters is something that in recent years has really been coming into its own. A properly set-up machine would run around $2,500-$3,000, with the camera being about $900. That’s not too bad considering renting out a real helicopter with a pilot for a day would run you exponentially more. What’s really amazing are the professional looking shots that were obtained, which is something that I wouldn’t think possible from a remote controlled unit. Click through to watch the video.
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2011 Mazda MX-5s. Image: Mazda Motors of America

The Mazda Miata (technically now the Mazda MX-5) made its global debut at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show. A huge leap of faith on behalf of Mazda, the Miata began as a side project led by Bob Hall. Hall ultimately convinced Mazda senior management that there would be worldwide demand for a compact roadster with world-class handling, like an updated and mechanically reliable Lotus Elan. The project got the thumbs up, and the rest is automotive history. In the twenty two years since the car’s launch, it’s won every conceivable automotive “Best Of” award, dominated racing leagues around the world and even launched several spec racing series. It established itself as the world’s best selling sports car in 2000, a title not likely to be relinquished any time soon. There have been three generations of the diminutive roadster, each with their own limited or special edition cars. Now Mazda has announced that MX-5 production has topped the 900,000 mark. Read More…

Everyday Driver does car reviews for the masses; enthusiasts will prefer The Smoking Tire, but not everyone wants to know what it’s like to flog the snot out of a tuned Audi R8. Those of us with modest incomes want reviews of cars we can actually afford, instead of just cars we salivate over. I’ve owned Mazda Miatas or MX-5s for years, and I have to say this is a pretty accurate (and well filmed) review of Mazda’s latest generation. While Everyday Driver got most things right, there are a few key points I’d disagree with. Read on for the video and my rebuttal. Read More…

Mazda's Minagi concept is the first using their Kodo design.

Mazda generated a lot of interest when the Shinari concept car made its North American debut at last year’s L.A. Auto Show. The Shinari was a clean design, and it certainly looked angrier than their current model lineup. Sadly, it won’t see production, although its design language will be used to influence future Mazda products. The first of these will be the Mazda Minagi, a crossover concept to be shown at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show. The Minagi will most likely see production, as Mazda badly needs a replacement for the outdated and soon-to-be-extinct Tribute SUV. Read More…

We’ve all seen drift battles before, two cars battling it out around a closed course with smoke pouring from the tires. They’re fast, powerful and from a spectators point of view, an absolute blast to watch. But how about a drift battle between a motorcycle and a car? That’s something that I had never seen… that is, until now. The video you see below was created by Icon Motorsports and is, to my knowledge, the first legitimate drift battle between a two-wheeler and a four-wheeler. The bike is a 2005 Kawasaki ZX10 with an extended swing-arm and one helluva rear tire on the back. It’s competition is a tweaked mid-90′s Mazda RX-7 with a Corvette engine. Seems fair right? What’s amazing though is that this video is more exciting to me then anything done by Ken Block and it probably cost 1/100th the cost to produce. Either way though, I can almost guarantee that you’re going to like it so click through, hit play and enjoy. Read More…

I have yet to meet anyone that hasn’t used the line, “No really… I get Playboy Magazine for the articles.” Sure you do, and the fact that they’ve got a bunch of buck-naked women in there is just a bonus right? Come on guys, just man-up and say you get it for the boobs, I mean that’s the real reason correct? Anyway, you might be surprised to know that Playboy Magazine does actually have some of the best articles out there written by some top people. They cover everything from what’s happening in pop-culture, to the auto industry and I must say, they do it very well. Take their January 2011 issue for example, their first issue of the new year. Neatly tucked away between the boobs and beavers, Playboy has managed to give us a listing of their favorite cars for the upcoming 2011 model year. Cars like Cadillac’s super CTS-V Coupe, the Porsche Boxster Spyder and even the little Mazda2 have all made the cut. Now I’m not going to give you the rest of their list as you’re more than capable of finding it out for yourselves. To do so, just click on the link below and enjoy. Just remember to keep your eyes where they belong…

Source: Playboy.com

If you want to go racing at a national level, have a modest budget and prefer to buy new over used, your choices for an SCCA B-Spec series car just increased by two. At this week’s Performance Racing Industry trade show in Orlando, FL, both Honda and Mazda stepped up to the plate with B-Spec race cars, which will be available through each company’s racing division. If your loyalties are with Honda, Honda Performance Development will sell you a B-Spec Fit; if you prefer Mazda, Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development will sell you a B-Spec Mazda 2. B-Spec cars already approved include the Chevy Aveo, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris.

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Yep, that's a manual in a minivan.

My family is extremely fortunate—this year we were able to afford a new car. We went with Mazda. Here’s why: Mazda has consistently shown that it cares about driving. You see, a lot of car manufacturers just focus on getting you from Point A to Point B. Mazda focuses on the drive.

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Mazda brought a pair of sweet little Mazda2′s to SEMA this year. The duo, the Mazda2 Street, and its evil twin the Mazda2 Track, have been lowered over skateboard sized wheels and tires and given classy race-inspired livery. The Mazda2 Track is fitted with a full roll cage, and has had its guts ripped out in preparation for heavy duty track usage. The Mazda2 Street retains its refined interior, but hides it behind some seriously dark tinted windows. The two cars might just be the best-looking Mazda’s currently made, even if they are the size and shape of a big roller-skate.
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Taking the top titles at Sunday’s U.S. RallyCross were a Saab and a Ford station wagon.  No, your eyes do not deceive you!

(Photo courtesy of RallyAmerica)

19 year old Finnish driver, Toomas “Topi” Heikkinen, took the honors in the AWD A Main race at the last U.S. RallyCross championship event of the year in Millville, NJ.  Heikkinen piloted an Eklund Motorsport-sponsored 600 hp 2010 Saab 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan to victory over the increasingly European competition, which included the 2009 and 2010 FIA European Rallycross champion, Sverre Isachsen of Norway.

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