IRVINE, California, July 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Since the announcement of the production of the one-millionth Mazda MX-5 Miata this past April, Mazda has been taking the vehicle on a worldwide appreciation tour to thank fans and owners for their loyalty toward making the MX-5 the best-selling roadster of all time, as well as the torchbearer of pure driving joy.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160727/393679 

Now, the one-millionth MX-5 is coming to the U.S. on an 18-stop tour that begins at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the Monterey Motorsports Reunion from August 18-21. The car will travel the country, ending at the same venue October 1-2 for Miatas at Mazda Raceway. Along the way,  thousands of loyal MX-5 owners and influential people in MX-5’s early history and development—as well as those helping write the next chapter in the MX-5 Miata’s destiny—will make the tour one to remember for a long time.

“Last year was the ‘Year of the Miata’ with the launch of the all-new 2016 MX-5, but even a year into the sales of the fourth-generation roadster, that momentum has continued,” said Robert Davis, senior VP, U.S. Operations, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). “From winning the 2016 World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year, to the introduction of the all-new 2017 MX-5 RF, to our one-millionth Miata milestone, the MX-5 continues to symbolize the innovation and spirit that propels Mazda. With the Millionth Miata Celebration, we’re excited to give back to those who, like us, continue to believe that driving matters.”

For the entirety of the Millionth Miata Celebration Tour, the one-millionth car—a right-hand-drive Japanese-specification soft top equipped with a 1.5-liter SKYACTIV-G engine—will be traveling with the progenitor of the line, the 15th Miata ever built. A Classic Red 1990 model that made its world debut at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show, this 27-year-old classic is owned by Mazda North American Operations and is part of the company’s Heritage Collection.

At each tour stop, the first 240 owners and fans will have the opportunity to sign the one-millionth MX-5, and approximately 400 attendees will receive a commemorative “Millionth Miata Celebration Tour” T-shirt at each tour stop.

Tour stops are as follows:

Locations were chosen based on MX-5 sales history, as well as overwhelming enthusiasm from owners’ clubs that expressed interest when MNAO announced the tour.

More information and updates will be distributed both via email to area MX-5 owners and through InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com, where visitors will be able to track the one-millionth MX-5. Fans can also follow the conversation on social media with hashtags #LongLiveTheRoadster, #MX5 and #Miata.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com.

Note: Mazda North American Operations reserves the right to change or cancel the dates or locations of “Millionth Miata Celebration Tour” without notice.

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TORRANCE, California, July 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Acura will celebrate its 30^th Anniversary and showcase the brand’s Precision Crafted Performance brand heritage with its extensive presence at the 2016 Monterey Automotive Week.  Bringing the brand’s luxury and performance DNA to life will be West Coast debuts of the stunning Acura Precision Concept, showcasing the future design direction of Acura, and the 2017 Acura NSX GT3, which is being prepared for competition in North America.

“There’s no better place on earth to showcase and celebrate our brand heritage and future direction in this 30^th anniversary year than at Monterey Automotive Week,” said Jon Ikeda, vice president and general manager for the Acura Division. “We’re acutely focused on our Precision Crafted Performance DNA, which is exemplified in products like the NSX and Acura Precision Concept.”

Central to Acura’s presence at Monterey Automotive Week are three pinnacle representations of Acura’s performance-oriented, premium automotive brand values, including the all-new 2017 NSX supercar.  Launched this spring, the NSX challenges supercar norms with its bespoke 75-degree twin-turbo V-6 engine mated to a 9-speed dual clutch transmission and three electric motor Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system. Produced exclusively at the Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio, the Acura NSX is the only supercar manufactured in the U.S¹.  Focused on custom craftsmanship, the dedicated manufacturing center uses new and innovative approaches to body construction, vehicle painting, final assembly and quality assurance to deliver a truly world-class new NSX to customers around the world.

The Acura Precision Concept, with its supercar-like stance, more performance-minded proportions and alluring design details, points toward a bolder, more distinctive future for Acura vehicle design.  The refreshed 2017 MDX, now on-sale, is the first inspired by this striking vision.  The Acura Precision Concept was developed by the Acura Design Studio in California.

Joining these vehicles at various events throughout the week will be the Acura NSX GT3, which is slated for homologation as an FIA GT3 class racecar this fall and will campaign in North America in 2017.  The NSX GT3 will be powered by the same 3.5-liter, 75-degree, twin turbocharged DOHC V-6 engine that powers the production 2017 Acura NSX, including the block, heads, valvetrain, crankshaft, pistons and dry sump lubrication system.  Its aluminum-intensive, multi-material space frame is constructed at the Performance Manufacturing Center. 

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering
Acura will once again be the premier automotive sponsor for The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, on Friday, August 19. As a Sapphire-level sponsor for one of the week’s most esteemed events, the Acura display will celebrate the brand’s 30^th anniversary and performance heritage. The 2017 Acura NSX supercar will be joined by the Acura Precision Concept and the NSX GT3 racecar. Additionally, guests will have an opportunity to experience the refreshed 2017 Acura MDX via a ride and drive event at The Quail Lodge & Golf Club.

Carmel-By-The Sea Concours on the Avenue
Acura will kick-off the week’s activities as the premier automotive sponsor of the Carmel-By-The Sea Concours on the Avenue on Tuesday, August 16. In its fourth year of participation in the event, Acura will showcase its complete lineup of performance luxury vehicles in Carmel’s historic Devendorf Park.

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
This year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will showcase Acura’s racing heritage with the West Coast debut of the 2017 Acura NSX GT3 racecar, which will be displayed alongside the 1991 RealTime Acura NSX, campaigned by Peter Cunningham (1991 to 2002) and driven by Cunningham to the Speed World Challenge GT championship in 1998.  Both will be on display at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion in the Acura garage August 20-21.  

Gordon McCall’s Motorworks Revival
Acura will again have a presence at Gordon McCall’s prestigious Motorworks Revival, displaying the groundbreaking NSX supercar next to its corporate sibling, HondaJet – the world’s most advanced light jet. Gordon McCall’s prestigious Motorworks Revival takes place on Wednesday, August 17 at the Revival in the Monterey Jet Center.

The 2016 Monterey Automotive Week will be held August 16-21. Visit www.montereycarweek.com for more information.

For More Information
Consumer information is available at www.acura.com. To join the Acura community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/Acura. Additional media information including pricing, features and high-resolution photography is available at acuranews.com/channels/acura-automobiles.

About Acura
Acura is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance, an original approach to technology and design that creates a new driving experience. On March 27, 2016, Acura celebrated the 30th anniversary of its launch as the first luxury nameplate from a Japanese automaker.

The Acura lineup features five distinctive models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the five-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America’s all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV. This spring, Acura launched its next-generation, electrified NSX supercar as a new and pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance.

[1] Assembled in the U.S. with domestic and globally sourced parts.

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TORRANCE, California, July 27, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Acura NSX GT3 racecar will make its public test debut on July 28 during Pirelli World Challenge practice sessions at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, Acura announced today. The racecar will be piloted by development driver, Peter Kox, during practice sessions on the 2.25-mile, 14-turn road course on Thursday, July 28 (8:50 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. EDT) and Friday, July 29 (4:15 p.m.- 4:45 p.m. EDT).

“Based on a very successful test program, we’re taking the next logical step in seeing how we stack-up against the competition,” said Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Development. “Mid-Ohio seemed like the perfect opportunity, given the demands it places on a racecar and its proximity to NSX R&D and manufacturing.”

The twin-turbocharged Acura NSX GT3 is slated for homologation as an FIA GT3-class racecar this fall, in preparation for North American GT racing competition beginning in 2017. The car will be on display to the public in the paddock of RealTime Racing, Acura’s development partner for the GT3 program, over the course of the race weekend.

The Acura NSX GT3 racecar, featuring custom carbon fiber bodywork and aero components, is powered by a 3.5-liter, 75-degree, twin turbocharged DOHC

V-6 engine using the same design specifications as the engine in the production 2017 Acura NSX. The Acura NSX GT3’s aluminum intensive multi-material space frame is produced at the company’s Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio, the exclusive manufacturing home for the new Acura NSX. Its twin turbocharged V-6 engine is also assembled in Ohio at the company’s Anna, Ohio engine plant[i].

Initial development of the NSX GT3 racecar was conducted by the company’s Japan race engineering arm with testing on race circuits in Europe and Japan.  Additional development, testing and final homologation to FIA GT3 global racing specifications is currently being undertaken by the company’s North American race engineering group, Honda Performance Development (HPD), in Santa Clarita, California.

The NSX GT3 is a further extension of Acura’s GT motorsports program, where Acura, in partnership with RealTime racing, is campaigning two Acura TLX GT cars in the Pirelli World Challenge. In its most recent outing, Acura’s Ryan Eversley completed a sweep of the doubleheader race weekend at Road America. Acura and RealTime will compete in the Pirelli World Challenge GT Class at Mid-Ohio on July 29 and 30.

For More Information
Consumer information is available at www.acura.com. To join the Acura community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/Acura. Additional media information including pricing, features and high-resolution photography is available at acuranews.com/channels/acura-automobiles.

About Acura
Acura is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance, an original approach to technology and design that creates a new driving experience. On March 27, 2016, Acura celebrated the 30th anniversary of its launch as the first luxury nameplate from a Japanese automaker.

The Acura lineup features five distinctive models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America’s all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV. This spring, Acura launched its next-generation, electrified NSX supercar as a new and pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance.

[i] Assembled in the U.S. with domestic and globally sourced parts.

Video – http://acura.us/NSXGT3

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160727/393534

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IRVINE, California, July 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — While today’s new cars are jam-packed with the lastest tech features and forward-thinking styling, they also are now more expensive than ever, with the average price of a new car currently at $33,801.  Many people shudder at the thought of a large monthly car payment, and most average American car shoppers cannot afford to buy a brand-new car outright, resulting in a sizable market for affordable used cars.  Based on the recommendations of KBB.com editors after consulting their master mechanic, Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry, has named this year’s 10 Best Used Cars Under $8,000.

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“While spending $8,000 or less won’t get you the newest tech or the shiniest paint job, it can buy you solid, reliable transportation that will last for the next several years if you play your cards correctly,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com.  “For those who feel a keen ache in their checkbook thinking about the prospect of a big monthly payment, this year’s list of KBB.com’s 10 Best Used Cars Under $8,000 should provide some relief, because there are good used-car alternatives to a more expensive vehicle.”

KBB.com’s 10 Best Used Cars Under $8,000 for 2016

To see KBB.com’s full coverage of the 10 Best Used Cars Under $8,000 for 2016, including editors’ comments about why the vehicle made this list, vehicle photography, pricing details and editorial reviews, please visit http://www.kbb.com/car-reviews-and-news/top-10/best-used-cars-under-8000/2100000852/.

To discuss this topic, or any other automotive-related information, with a Kelley Blue Book analyst on-camera via the company’s on-site studio, please contact a member of the Public Relations team to book an interview.

For more information and news from Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com, visit www.kbb.com/media/, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kelleybluebook (or @kelleybluebook), like our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kbb, and get updates on Google+ at https://plus.google.com/+kbb.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new and used cars this week. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com ranked highest in its category for brand equity by the 2016 Harris Poll EquiTrend^® study and has been named Online Auto Shopping Brand of the Year for five consecutive years. Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. is a Cox Automotive™ brand.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. is transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns cars with industry-leading digital marketing, software, financial, wholesale and e-commerce solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers and the overall automotive ecosystem worldwide. Committed to open choice and dedicated to strong partnerships, the Cox Automotive family includes Autotrader®, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, vAuto®, Xtime® and a host of other brands. The global company has nearly 33,000 team members in more than 200 locations and is partner to more than 40,000 auto dealers, as well as most major automobile manufacturers, while engaging U.S. consumer car buyers with the most recognized media brands in the industry. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., an Atlanta-based company with revenues of $18 billion and approximately 55,000 employees. Cox Enterprises’ other major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Media Group. For more information about Cox Automotive, visit www.coxautoinc.com.

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