Don’t be fooled by its refined exterior, roomy cabin and lavish trim—the Mazda6 is a true sports sedan in the class of mid-size class. An available V6 engine with 272 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. Quick acceleration and athletic suspension. Elegant? Yes. Sedate? Never.
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1. Papaya: Soft and sweet, papaya is a delicious fruit that offers significant amounts of folic acid, fiber, carotenes and vitamins C and E. The Philippines’ Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) has gathered extensive information on papaya, since it’s grown in several areas of the country. The Institute notes that papaya’s antioxidants aid the cardiovascular system and help protect against diabetes, heart disease and colon cancer. Whether you put some in salad, soup or salsa, it adds a sweet note to any meal – and your body. For more papaya facts from the FNRI, visit http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. Wondering if papaya is grown closer to home? Look no farther than Hawaii and Florida.
The summer months are officially here and hot weather has already settled in through much of the country. That means that owners are clicking on their vehicles’ air conditioning systems to escape the heat. Air conditioning systems are specifically designed to be largely maintenance free, but small issues can grow into big problems without regular checks. That’s why the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), recommends having your vehicle’s systems examined twice a year to make certain everything is in top working order.
ASE has been certifying the nation’s automotive technicians since 1972. According to Tony Molla, the organization’s vice president of communications, most air conditioning systems can function properly for well over 100,000 miles without needing a serious overhaul. But that’s only true so long as a qualified service individual makes sure everything is running smoothly.
“It’s more like a health check to make sure [the air conditioning] is not just cooling, but that it’s cooling properly,” Molla said.
That means running a few quick checks. Molla is a certified ASE tech himself, and he says that an air conditioning exam starts by simply measuring the temperature of the air coming from the vehicle’s vents. Mechanics use specially calibrated thermometers designed just for this task and check the results against the operating parameters for your vehicle. Technicians also look for any leaks that may lead to the slow degradation of your system’s performance, and they check the condition of the belt that runs the air conditioning compressor.
If everything is operating properly and no visual problems are spotted, the climate control is given a clean bill of health. If the air temperature is too high even at the coldest setting, the technician will then move to the second stage of the checkup by examining the refrigerant pressure in the system. Molla says this is as simple as hooking up a special pressure gauge and reading the results with the compressor on and off. Typically, if an A/C system isn’t functioning at optimum capacity, the refrigerant levels are too low. If the pressure readings fall below the recommended levels for your vehicle, chances are there’s a leak somewhere in the system.
From there, it’s as simple as repairing the leak and filling the refrigerant to the proper pressure levels. But Molla says that routine system checks can prevent more than lackluster performance.
“For example, there’s a problem that happens in very humid areas of the country where mold will form inside the vents,” Molla says. “Normal maintenance will pick that problem up before it becomes a bigger issue.”
According to Molla, catching mold early is an easy fix that simply involves using a special spray in the ductwork. Left unchecked, however, the issue could require costly replacement.
Though your vehicle’s air conditioning system may not require frequent attention, routine maintenance is key to keeping the cabin comfortable and your bank account safe from big repair bills. A routine examination by your dealer’s certified service personnel will ensure that your vehicle’s air conditioning system stays in top shape for years to come.
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What is MAZDASPEED?
MAZDASPEED factory-engineered vehicles, performance parts and accessories, and motorsports programs are the ultimate expression of our Always the Soul of a Sport Car spirit. MAZDASPEED is the destination for driving enthusiasts who desire to experience Mazda at the highest, most exhilarating level.
MAZDASPEED‘s own grass-roots racing heritage is as authentic as it gets. It traces its origin to an independent racing team in 1967 under the name “Mazda Sports Corner” at Mazda Auto Tokyo, Japan’s largest Mazda dealer. Impressed by performance potential of the Cosmo 110S, the sleek two-seat sports car marked the debut of the first-ever production rotary engine, the team ambitiously set out to establish a Mazda presence at major motorsports events worldwide. At the same time, Mazda was interested in proving the viability of its rotary engine to the world. The two goals came together with the racing team’s 1968 international debut, fielding two Cosmos at the Nordshleife, Nuerburgring for the “Marathon de la Route,” an incredibly grueling 84-hour endurance event. The surprise came when the little Cosmo took fourth place, a great achievement for a new racing team and a new car with completely new engine technology.
Over the next 15 years, the team of hardcore Mazda racers campaigned across the U.S., Japan and Europe in both endurance and conventional sports car events. After Mazda replaced the Cosmo with the more practical R100, Europeans watched in awe as two of the boxy hatchbacks dogged four Porsche 911s for 24 hours at the Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, claiming class wins and fifth and sixth place overall.
As Mazda launched new models, Mazda Sports Corner raced them. After the Cosmos and R100s came racing RX-2s and RX-3s. Everything then jumped up a notch or two when Mazda introduced the first RX-7 in 1978. Here was a car that would succeed in a variety of classes and, most noticeably in the U.S., would achieve an unprecedented 100 wins over the next 12 years in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Series.
In 1983, Mazda Motor Corporation brought the racing team from Tokyo to the company’s corporate headquarters in Hiroshima to help drive Mazda’s factory racing ambitions, and it was here that the MAZDASPEED name was born.
Now under the Mazda umbrella, MAZDASPEED continued to receive recognition for its amazing on-track performance and its many victories around the globe. Sights were turned to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Privateers had raced Mazdas through the seventies, but MAZDASPEED had decided that it was time to join the fray. The eighties saw some class wins, and then in 1991, the MAZDASPEED team succeeded in doing what no other Japanese auto maker before or since has been able to accomplish: capturing the overall win at the world’s most prestigious endurance race.
Fearing a long-standing technical single-brand dominance, FIA outlawed rotary engines after the 1991 Le Mans race. Unable to race Mazda’s trademark rotary engine in the world’s most prestigious venue, MAZDASPEED began focusing more on the business side of motorsports and started developing and building aftermarket parts and accessories, while continuing grassroots motorsports initiatives.
By this time, it was clear that a disproportionate number of Mazdas were appearing and winning in small owner-driver sports car events all over the world, and that this was where Mazda truly belonged and should focus its competitive efforts.
In 1999, Mazda Motor Corporation took full control of MAZDASPEED and has used its talents to supply racing parts and serve as an umbrella for all of Mazda’s motorsports activities. The natural extension of this was to serve the Mazda street enthusiast as well, which MAZDASPEED has done with an expansion of its parts catalog and now with the development of MAZDASPEED-factory-engineered models sold in Mazda showrooms.
With the introduction of models such as the MAZDA6, MAZDA3 and RX-8, it is more clear than ever that Mazda truly does infuse its products with the “soul of a sports car.” MAZDASPEED is the highest expression of that soul.
The 2011 Mazda CX-9 achieves the impossible by combining incredibly nimble road manners with the spacious interior of a 7-passenger vehicle. Its sporty styling is backed up by a fuel-efficient† 273-hp 3.7-liter V6 engine. One drive and you just might wonder how Mazda makes breaking the rules just feel so right.
2011 MAZDA CX-9: BOLDER AND MORE SOPHISTICATED
Mazda’s CX-9 is one of the company’s most award-winning vehicles, garnering North American Truck of the Year and the Motor Trend Sport Utility of the Year, amongst others. An instant success when it first hit the market in 2007, the CX-9 raised the bar for three-row crossover SUVs. From its dynamic styling and safety to versatility and performance, Mazda’s flagship crossover SUV continues to wow customers and automotive critics alike. Highly refined inside and out for 2010, CX-9 receives redesigned wheels and improved fuel economy for 2011.
Deftly blending sporty driving spirit with seven-passenger crossover utility vehicle (CUV) practicality, the CX-9 is powered by a 273-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine and features standard Roll Stability Control, standard Bluetooth hands free phone and an available advanced Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system, which helps see and prevent the unexpected. Other available features include two-position heated front seats, BOSE® audio system, an available Multi Information Display (MID) for audio with rearview camera and available NAVI with Real Time Traffic System.
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