The MX-5 lineup of Mazda Motor Corporation has always been the favorite sports car of British people. To celebrate the prestigious recognition it has been bestowed upon by British people, Mazda has decided to release a special edition lineup of this British favorite sports car. Dubbed as the Mazda MX-5 Niseko, it was named after the prominent skiing resort in Japan and is an all-weather and all-year sports car. It is considered as such because of the improved air conditioning and heating system installed in this MX-5 beauty.

The MX-5 Niseko special edition is equipped with a rear-wheel drive system and is the very latest edition of the world’s best-selling roadster. As always, this MX-5 special edition prides itself of having the best handling and driving dynamics because of the enhanced parts it has been equipped with. Also, as it is a special edition model, the MX-5 Niseko offers a lot of optional and exclusive extra features that are worth around £2,000. With just the standard parts and features, this new Mazda pride costs around £17,995.

Mazda and all car enthusiasts can start getting their share of this new Mazda roadster on the 1^st of January 2008. This model is available in two engine and transmission choices – the entry-level Niseko with 1.8-liter engine which capable of 126ps and mated to a five-speed transmission, and the Niseko roadster coupe which costs  £19,995  and complete with 2.0i engine producing 160ps and linked to a six-speed transmission. Both these Niseko models are available in Sunlight Silver Metallic and ‘Icy Blue’ metallic finish but with no additional charges.

Mazda UK’s Marketing Director, Mark Cameron, said, “Mazda MX-5 customers have traditionally given a warm welcome to each new ‘special edition’ model introduced during our roadster’s 18 year history. Now, for the first time with the Niseko, we are offering a ‘special’ model in both soft-top and roadster coupe forms and with coordinated brown leather seats and interior trim. Personally, I think the new ‘Icy Blue’ color is going to appeal particularly to women buyers, although since launch the third generation Mazda MX-5 has achieved a 50/50, male/female sales mix as predicted.”

He added, “Traditionally, MX-5 buyers spend more on accessories and do more to individualise their cars, than other Mazda owners. Although the majority of those buyers use their MX-5s all-year-round, the peak ordering period is from February through to May, so the introduction of Niseko in January will boost sales at the back end of winter and give us a head-start for a spring sales boom.”

The special features on Mazda MX-5 Niseko’s exterior include unique body-color finish for the style bar trim, Chrome Pack (door handles and headlamp bezels, and surrounds for the side-repeaters, front grille and fog lamps), especially-designed 17-inch alloy wheels, unique dark brown premium cloth for the fabric roof (soft-top only), and the special badging of the Niseko edition attached on each front wing.

When inside, one will see that both of the models of Niseko feature dark brown leather steering wheel, handbrake, and gear knob, dark-silver dash panel, Niseko-branded luxury interior mats, special dark brown heated leather seats which have a coordinated door trim and icy blue stitching, and a suspension strut tower bracing bar beneath the bonnet.

The design team for the Mazda5 wanted to make the space wagon ‘stylish and clean from the inside out.’ Their aim was to design the Mazda5 in a fresh new ‘taste’ but not compromising the well-balanced driving experience, and that it should still attract a lot of would-be buyers. Another goal of the design team is to make the Mazda5 have a pleasing new utility design that would widen the appeal of the Zoom-Zoom brand of Mazda. Also, being a ‘space wagon,’ the design team also wants to make the Mazda5 a roomy and space-efficient form.

Info from Mazda Press Release via Autoblog. 

Mazda Motor Corporation has introduced earlier this year its redesigned Mazda Premacy, or most commonly known as the Mazda 5. This is a six-seat space wagon and it was presented as a concept car, the MX-Flexa, during the Geneva International Motor Show. It was initially built so that Mazda could demonstrate the future of a Mazda space wagon but with a touch of its Zoom-Zoom technology. But as the event went, the concept car was well-praised and was warmly welcomed that Mazda has decided to further develop its concept car. So, it was that time that it decided to prepare the Mazda5 for release as a production car.

Source: Mazda Press Release via Autoblog.

Mazda has recently provided duel-fuel Rx-8 hydrogen-petrol rotary engine to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry to be used for their daily operations. Now, they are continuing with their research on hydrogen-powered engines as they promised during the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005 that they will be developing a hydrogen rotary hybrid version of the Mazda 5.

Under the hood of this Mazda 5 Hydrogen Rotary Hybrid Concept, Mazda has mounted the same duel-fuel, two-rotor hydrogen RENESIS like the one RX-8 Hydrogen has. During the said auto show, it was the first time that this concept had been demonstrated in a front-wheel drive application.

As suggested already, there are two fuel tanks present in the conceptualized Mazda 5 hydrogen rotary hybrid. The first one is a gas tanks that resides beneath the rear seat together with the battery, and the second one is a hydrogen tank in the back, which replaces the third row of seats.

It is this way that Mazda can materialize their concept of a vehicle running on either hydrogen or gasoline (which is already present in the RX-8 hydrogen). Drivers can easily change their power source with just a flick of a switch on the dashboard.

This Mazda 5 hydrogen rotary hybrid concept is even better than the RX-8 in terms of storage space as its hydrogen tank fills up almost the entire small trunk of the RX-8.