FROM ‘BEST CARMAKER’ THIS SEPTEMBER

Rivervale Mazda will be tempting car buyers with an even wider choice of thrilling new Mazda cars as we approach the '58' registration plate change in September. The Brighton Rivervale now has a variety of all-new and improved models available from Mazda, recently named 'Best Carmaker' by consumer organisation Which?

"There are so many different Mazda models to choose from there really is something for everyone, no matter what your styling preference," explains Malcolm Hance, dealer principal at Rivervale Mazda. "All offer a thrilling driving experience because Mazda prides itself on having the soul of a sports car in every model."

Due to arrive in Rivervale Mazda's showroom in late August is the new Mazda RX‑8 R3, the unique rotary-engined, four‑seater, four-door coupe that delivers faster responses and even more driving fun than its predecessor. Powered by the unique 231ps twin-rotor engine, the new Mazda RX-8 R3 offers drivers a heightened experience with faster steering, chassis and engine responses, more refinement, more equipment and even greater value.

The new Mazda RX-8 R3 is priced at only £24,995 (on‑the‑road) and together with the Mazda MX-5, is sure to maintain Mazda's position as 'Britain's favourite sports car brand'.

The most recent arrival at the Victoria Road showroom is the upgraded Mazda3, providing drivers with even better value for money. The upgraded Mazda3, available from just £11,440, has a number of generous specification enhancements that build on the qualities that have made the medium-sized, stylish and spacious family car one of the best-selling Mazda models in the UK and Europe.

Practical and stylish, the all-new Mazda6 boasts a 25-strong line-up in saloon, hatchback and estate body styles. Priced from £15,110 on-the-road, the Mazda6 is lighter by 35kg compared to the outgoing model, achieves 0-62mph in eight seconds in 2.5-litre 4dr Sports Luxury form and is capable of reaching a top speed of 137mph. The car also boasts improved fuel efficiency and CO₂ emissions without restricting performance.

Voted 'World Car of the Year 2008', the Mazda2 supermini has also benefited from the marque's unique weight‑control 'gram strategy'. The new version is 100kg lighter than its predecessor and offers improved performance. The line-up expanded in May with the arrival of the exciting three-door hatchback body style. Now the 10-strong model range offers customers a choice of three petrol and one diesel powertrains. With a starting price of just £8,099 on-the-road the Mazda2 TS 3dr (1.3-litre, 75ps petrol) is one of the most price-competitive small cars in the UK.

Featuring unique sliding rear doors, the spacious Mazda5 has recently been upgraded to offer more passenger comfort, a more refined ride and greater practicality along with a refreshed look. The full Mazda5 line-up includes 10 models with a choice of four equipment levels and four engines starting from just £14,770 on-the-road, with an automatic transmission variant (priced at £17,310). The upgraded Mazda5 benefits from improved fuel economy, lower CO₂ emissions and offers a wider choice of exterior colours.

The Mazda MX-5 roadster continues to be the world's best-selling sports car, offering open-top driving thrills with the added benefits of refinement, security and affordability. The third generation Mazda MX-5 range offers customers a line-up of soft-top models, priced from £15,750 on-the-road or Roadster Coupe models, featuring the world's fastest power retractable hard-top – up or down in just 12 seconds, priced from £18,600 on‑the‑road. The limited edition Niseko model (£17,995) is also available from Rivervale Mazda in both body styles and has proved popular this summer, due to its all-weather appeal.

Offering all the practicality of a traditional SUV, the Mazda CX-7 Sports Crossover also boasts the handling of a sports car. Priced from £24,595 the highly-specified Mazda CX‑7 offers a commanding driving position and strong road presence, together with the sporty performance you would expect from a turbocharged sports car.

For a limited period, Mazda is offering a series of customer savings on the current Mazda BT‑50 pick-up ranging from £403 to £716, depending on model, on retail sales until 30 September 2008. These 'savings' mean that Mazda BT-50 ownership can begin at just £9,995 (CV OTR) for VAT-registered customers during this period.

To find out more about the Mazda product range or to book a test-drive, please visit Rivervale Mazda at Victoria Road, Brighton or call 01273 707007.

NEW MAZDA RX-8 R3 DELIVERS EVEN MORE DRIVING FUN

Sports car fans will soon be able to buy the new version of the Mazda RX-8 at Rivervale Mazda in Brighton. The latest rotary-engined, four‑seater, four-door coupe will go sale at the Victoria Road showroom from September priced at £24,995 (on‑the‑road). Powered by the unique 231ps twin-rotor engine, the new Mazda RX-8 R3 will offer drivers a heightened experience with faster steering, chassis and engine responses, more refinement, more equipment and even greater value.

"The Mazda RX-8 is already a design classic. There really isn't anything else like it on the market," enthuses Malcolm Hance dealer principal at Rivervale Mazda. "Mazda has been perfecting the rotary engine for 40 years, and the RX-8's RENESIS twin‑rotor power unit's mix of high-revving smoothness, reliability and performance is very special. At under £25,000, the new Mazda RX-8 R3 is still incredibly good value for a 146mph sportscar with the ability to reach 62mph in just 6.4 seconds."

The Mazda RX-8 has always had the appearance of a classic sportscar with a powerful‑looking and dynamic exterior design. This has now been enhanced by the standard‑fit Sports Styling Pack, which comprises a sport front bumper, side skirts and rear wing all finished in body colour. The new model's front wings no longer feature the air‑extractor vents behind the wheel arches and accommodate the turn-repeater lights instead. In addition, it also has a larger five-point grille, new front headlamps, new front fender designs, new twin round LED rear lamps and a redesigned rear bumper with larger exhaust pipes.

The more aggressive appearance is complemented by the all-new larger diameter 19-inch alloy wheels with ultra-low profile tyres. These extra-light wheels have five 'rotor‑shaped' spokes and are finished in dark titanium.

The new Mazda RX-8 R3 will be available in four new body colours – Aurora Blue Mica, Crystal White Pearlescent, Diamond Grey Metallic and Sparkling Black Mica – and two carry-over colours, Sunlight Silver Metallic and Velocity Red Mica. Whatever colour customers choose, there is no additional charge.

"The changes made for Mazda RX-8 R3 have not detracted in any way from the unique selling points that made the Mazda RX-8 such a stunning car at its 2003 launch," explains Malcolm Hance. "Mazda RX-8 is still the world's only rotary-engined production car and, that very rare creation, a genuine four-seater coupe. The freestyle doors ensure good access and the car has the typical Mazda functionality, practicality and reliability that also make it a 'use-me-every-day' kind of car."

"With the new-look Sports Styling Pack for the Mazda RX-8 R3, Mazda is taking a step back towards its sportscar heritage, giving its coupe the appearance of a Japanese racing car," added Mark Cameron, Mazda UK marketing director. "The model delivers an even more focused and sporty driving experience, while retaining the original model's many uniquely attractive technical innovations and adding numerous premium features. The new Mazda RX-8, together with the Mazda MX-5, is sure to maintain Mazda's position as 'Britain's favourite sportscar brand'."

To find out more about the new Mazda RX-8 or to arrange a test-drive, please call Rivervale Mazda on 01273 707007 or visit the showroom at Victoria Road, Brighton.

NEW MAZDA RX-8 R3 DELIVERS EVEN MORE DRIVING FUN

Late August will see the arrival of the unique rotary-engined, four‑seater, four-door coupe, the new Mazda RX-8 R3. The improved version of the 231ps twin-rotor engine will see the new R3 deliver a heightened driving experience with faster steering, chassis and engine responses, more refinement, more equipment and even greater value.

Priced at £24,995 (on‑the‑road) , the new RX-8 R3 is still incredibly good value for a 146mph sportscar with the ability to reach 62mph in just 6.4 seconds and is sure to maintain Mazda's position as 'Britain's favourite sportscar brand'.

"The R3 delivers an even more focused and even more sporty driving experience, while retaining the original model's many uniquely attractive technical innovations and adding numerous premium features. The Mazda RX-8 is still the world's only rotary-engined production car, and that very rare creation, a genuine four-seater coupe. " enthuses Mark Cameron, Mazda UK Marketing Director.

Mazda RX-8 has always had the appearance of a classic sportscar with a powerful‑looking and dynamic exterior design. The new R3 version enhances this with a new front bumper design that has a larger five-point grille and oil cooling openings (below the front fog lights), that are nearly twice as large as on the original model for an even stronger look and improved cooling. Added to this are new front headlamps, new front fender designs, new twin round LED rear lamps and a redesigned rear bumper with larger exhaust pipes (now 90mm in diameter) – all executed with a beautiful attention to detail and a superb build quality that Mazda drivers have grown to expect.

The more aggressive appearance created by the revised styling is complemented by the all-new larger diameter 19-inch alloy wheels with ultra-low profile 40 section tyres. These extra-light wheels have five 'rotor-shaped' spokes and are finished in dark titanium.

Every new Mazda RX-8 R3 comes with a new six-speed manual gearbox developed from the transmission fitted in the smooth-shifting third-generation MX-5. This unit has better overall shift feel, making the new R3 even more fun to drive with a sharper getaway from standstill and improved performance.

The new RX-8 R3 continues to feature the front-midship engine, rear-wheel drive configuration of the original, delivering an ideal 50/50 weight distribution between the front and rear axles for fantastic handling characteristics while revised steering and suspension deliver even better steering feel and driving stability.

Also contributing to the evolved handling of the new Mazda RX-8 is its exterior design, which is updated for improved aerodynamic performance and reduced lift, enhancing performance feel and high-speed stability.

The interior of the new RX-8 is just as sporty and sophisticated as its predecessor, and adds new trim materials for a further improvement in quality look and feel. For the driver, the cockpit is even sportier with new Recaro sports front seats, a tachometer that now has a variable red-zone that rises as the engine comes to operating temperature, an instrument cluster with a newly developed colour to help minimise eye strain, and a new-style steering wheel.

In addition to the Sports Styling Pack, larger 19-inch diameter alloy wheels and Recaro front seats, every R3 comes with 12 new items such as cruise control, automatic light-sensing xenon headlamps, automatic rain-sensing wipers, an integrated Bluetooth® system and special R3-badged carpet mats.

Buyers will also enjoy the new BOSE® premium audio system with Centerpoint® surround sound and AudioPilot® noise compensation technology exclusively designed for R3 with an eight-channel digital amplifier. A 6-CD autochanger, nine speakers and an AUX auxiliary jack (for connecting an MP3 player), complete the audio system.

However, as well as being treated to some fantastic equipment, new RX-8 R3 owners will find it easier to live with as an 'everyday' car. Checking the oil level in the R3 is now easier because the oil dip-stick has been moved from the side of the engine to the top of the engine cover while owners can now enjoy driving the new Mazda RX-8 longer between fuel fill ups as its petrol tank now holds an additional 3.6-litres of fuel.

The new Mazda RX-8 R3 will be available in four new body colours – Aurora Blue mica, Crystal White pearlescent, Diamond Grey metallic and Sparkling Black mica – and two carry-over colours, Sunlight Silver metallic and Velocity Red mica all at no additional charge.

MAZDA CX-7 SPORTS CROSSOVER VEHICLE

The Mazda CX-7 Sports Crossover is the ideal car for those who want a spacious vehicle but don’t want to compromise on performance. Available from Rivervale Mazda in Brighton, this exciting car combines spirited performance with luxury, practicality and safety. There is ample space for five occupants to travel in comfort, while the sports utility-style rear seat functionality and boot space make it perfect for those needing plenty of room for storage.

"The Mazda CX-7 offers driving excitement in a sophisticated four-wheel drive crossover vehicle,” said Malcolm Hance, dealer principal at Rivervale Mazda. “It is a powerful, dynamic sports car with the presence and stature of a sports utility vehicle. It’s completely different from anything else in the SUV market.”

The turbocharged 2.3-litre petrol engine generates 260ps and 380Nm of torque, has a top speed of 130mph and sprints to 62mph in just eight seconds. Available as a single highly-specified model priced £24,595 on-the-road, it will retain a sector-leading 40 per cent of its value after the benchmark three years or 60,000 miles.

The Mazda CX-7 is available at Rivervale Mazda with a generous level of equipment as standard. Every vehicle comes with features such as heated leather seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, Xenon headlights, front and rear parking sensors and a bespoke BOSE^® premium surround sound audio system with six-CD autochanger and nine speakers.

The boot is large, flexible and rugged –– with the rear seats upright it is more than 1m long. The 60/40 split rear seats can be folded using Mazda’s unique fold-flat Karakuri system, with a one-touch rear seat back release located in the boot trim. With the back seats folded, load space is increased to 774 litres.

Customers can choose between five exterior colours (solid Brilliant Black, metallic Graphite Silver and three mica colours –– Aurora Blue, Copper Red, and Galaxy Grey) and two interior colours (Black or Stone leather upholstery) plus a range of accessories such as satellite navigation, a roof carrier and detachable tow-bar.

To find out more about the Mazda CX-7 or to arrange a test drive, please call Rivervale Mazda on 01273 707007 or visit the showroom on Victoria Road.