MX-5 Cup at Sebring, and The CX-90 (PHEV)

Hey there Mazda fans,

Welcome back to the Classic Mazda newsletter. Catch up on past issues at news.classicmazda.com.

Here’s what we’ve got for you this month:

• MX-5 Cup Rounds 3 & 4 @ Sebring

• Heritage Collection Restoration

• Mazda 6…e?

• CX-90 PHEV

MX-5 Cup at Sebring w/ Connor Zilisch

Our sister store, Mazda Lakeland, sponsored Connor Zilisch for the MX-5 Cup at Sebring this month. Let’s see how he did in our Holler-Classic car loaded up with your signatures.

Connor started out strong, earning the pole position for Round 3 with a lap of 2:25.408, breaking the previous qualifying record at Sebring.

Sebring race #1 resulted in a P2 finish for Connor, who led for most of the laps, leaving just a tad on the line for the last lap going into checkered. Here's what BSI Racing owner, Shea Holbrook, had to say about the MX-5 Cup Round 3.

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Race #2 led to another P2 finish for Connor Zilisch, and a first place finish for 19-year-old rookie and Mazda Shootout Scholarship winner, Westin Workman.

It was a photo finish with only .004 seconds between the two BSI Racing teammates, who moved up together in the Championship Standings.

Given their successful Sebring weekend, BSI Racing's point tally got quite the boost, and you can see the excitement for Shea in this reaction video. Here’s to hoping for another celebration in Laguna Seca on the infamous west coast 'Corkscrew'.

Breaking a qualifying record and securing two P2 finishes wasn’t the only thing Connor Zilisch did at Sebring this year…

Connor Zilisch WON the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s 12 Hours of Sebring. That’s right, this kid has won two of America’s biggest sports car races in a row.

So once again…

Congratulations Connor Zilisch on winning the race we didn’t sponsor!

We are… so proud of you. 🥲

Mazda Motorsports Restores Racing Heritage

Mazda Motorsports have partnered with FLIS performance to restore the Heritage Collection, and bring them back to the racetrack. Check it out!

See anyone familiar? I’ll give you a hint; he’s our very own Classic Mazda General Manager, and his name rhymes with Rad Dodgers.

Mazda 6…. back again?

It’s been three years since the departure of the Mazda 6 from Mazda’s catalog. Consumer trends and insights indicated that people just “weren’t that into midsize sedans”, so Mazda removed the 6 from production (cancel culture, amiright?).

But is the Mazda 6 making a comeback?

According to Mazda’s trademark filings with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, they’re staking claim to “Mazda 6” and “6e”.

We know, we know, trademark filings don’t always mean that a product is happening… but you can’t blame us for getting our hopes up!

As for the “6e” in question (try saying it out loud), it might be safe to assume that “e” stands for “electric”….or “extra fuel” or “enigma”. What do you think? Let us know, reply to this email.

CX-90 PHEV - Charged and Ready

Taking a closer look at the 2024 CX-90 PHEV, let’s go over the bullet points on battery life and fuel economy.

• 17.8-kWh battery pack (26.1 mi battery-only range)

• 25 MPGe

• 90 minutes (240-volt) charges battery from 20 to 80 percent

• 24 MPG city

• 27 MPG highway

These of course are your standard EPA estimates; there’s likely some wiggle room. Car & Driver reported they were able to achieve 57 MPGe on a 75mph highway after 26 miles of electric driving.

• Mazda Design America Appoints Jacque Flynn to Senior Director

• OG Mazda MX-5 Miata Wheels Revived as 15-Inch Specials

• 4/6 Hamlin Cruise-In & Craft Beer Fest

• 4/7 Orlando Cars and Coffee Sanford

• 4/7 Cars & Coffee Central Florida

• 4/13 Motor Madness

Have any ideas for the newsletter? Questions you want me to answer? Go ahead and reply to this email and let's chat.

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