Daily Archives: July 31, 2018
Extra Power For 2019 Mazda Miata RF Means Price Increase
For months, we have waited anxiously for information about the newest Mazda MX-5 Miata for the 2019 model year. Little by little, we got details about the car’s 2.0-liter I4 that makes 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque.
This increase in power (the current generation is 26 horses weaker) means an increase in price, too. The base model for the Miata RF will have a price tag of $33,240, including an $895 destination charge. That’s for the Club trim level with a six-speed manual transmission.
The price increase of $435 also gets a telescoping steering wheel, new door stops, updated cupholders and seat levers, standard rear-view camera, and 17-inch wheels. Reportedly, all of these are now coming as standard to all variants of the car.
The Club 6MT will have options such as Brembo brakes and BBS wheels for an extra $3,770, or the Brembo, BBS, and Recaro package for a cool $4,670.
On the other hand, the MX-5 Club with a six-speed automatic transmission will come with paddle shifters and sport mode for $33,840. This trim is not going to be available with the Brembo/BBS packages. The Club 6AT will, however, get the i-ActiveSense package option for $450. The package will include the Smart City Brake Support and lane-departure warning.
The Grand Touring trim will start at $34,230 with a six-speed manual transmission. This is $585 more than the outgoing model. For an extra $750, the Grand Touring 6MT can get the GT-S package that includes a front shock tower brace, limited-slip rear differential, Bilstein dampers, and a hand-painted black roof.
The Grand Touring with six-speed automatic gets a price tag of $35,305. If you want it with Auburn Nappa leather, that’s another $300.
The new MX-5 Miata RF is available in three premium colors—the Soul Red for an extra $595, the Machine Gray Metallic for $300, and the Snowflake White Pearl Mica for $200.
3 Things To Expect From The 2020 Aston Martin Mid-Engined Supercar
Technically, Aston Martin hasn’t launched its Valkyrie hypercar yet, but the brand is already thinking of a second supercar in its lineup. This mid-engined supercar, which is still unnamed but could be called the Vanquish, will be developed with Red Bull Racing and it will have 130 engineers and designers working on it.
Exterior
A rendering of the soon-to-be-introduced mid-engined supercar showed that it will have an aggressive design. The rendering is based on the current design language of the brand and the features of the Valkyrie.
The design might have a shorter nose, a trapezoidal grille, a carbon-fiber grille frame, and a big splitter at the bottom. The headlights will be familiar, though it will now have a unique shape and LED lights under the cover. Because the engine will be mounted behind, there would be no outlets or louvers on the front hood.
Like any supercar, the still unnamed car will have a low stance and a low roof with small quarter windows. There should be plenty of carbon fiber material, especially on the mirror caps, the fender vent inserts, and the side skirts. As an option, carbon fiber will also be offered for the wheels.
Interior
Things would have to change with a mid-ship layout, so that might mean there would be no rear seats. Based on the Valkyrie, everything inside should be made with carbon fiber with Alcantara used on the steering wheel, as well as parts of the dashboard and the seats.
The unique squared-off steering wheel will be similar to other race cars, though it will now include a small display in the center alongside various buttons and knobs. There will be another screen on the passenger-side dashboard, but there will be no center console.
Drivetrain
CEO Andy Palmer said the mid-engined supercar won’t be using a V12 engine like the Valkyrie. We expect it to have a hybrid drivetrain—the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 paired with Mercedes’ 48-volt hybrid system. There’s no word on the output yet but if Aston Martin wants to compete with the Ferrari 488 GTB and the McLaren 720S, it should be able to produce 650 horsepower.
