NEWS: 2010 Mazda3 MPS and i-stop
I've given quite a few updates on the new Mazda3, which is due for release in April - and rightly so, because in my opinion, it will be the most important new model of 2009. But now we finally have pictures of the best Mazda3 of them all - the turbocharged Mazda3 MPS. And something random called the Mazda3 i-stop. But M, P and S are three letters we like very much.
Although Mazda has revealed that it will not be making a turbocharged MPS variant of the current Mazda6, it has gone ahead with the Mazda3, citing the recent successes of such cars as the Volkswagen Golf GTi as a reason why the MPS is a good business strategy. But seemingly, Mazda have set their sights far higher than the Golf GTi - Mazda are very obviously pitting this MPS as an Subaru Impreza WRX killer.
And when you look at it in comparison to the dowdy new WRX hatch, it certainly does. If I were to describe how well the WRX is killed, I would describe a process involving meat cleavers, dismemberment and eating wobbly bits for breakfast. We only have three pictures of the MPS before it's shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March, but what I see I like very much. A wicked rear spoiler, aggressive yet complementary bodykit, and a huge bonnet scoop (though probably fake) are some of the many highlights. It even features a cool little "MPS" badge on the front grille. Speaking of the front grille, it has been well documented in this blog that I'm not a big fan of the new "big mouth" grille, although here in the MPS, it somehow manages to look just right. The proportions indicate a wide stance and a decidedly unholy attitude.
And that really is what the Mazda3 MPS is about - attitude. It's something that the new WRX lacks. In terms of performance, the MPS has everything covered, despite carrying over the 2.3 litre turbocharged MZR engine from the previous model (albeit with a few tweaks). Still, there's a lot to be said for the previous model's figure of 190kW, and you can also expect a 0-100kmh time of about 6 seconds flat. I say this because the new MPS would be bucking the trend of current Mazdas if it was heavier than the previous model, which I doubt.
But because "being seen to be green" is the order of the day at the moment, Mazda have announced news of a new fuel saving technique, called i-stop. Why "i-stop"? I dunno, maybe because it stops the use of the letter "i"... look, it's an odd name, and I don't get it either, but what you need to know is that it is a new engine technology that will eventually be used on all the proletarian 2.0 Litre Mazda3s, and will increase efficiency and economy by 12 percent, which on a Mazda3, will be about one Litre every 100km. If I put it that way, it doesn't sound like much, but with i-stop, the Mazda3 will become pretty much the most economical car in its class, which is far more impressive.
And of course, Mazda are boasting about the fact both the 2.0 Litre i-stop engines and the turbocharged MPS meet tough Euro V emissions standards, which mean that they don't release more than 0.5g of Carbon Monoxide and 0.08g of Nitrous Oxides (stuff that makes acid rain) into the air per kilometre. These Euro V emissions will be in force by September this year, so it's nice that Mazda have been proactive about it.
It remains to be seen when i-stop will make its way onto cars here in Australia, but nevertheless, it's more evidence that the car industry is trying to turn itself as green as possible... and make a cunning marketing strategy out of it at the same time.
NEWS: 2009 Megane - "bootylicious" no more
It's sad - a tragedy. The Renault Megane will lose the junk in its trunk. This 2009 model Megane is part of Renault's (bland) new line-up, and even though there has been an overload of small car stories lately, this one is quite important, because it signifies a manufacturer turning up its nose at adventurous design.
The Megane II was a revelation when it first came out - a talking point at dinner parties, even. I mean, who could resist a car with a big sexy butt like that? Ironically, this "bootylicious" car couldn't really fit much in its boot (its boot volume was almost a half that of some of its competitors), but that's not the point. The Megane was a roaring success in Europe (nowhere else, unfortunately), and it gave other French 
manufacturers the confidence to release far more individually styled cars than they ever did in the 90s. Citroen had the C4 and C6, Peugeot had its gaping-mouthed 407, and more recently, the 207 and 308.
But the new face of Renault is going to destroy all the hard work the cars like the Megane II did to make Renaults look innovative and advanced. It looks boring. As boring as the Golf. And if you don't agree with that, then it must look disturbing to you, then. It does look quite disturbing at the front - it has the smile of an axe-murderer with no teeth.
Thank heavens there will be a Renault Megane Sport, sometime in the near future. And I have a concept from earlier this year that is meant to hint at what the Megane Sport could look like. I don't honestly expect it to have bizarre double-gullwing doors and virtual side mirrors, but if it at least keeps that fantastic rear end design, then maybe I won't lament the liposuction Renault performed on the regular Megane. It's just a shame, that's all.
NEWS: Volkswagen Golf Mark VI
The new Volkswagen Golf is coming very soon - sooner than we all expected. Because Mark V was expensive to build, Volkswagen rushed in its new Golf so that it could make more money on it. Only five years after they built the last one. That's an even shorter time between models than most Japanese cars (traditionally, European cars take about 8 years per model cycle).
Well, the big news is that your bog-standard Golf now gets the face of a Scirocco (in the words of Borat: "Nice"), and an even better quality interior. One of the critisisms of the last 
Golf was that interior quality wasn't up to the same standards as Mark IV, but Volkswagen say that this new Golf will "completely redefine the quality and comfort level of its class". But I'm always more sceptical.
The whole point of releasing the new Golf so early is that it is cheaper to make. Does that mean cheaper interior materials? We'll have to wait and see. The pictures make it look rather nice, however, if rather generic.
Of more interest is the new GTI, which will now have 157 Kilowatts (210 HP) of power, an increase of 10kW - which of course is great, because everyone loves more power. It puffs out less carbon dioxide too, which pleases the greenie in all of us. The R32 will be replaced with the GTI-R, which does not retain the former's engine (due to emissions regulations), and instead gets the engine from the Audi S3 - a 191kW (256 HP) donk.
