The Auto World

Mazda engineers secretly built a 2.5-liter V6 MX-5. It sharpened the drive but caused packaging headaches. Design compromises kept the V6 Miata from production. If there is one complaint that usually follows the MX-5 around, it is a perceived lack of power. That gripe has echoed for decades, inspiring just about every engine swap imaginable in the Miata community, from V6s to V8s and even the occasiona l V12 squeezed into a very small nose. Now, a new interview with a senior Mazda executive reveals that 20 years ago, the brand tried something that has received little public attention. What was it? Engineers slipped a V6 under the hood of a prototype MX-5, then discovered two obstacles that kept it from reaching production. Also: Mazda Confirms New MX-5 NE Will Be Electrified, Just Not Fully Electric While speaking with Dutch outlet AutoRAI about the future of the next-generation NE model, Christian Schultze, Director of Research and Operations at Mazda Motor Europe, ...

The next MX-5 will use some level of electrification. Synthetic fuels could help retain the combustion engine. Mazda aims to keep the current MX-5 ND on sale longer. Mazda is not quite ready to unveil the next generation of the MX-5, with the current ND set to stick around toward the end of the decade. Even so, people involved in the development of its successor have begun to share a few revealing insights. Crucially, they confirmed that an NE prototype already exists, even if the final recipe remains far from settled. Our colleagues at Auto Rai sat down with two senior Mazda Europe figures, Design Director Jo Stenuit and Director of Technology Research and Technical Regulation Compliance Christian Schultze. More: The 2026 Mazda Miata Just Crossed The $30,000 Line Starting with Stenuit, he made it clear that the MX-5’s core ingredients are not up for debate. Driving fun, light weight, and affordability remain non-negotiable, traits that, as he put it, “depend heavily...

Record came during Lunar New Year travel surge. Nio runs over 8,600 swap and charging stations. Fourth-gen sites handle up to 480 swaps daily. Back in 2013, Tesla flirted with the idea of battery-swapping for its EVs, even demonstrating a system that could replace a Model S battery in as little as 90 seconds. It was an impressive showpiece, but the company ultimately chose not to commercialize the concept. Nio, meanwhile, saw potential where Tesla stepped back. The Chinese startup embraced battery swapping and went on to build the largest EV battery-swapping network in the world. Just how popular has Nio’s battery-swap service become? On February 21, Nio owners carried out a staggering 175,976 battery swaps across China in a single day. That figure translates to roughly one Nio having its battery changed every half a second. Read: This Full-Size Electric SUV Packs 456 HP And Costs Less Than A Honda Civic This record was set on the second day of the Lunar New Year, ty...

San Diego may lower limits on 679 miles of city streets. Plan uses new California laws to expand local control. Infrastructure changes are referenced but not detailed. Roads can be dangerous, and that danger often comes from multi-ton vehicles traveling at speed. In an effort to improve safety , San Diego is preparing to lower speed limits on over 20 percent of its roads. That will affect roughly 679 miles (about 1,100 km) across the city, and the only thing changing is the number on the sign. On Thursday, a City Council committee moved forward with the Comprehensive Speed Management Plan, a Vision Zero-aligned effort that leverages new authority granted under California Assembly Bills 43, 1938, and 382. The full City Council still needs to approve the changes before implementation begins. More: Speeding Tickets Fell By Half In Massachusetts, Drivers May Not Like Plan B That said, everything points to the plan moving forward, with $2.4 million reserved for signage cha...

Used Tesla prices climbed after the tax credit ended. Most other used EVs lost value as demand cooled. The Porsche Taycan was the only non-Tesla EV to rise. The loss of $7,500 federal tax credits should, in theory, have put every EV brand on an even footing, but Tesla and its customers decided to write their own script. While most electric car values have dropped since last fall, Tesla values are actually climbing. According to a new study, used Tesla prices have risen 4.3 percent since the EV credit disappeared at the end of September 2025. Over the same period, nearly every other used EV dropped an average of 3.6 percent. More: EV Sales Fell Off A Cliff, Yet New Car Prices Still Set Another Record Because Teslas make up such a huge slice of the used EV pie, the average price of all used EVs actually went up 3.5 percent, painting a superficially rosy picture. Strip Tesla out of the equation and things look very different. Non-Tesla EVs slid from an average of $24,62...

I helped develop a compact, lightweight caravan design. The teardrop aims to bring hotel-like comfort outdoors. It is affordable, modular, and easy to tow with small cars. Campervans and motorhomes promise open-road freedom, fresh air and Instagram-ready sunsets. But what if your budget says “festival tent” while your expectations say “boutique cabin”? That’s where the teardrop trailer comes in, the smallest and lightest form of caravan, and arguably the most sensible gateway into van life without the van. Also: Honda’s Futuristic Camper Looks Like A Concept, But You’ll Soon Be Able To Buy It Plenty of companies now offer high-end teardrops loaded with premium finishes and matching price tags. This project aimed in the opposite direction. I was involved in developing a budget-friendly teardrop camper that evolved into a surprisingly complete concept. A Design Engineer’s Side Project Although I have spent more than a decade writing about cars, I actually graduated ...