2008 Mazda5

[opus]

My mother has one of her former exchange students from Finland over in the states for the next few weeks. He says even in rally racing crazy Finland they are stopping using manual transmissions and are shifting over to automatics. If this is true, and I have no reason to not believe him, then I fell the death of the MT is far closer than I thought it was. A very sad day for my wife and I as we have only driven sticks our entire driving lives .

 

[snax]

My mother has one of her former exchange students from Finland over in the states for the next few weeks. He says even in rally racing crazy Finland they are stopping using manual transmissions and are shifting over to automatics. If this is true, and I have no reason to not believe him, then I fell the death of the MT is far closer than I thought it was. A very sad day for my wife and I as we have only driven sticks our entire driving lives .

Not exactly. What is being lost is the distinction between automatics and manuals. In the WRC they have been using sequentially shifted clutchless gearboxes for years. They are not however anything like the torque converted, fuel robbing, hydraulic slush boxes that are typically referred to as 'automatic'.

 

[doctorz]

I think some simply see that the transition to automatics as progress, just like we don't see unsynchronized, three-on-the-tree any longer. But manuals are cheaper, faster, and more efficient, so I hardly call the death of the manual transmission progress.

Regarding Europe, my understanding is that it is country dependent. GB is trending more towards automatics, while in Italy automatics are still nowhere to be found.

 

[starlightmica]

It would be sweet if the automatic got replaced by the dual clutch gearbox seen in VWs (DSG) and coming soon to Volvos. Although not as cheap as a traditional manual transmission, they're faster and more fuel efficient.

I don't know if Mazdas will get them anytime soon.

 

[en3rgy]

Am I the only one that thinks having a 100% electric version of the Mazda5 is a great idea?

If petroleum HAS to be used, why not a diesel plug-in hybrid? That's pretty reasonable.

 

[MazdaUlimited]

It would be sweet if the automatic got replaced by the dual clutch gearbox seen in VWs (DSG) and coming soon to Volvos. Although not as cheap as a traditional manual transmission, they're faster and more fuel efficient.

I don't know if Mazdas will get them anytime soon.

You have it backwards i believe, Automatics are still used by a wider variety of people and manufactures or all i might say. DSG.Spottronic,SMG3,tiptronic, paddleshifters, etc, are all Manual replacements. Soon withing a couple of years later, Manuals on sports car, will aim more with DSG, and paddle shifters. More convient, better fuel economy, safer, and fast shifts.

 

[starlightmica]

Clarified: Although not as cheap as a traditional manual transmission, they're [dual clutch] faster and more fuel efficient. Dual clutch and BMW's SMG are manual transmissions with computer controlled clutches = no pedal.

Tiptronic is Porsche's automatic, Sportronic is another name for an automatic.

Paddles can be found on either kind of transmission.

 

[HotRodSaint]

Am I the only one that thinks having a 100% electric version of the Mazda5 is a great idea?

How far can a 3300lb vehicle travel on an electric charge? Would it even be 3300 lbs after adding batteries?

If your commute is short and you have no cargo, no passengers, don't use the A/C and don't listen to the radio, then an electric vehicle is great.

But in the real world, nobody can travel 25 miles and then wait 4+ hours to travel 25 more miles.

And if every drove an electric vehicle, what fuel would we use to generate the extra power needed to charge them?

It reminds me of the advent of the gasoline engine. Everyone welcomed it as a relief to the street level pollution that the horses were generating. If they only knew. (spin)

 

[en3rgy]

How far can a 3300lb vehicle travel on an electric charge? Would it even be 3300 lbs after adding batteries?

I'm not an engineer so I can not say for sure. I can tell you that there's a company called Phoenix Motors that makes a suv that seats 5 or 6 adults I believe and can travel 150 miles per charge with a 10 minute recharge to full quick charger accessory. Also you can buy an extra battery module that extends the range to 250 miles. I dont know how much it weighs but I would imagine more than 3300 lbs.

If your commute is short and you have no cargo, no passengers, don't use the A/C and don't listen to the radio, then an electric vehicle is great.

LOL. I agree. However, did you know Toyota already made a RAV4 EV? I believe it could go 90 miles with a full load and it has heat and a/c.

But in the real world, nobody can travel 25 miles and then wait 4+ hours to travel 25 more miles.

I've read somewhere that the average American driver drives 29 miles per day. If this is the case then it should be easy to drive to work, charge up then drive home.

And if every drove an electric vehicle, what fuel would we use to generate the extra power needed to charge them?

Solar, wind, coal, nuclear and so on. It's not as if power will always be sourced by coal or petroleum. If there were more electric cars/trucks on the road today that would help stem better energy source technologies and improvements to those already in place. As long as car companies ignore electric vehicle technology then there's really not as strong of a need to improve elsewhere.

It reminds me of the advent of the gasoline engine. Everyone welcomed it as a relief to the street level pollution that the horses were generating. If they only knew. (spin)

Funny thing, there were also electric technologies then as well as steam. The gasoline people saw the money potential in gasoline and that's where we are today (my opinion).

Basically, if there's no demand for clean electric cars then the car companies wont make them. Instead, they'll keep telling us that hydrogen is great when that's just some bait and switch technique by the oil companies. It's really sad.

 

[Benfolio]

Mazda5 IS getting a refresh for 2008! I'll post specs in a new topic....

 

[jandree22]

Mazda5 IS getting a refresh for 2008! I'll post specs in a new topic....

Benfolio's new discussion here --> 2008 Specs

 

[flomobile]

Geez guys... passenger armrest, rear A/C, aux input. Mazda apparently wants to make me broke by providing everything my complained about in her 5.

I was hoping they'd make an armrest that is integrated into the center console, rather than s small, uncomfortable flip-down job that can't be adjusted. It changes angle with the backrest, meaning that for over-six-footer like me, when I get the seat all the way back and the seatback reclined so that I can fit, it's angled to high to be useful.

I wouldn't complain too much about the stick shift disappearing (we have a stick) if they put a modern automatic in there instead of yesteryear's 4 speed. A 5 speed automatic with a manually shiftable option sounds perfect, actually. You'd get the same range of ratios as the manual, the same selectability, but you wouldn't have to deal with the clutch pedal taking up valuable footspace*. Certainly with all the other improvements, it would be a decent tradeoff.

* This is one of the 5's biggest drawbacks, at least in manual form. There's not enough foot space for my size 12.5's. If I'm wearing boots, it's an absolute no-go.

 

[P2K]

Here's some pics I dug up. It's already out in Japan.

The only changes to the current body style looks to be gunmetal wheels, black headlights and black tail lights. I think chrome and red tail lights are optional. I don't know of anything else, to include specs and interior. I'm not too familiar with the 5, but this is what I have.

I believe this is the base model

Just throwing these in for GP

i want black tail lights

You got it...LOL