The steering response of the MazdaSpeed3 is nothing short of spectacular.  This car has better  feel and input control than any other car under $30k.  This hot hatch is motivated by a 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine that throws down over 260 horsepower via turbocharged power.  Power transferred through a limited-slip differential and there is a wondrous 6-speed transmission. The 2010 MazdaSpeed3 clocks a 0-60 time of a mere 5.8 seconds and finishes the 1/4 mile in a scant 14.3 seconds with a trap speed of 98 MPH which is faster than the new 2010 Camaro V-6! Oh and Highway mileage is 25 MPG if that sort of thing matters to you.

On the inside the New MazdaSpeed3 has nice bucket seat wrapped in both cloth and leather.  The overall look is clean and modern.  All base model cars include everything you could want in a hatchback: cruise control, climate control, power everything, and so on.  But opt for the Tech Package at only $1800 and you get a great Bose Sound System, Satellite Radio, and Navigation.

With a $25k price tag, the MazdaSpeed3 is over $2k less than the WRX and the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer SportBack competitors.  View the inventory of new cars for sale at your Riverside Mazdaspeed3 Dealer.

Powering the Acura RSX is the K20 engine platform. The K20 has a whole new engine design when compared to the B-Series Engine of Old.   HKS went the pressurized route when adding horsepower to the An I-VTEC engine.  A turbocharger kit was developed which is centered around a HKS GT2835 turbo and a custom exhaust manifold.  Exhaust that is wasted gets released though a HKS Hiper Exhaust and the clean air is drawn in with a Super Mega Flow intake then cooled though an HKS Intercooler. To maintain  efficiency with the new engine platform a F-Con S engine management system was added to ‘fine-tune’ the engine parameters. Also added to the collection of parts and systems is a limited-edition EVC-IV Silver to electronically adjust boost control and the Turbo Timer Type-1  shutdown mode.  And lastly, the final piece of hardware in the engine bay is the Sequential Blow-Off Valve. This valve releases any unwanted pressure within the system.

The HKS Acura RSX has quite an elaborate engine system but that isn’t the only thing great about this car. For the exterior, the car has a carbon-fiber hood, made by CARisma, which takes a few pounds off the body. The rear deck spoiler is Optional additional equipment. Lowering Springs included are from Sprint Suspension, and the wheels come courtesy of Racing Heart.

A few enhancements were added to the interior as well, like the titanium shift knob and titanium trim, new pedal designs, and reupholstered seats.  The RSX has already well surpassed its Integra predecessors in terms of looks and performance.

On October 22, 1969 the first Z sports car made its debut in North America.  At that time the Z was part of the Datsun family and had been known as the “Fairlady Z” in Japan (it is still known as such today). Before landing on American shores the name was changed to the more sporty “240Z” to appeal to a new western audience. Prior to 1969 sports cars were imported from England or Germany. This Japanese import had the looks of a Jaguar and the performance of a Porsche for about $3,700. It was the first sports car suited for everyday use and America and quickly fell in love.   

The first 240Zs were unlike other sports cars of the time, the 240Z had a closed coupe design which increased body rigidity and improved handling and durability. The zippy 6-cylinder engine packed 150-horsepower and 4-wheel independent suspension further enhanced the driving experience. The 240Z could hit a top speed of 84.5 miles per hour in 17.1 seconds.  The original model was available in either a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission and included specialty items such as roll-up windows and a radio.

Over the years the Datsun 240Z gracefully evolved. In the 1970’s the 240Z became the 260Z, 280Z and 280ZX.  In the ‘80s T-tops and turbo engines became available in the 300ZX.  The ‘90s saw the birth of the 300ZX Turbo and multiple awards such as Motor Trend’s “Import Car of the Year” and a spot on Car and Drivers’ “10 Best” list.  By 2002 the Z had been almost completely reinvented and released as the 350Z.

In 2009 the New Nissan 370Z was launched.  This sixth generation Nissan Z has come a long way from the original “Fairlady Z”.  With a 332-horsepower 3.7-liter dual overhead cam V6 engine, lightweight 4-wheel independent suspension, 19-inch super lightweight alloy wheels, and either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed automatic transmission, the Z has definitely changed with the times. Oh, and those specialty items now include; Nissan Intelligent Key with Push Button Start, XM Satellite Radio and Navigation System, Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, XM NavTraffic, Real-Time Traffic Information and digital music storage and playback with a USB port for iPod connectivity.

In celebration of the Nissan Z and its 40 year journey Nissan has designed a limited edition version of the current 2010 Nissan 370Z Coupe.  This 40th Anniversary Edition is anticipated to arrive at dealerships sometime during spring 2010. It will have unique features such as premium exterior“40th Quartz” finish, red leather-appointed interior including red door panel inserts and 40th Anniversary seatbacks , high-luster smoke wheel finish, red brake calipers,  and  40th Anniversary floor mat embroidery.  Pricing for this exceptional and soon to be rare edition Nissan is to be announced closer to its release date in spring 2010.

Even with all these achievements, the Mugen brand is not as well known as Mercedes Benz’s tuning outfit division AMG or Nissan’s Nismo. There has however, been word and recent confirmation that Mugen’s European division, based in England, will build a limited edition New Civic Type R.

The supped up Type R’s will be super-quick, ultra exclusive, and hyper-expensive with Honda’s full approval. This makes it seem that Honda maybe seeking a little (long-overdue) recognition outside of Japan. The Mugen brand was cautious about moving to uncharted territory outside of Japan but got started with promoting a concept. The concept was exhibited at shows and loaned to many media outlets so that reactions could be carefully measured. Feedback was strong; so in late October it was announced that Mugen will build twenty cars during 2010. The replicas are based on a 2.0 Liter hatchback, producing 240 horsepower; power is up by 20% over the regular Type R.

The revamped 2010 Civic Type R is a classic tuner job with high-compression pistons, free breathing induction system, a new stainless steel exhaust system, and a brand new Mugen ECU that permits a 500 rpm increase over the standard Honda H20A engine’s 8000-rpm ceiling. They will be built in Honda’s factory located in England.

For those interested in renting a hybrid car air airport destinations during a business trip or trying one out before spending thousands to buy one, here is a list of eleven hybrid car rental companies, in no particular order.

1.    Budget – Budget offers the Toyota Prius Hybrid and the Nissan Altima Hybrid at many of their locations.
2.    Thrifty – A less-known rental agency, Thrifty is a company whose marketing strategy is to offer lower prices to the consumers. As such, when San Francisco’s airport offered a fifteen-dollar discount to all who rent hybrids, Thrifty was quick to join many other companies in offering those vehicles. Outside of the Bay Area, however, offerings remain slim.
3.    Avis – Avis is a large organization that often operates near airports. Unlike their competitor, however, Avis still only offers hybrid car rentals in select cities around the United States. Still, for those flying to a large city, it is a good bet that Avis will have a hybrid Prius or Escape available.
4.    Hertz – Much like Avis, Hertz joined the hybrid movement late but has quickly grown to own over four-thousand of the vehicles. Conveniently located at most large airports, Hertz is an excellent option for travelers.
5.    Midway Car Rental – Established in the early 1970’s, Midway is the largest privately owned vehicle rental company in Los Angeles. With over 1,500 vehicles in its fleet and offices in areas around Los Angeles and Hollywood, Midway has hybrid cars and other fuel efficient vehicles for rent.
6.    National – National Car Rental offers midsize hybrids in most regions of the country at a reasonable price. And where they are unable to offer environmentally beneficial cars, they instead offer charitable contributions to help the cause.
7.    Enterprise – One of the foremost leaders in the green movement, Enterprise has outfitted their nationwide locations with over seven thousand hybrid cars, including the Ford Escape Hybrid, Toyota Prius and Toyota Camry Hybrid. Their new hybrid cars are priced only slightly above their other vehicles, and they have a large selection. Enterprise’s website makes it easy for travelers to find hybrid cars for rent at airports.
8.    Alamo – Owned by the same company that also owns National Car Rental, Alamo Rent-a-Car offers several different hybrid car rental models throughout the United States. Their offerings may be low, for now, but as the popularity of hybrids continues to grow, so will their offerings.
9.    Toyota Rent A Car – It’s not general knowledge that Toyota dealers are making their cars available for rent, including many of the well-known Toyota hybrid models. Go to their website toyota.com/rental/, then enter your zip code to search for the nearest participating Toyota dealers.
10.    Fox Rent-a-Car – Located primarily in California, Fox Rent-a-Car offers both free mileage and low rates to entice customers away from the bigger companies. They have also recently embraced the hybrid car rental market with Toyota Priuses offered at several of their locations.
11.    FindExotic.com – While FindExotic.com is not a rental company itself, FindExotic.com is great for finding hybrid rentals, like the Ford Escape Hybrid, in a number of areas and is such a good resource, it deserves a spot on the list.

These are just eleven of the many rental agencies that are quickly becoming providers of hybrid rental cars. And while the total amount of these vehicles remains at around ten to fifteen percent of all cars offered, there is no doubt that they will continue to grow in popularity.
Cuong Huynh, Publisher, http://www.cleancartalk.com/ and http://www.airporthybridrentals.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cuong_Huynh

Add that to the low prices due to the economy, the great selection of popular models and the other incentives being offered, and the fact that my tax refund should be here any day.  I think this is just a little more than I can resist!

What are the Mazda incentives currently being offered? Well for many models they’re offering 0% financing for 36 months or 2.9% financing for 60 months PLUS $1000 cash back PLUS no payments for 90 days! If you can still find a New 2008 model on the lot, which is totally possible in today’s market, the deals are even better. Looking for a lease? You can lease a 2009 Mazda3 i Sport for $169 a month. Incredible!

2009 Mazda Tribute Hybrid - Fun & Practical

I’ve been very conservative about spending money lately, but this offer has me rethinking things. If I’m going to buy a car in the next few years (which I’ll need to), this is probably the best time.  When the economy gets going again, there will be a lot of pent-up demand, especially for cars and houses. The most popular cars will be hard to find and customers will pay a premium for them. And I’ll be happily ensconced in the hottest model, bought at a time when the deals were irresistible!
So, which car to get? Well, I’ve been eyeing the 2009 Tribute Hybrid for quite a while now. It has enough space for the kids and all their stuff AND it gets 34 miles per gallon in city driving! My husband, however, wants the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Totally irresponsible! He can’t have a cute little convertible while I drive my old minivan! No way!

Unfortunately we can’t afford to get both. Or can we??

2009 Mazda Miata - Hubby's Dream