Car Innovation of the Future: Gracenote MoodGrid

Have you ever been in such a bad or good mood that you wanted your music to reflect it? Well look no further than the Gracenote MoodGrid. This technology, which is already an Android Tablet App, allows you to create a music playlist on a grid and select what kind of mood you are in. There is a different mood on each axis, Positive, Energetic, Calm and Dark. When you touch a point on the graph that is created by these four moods, Gracenote MoodGrid automatically creates a playlist to your specification. The songs are pulled from your music player, or subscription service like Spotify. 

The great thing about the Gracenote MoodGrid is that it has been scaled down and implemented with Garmin which means it could be used in vehicles, such a a Mazda, this year!

What mood do you think you would mostly use with the Gracenote MoodGrid while driving? Leave your answer in the comments section below!


Source: AutoBlog

Celtics Pull a Rabbit out of their Hat: Gain Back to Back Wins

The Celtics have won three straight games improving to 3-3. The Washington Wizards, with rising superstar John Wall, were handed back to back losses by the Celtics with great performances by Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. The Celtics now look to make it four straight wins on Thursday when they face Deron Williams and the New Jersey Nets who are just 1-5.


Continue to check back here for more Celtics photos and news about Wellesley Mazda!

How long do you think this Celtics win streak will last? Leave you answer in the comments section below!

Happy New Years!

Happy New Years From Wellesley Mazda! Best wishes to all for a wonderful, healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!

Celtics Look for their First Win

With an 0-3 record, the Boston Celtics are looking to rebound against the Detroit Pistons tonight at the TD Bank North Garden. Both teams are looking for their first win tonight and Boston is looking to avoid their worst start in 42 years. With Pierce still questionable for tonight's game, Boston will have to improve their defense greatly and minimize the amount of turnovers they give up (an NBA League leading 18.7 turnovers per game).

Key Matchup: Rodney Stuckey vs. Rajon Rondo

While Rondo seems to have the upper-hand on Stuckey both offensively and defensively; If Rondo continues to commit turnovers Stuckey could have the last laugh.

Be sure to check back at our Wellesley Mazda Blog for pictures of tonight's game!

What do you think the outcome of tonight's game will be? Let us know in our comments section below!

Happy Holidays!

 

 Happy Holidays from Wellesley Mazda! From our Family to Yours- Best Wishes for a Safe, Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!

Sincerely,
The Shaker Family and Team

 

Phone Technology of the Future

Are you often distracted by your phone while driving? Have you ever been driving your Mazda and seen someone swerving on the road because they are on the phone? Researchers from the Stevens Institute of Technology and Rutgers in New Jersey may have a solution to this problem...


These researchers have created a program that when you are using your cellphone the Bluetooth connection and speakers in your car can detect it and shut your phone off. The even cooler part of this technology is that it can shut down a phone with about 95% accuracy but also allow passengers to make phone calls because it can tell where the signal is coming from.


What do you think about this innovation? Leave your response in our comments section below!


Source: http://www.autoblog.com/

Wellesley Mazda wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Wellesley Mazda! We are extremely thankful for our family, friends, customers and, of course, our Blog Readers. We hope you are having a great holiday with your loved ones, eating turkey, pumpkin pie and of course watching as much football as humanly possible! Happy Thanksgiving once again and we hope your are enjoying this wonderful holiday!

The Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology

Wellesley Mazda would like to congratulate the Perkins School for the Blind on their new technology center! The Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology is a state of the art facility that not only allows students to try out some of the newest technological gadgets but also creates an environment where students can socialize and bond with one another. This 17,000 square foot technology center contains a cafe, fully equipped radio station, talking campus model, tactical world map and much, much more! Another great function of the Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology is that it also acts as a World class teaching facility, allowing educators all over the world to communicate with one another through iPad technology. This will lead to more communication between educators which creates the ability to learn different learning techniques, styles and curriculum.  

Our very own Joe Shaker had a first hand look at the new Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology and was truly amazed; "Having a place to use the latest technology as well as an area to hangout and socialize are two huge advancements that further make Perkins the leading school of its kind. I was amazed when I saw the Grousbeck Center."

 

Picture of the Talking Campus Model

 Picture of a student using the Tactical World Map

 

Picture of the Cafe inside the Grousbeck Center 

For more information and our picture source go here: Perkins School for the Blind

To Donate to the School go here: Donate to Perkins School for the Blind

Wellesley Mazda Gets Rocked!

Finally Wellesley Mazda has gone to Monday Night Raw! It was our first time to this great event and we didn't know what to expect. What was the outcome of the event? Possibly one of the greatest nights we have had in a long time. Not only did we get to see the Rock "ELECTRIFY" the crowd but we also got to see a surprise wrestler step into the ring, non-other than the Hardcore Legend himself Mic Foley! The icing on the cake for us here at Wellesley Mazda was seeing John Cena, who was born and raised in Massachusetts, comeback to Boston!

We can't wait for Survivor Series this weekend and hope that John Cena and The Rock can beat the Miz and R-Truth!

Be sure to follow Wellesley Mazda on twitter and Facebook because we will be constantly updating about events, news and a ton of other stuff!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Here at Wellesley Mazda we would like to give a big thank you to all the service men and women past and present for all of your service to our great country. Your bravery and courage is an inspiration to us all. We think of and pray for you every day and are so very proud of you and the job you have done protecting this country. Happy Veteran’s day and remember you are forever in our hearts and minds.

WE have got SKYACTIV ® TECHNOLOGY!

Recently Wellesley Mazda has gotten in some new Mazda's with  SKYACTIV ® TECHNOLOGY! What does

SKYACTIV ® TECHNOLOGY do for you? Well for starters  SKYACTIV ® TECHNOLOGY will give you 15% better Fuel Economy ans lower fuel emissions. Additionally, a Mazda3 with SKYACTIV ® TECHNOLOGY can get you 40 MPG.

So what are you waiting for? Come in and test drive a Mazda enabled with  SKYACTIV ® TECHNOLOGY Today!

2012 Mazda3 SKYACTIV ® TECHNOLOGY Review

Autoblog has recently reviewed the  2012 Mazda3 SKYACTIV ® TECHNOLOGY and it has gotten rave reviews.

Some of the highlights of the review are:

• New Alloy wheel designs
• 40 MPG on the highway
• All-new 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder Skyactiv-G engine
• New Six Speed Automatic and Manual Transmissions
• Reduced Curb weight
• New equipment and additional features

Here at Wellesley Mazda we can't wait to test drive the Mazda3 with SKYACTIV ® TECHNOLOGY! We already have 2012 Mazda3's available so come on in and take a test drive!

Affordable and Efficient: The 2012 Mazda3!

The 2012 Mazda3, with its  SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY, not only has new features but also is more affordable and fuel efficient than its predecessor. The Mazda3 is $600 less than the 2011 Mazda3 MSRP and contains great features such as:

• 16-inch aluminum alloy wheels
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers
• Self-leveling bi-xenon headlights
• Cloth seating
• A Remote starter
• Automatic headlights
• Mazda’s (AFS)
• Power moonroof
• A premium Bose sound system

 These features, and many more,  vary between each make and model. Be sure to check out our wide array of  2012 Mazda 3s at our website or come on into Wellesley Mazda to take a test drive!

Source:
Mazda in the News

My Mazda iPhone App

Looking for Wellesley Mazda? Need to know what your service history is? Well Mazda has made it very simple to find out Mazda information with the My Mazda iPhone App. Whether you want service reminder, factory notifications, Mazda offers or general information about Mazda is this the App for you. This App can be personalized for a particular Mazda vehicle and will be available for DROID phones in the near future!

Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology

The Shaker Automotive Group, including Wellesley Mazda, is a proud sponsor of the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology. The Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, located in the South End of Boston, was founded in 1908 and educates students to go into a technical career. Recent graduation statistics for the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology show 53% of their students complete their program within three years. "According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) that number is twice the national average for two-year colleges, and three times greater than the graduation rate for two-year colleges in Massachusetts." Recently one of the members of our family, Joe Shaker, was given the great opportunity of giving the commencement address for this tremendous school!

 

Here at Wellesley Mazda we would also like to announce that the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology is holding the Franklin Medal Ceremony for Governor and Mrs. Michael Dukakis on Friday October 14, 2011 at the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse  . Please go and be apart of this great event by purchasing tickets here! All proceeds will benefit student scholarships.

Source: Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology

Come and Check Out the New 2012 Mazda 3!

The 2012 Mazda 3 has come to our Wellesley Mazda Showroom! This 2012 Mazda 3 has great safety features, such as active headrests that move forward when a rear-end collision occurs to decrease the chance of the driver getting whiplash , and also a slight change in the look of the exterior, including redesigned headlights. Were the major change will be coming from in future models of the 2012 Mazda 3 is the SkyActiv Engine which will increase the fuel efficiency in the 2012 Mazda 3 to 40 miles per gallon instead of 33 miles per gallon in the 2011 model.



Wellesley Mazda is excited to have the current 2012 Mazda 3 model in our showroom right now and we cant wait to have the 2012 Mazda 3 with SkyActiv technology in the near future! Come in and test drive a new 2012 Mazda 3 today!

Wellesley Mazda's new Website!

Wellesley Mazda is excited to announce that our newly designed website is up and running! Whether you are looking for a new Mazda 3, a used truck, suv or car, need service, financing, parts or just want to peruse our website, head on over to Wellesley Mazda!

Technology of the Future: the i-Stop

Mazda is already planning for innovation in the United States for the year 2016. This technology is called the i-Stop and will help fuel efficiency in Mazda vehicles. Already winning awards in Japan, the i-Stop is Mazda's new start-stop system. This means that when your 2016 Mazda comes to a stop, such as when you have your foot on the break at a red light, the i-Stop technology will stop your Mazda's pistons from moving. Then when you lift your foot off the break and step on the accelerator, for instance when the stop light turns green,  the engine restarts in a split second. Thus the driver never really knows it is happening but yet conserves some fuel and holds off going to the gas station for a little more time.

Here at Wellesley Mazda we think that both the i-Stop and Mazda's SKYACTIV technology are amazing and we can't wait to see what Mazda comes up with next!

What do you think of the i-Stop? Let us know in the comments section!

Source: Mazda in the news
image source: Engine Blox

The Mysterious Check Engine Light: What does it mean?

Have you ever been driving down the highway and all the sudden, a faint glow comes from your car's dashboard? You realize that it is your check engine light and you immediately panic. Does this mean you need to go in for a repair on your engine or is it something more minor than that? Many people ask themselves these same questions everyday, so what are some of the main causes for your mysterious check engine light to come on?

CarMD recently collected data on 170,000 vehicles that have been repaired from 1996 to 2010 and examined what are the main reasons for that pesky check engine light to come on. The following is what they found in their analysis:

1. Faulty Oxygen Sensor 
2. A Loose or Non-Existent Gas Cap
3. Damaged Catalytic Convertor 
4. A Mass Air Flow Sensor Malfunction
5. Misfiring Spark Plugs

As you can see the reasons for your vehicle's check engine light to go off range from extremely serious issues to minor repairs. The moral of this story is when that check engine light goes off, get your vehicle checked immediately because it is better to be safe than sorry, even if it is a loose gas cap!

Source: 
MSNBC

Blind Driver Technology

Dennis Hong, the founder and director of RoMeLa, is a central figure for several breakthroughs in robot design and engineering. His latest innovation could potentially become a huge breakthrough in the automotive industry; Mr. Hong is trying to invent a car for the blind.

Now this isn't a "self driving" car but a car where "a non-sighted driver can determine speed, proximity, route and drive independently." To make this independent driving experience available for non-sighted drivers, Mr. Hong has used such tools as GPS, laser rangefinders and robotics to build and test out his prototype.


Wellesley Mazda is a supporter of Mr. Hong's recent innovations. We feel that this technology could lead to many new innovations that would help in other everyday activities, such as helping blind students in classrooms or helping are friends at the Perkins School for the Blind.


For the Full Interview watch it here:




What do you think about this future technology? Do you think this technology will be accepted by society? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

Source: TED TV

USA Today Interviews Wellesley Mazada about IPad Technology

Owner, Joe Shaker, and Sales Consultant, Wayne Xides, were recently interviewed by USA Today in regards to Wellesley Mazda's implementation of IPad Technology. This IPad technology is used to give the customer a better overall experience and better understanding of Mazda as a whole. Through the Mazda IPad application, customers can learn about different Mazda makes and models, features and accessories and even Mazda's heritage. As Mr. Shaker said in the USA Today article, "people want to make better use of their time at dealerships," and this application is a great step forward.

How do you feel about IPads being used in our store? Lets us know in our comments section!

Read the full article here: USA Today


Image Source: Willems, Dennis http://www.dezzign.nl/

MAZDA 3 with SKYACTIV Technology Out this Year

2012 MAZDA3 with SKYACTIV Technology

Wellesley Mazda is expecting to see the first SKYACTIV engines roll in late this year on the new 2012 MAZDA 3. There are many benefits to the new engines:

Lighter:

Mazda's SKYACTIV-Body weights 8% less than previous models and the chassis is 14% lighter, giving better fuel consumption. 

Faster:

SKYACTIV-G engine produces 15% more torque, increasing performance but still producing improved fuel economy. 

Greener: 

SKYACTIV-D clean diesel engine has the world's lowest diesel compression ratio, which boosts torque and reduces emissions. 

Further:

SKYACTIV-G engine has a high 14:1 compression ratio, which reduces friction and new exhaust. That means you can go 80 miles further on one fill-up.

Stronger: 

The SKYACTIV-Body is 30% tougher and will absorb energy to better protect passengers in an accident. 

We are excited to see its performance in person and we will keep you up-to-date on all the latest SKYACTIV information. 

[Source: ZoomZoomMagazine]

Mazda Ranked #2 in Quality

J.D. Power's 2011 Initial Quality Survey (IQS)
Among Non-Premium Brands

Great news for the Mazda Community, the surveys are in and Mazda ranked #2 beating out brands like Toyota, Ford and Nissan in J.D Power's IQS. The IQS is a customer survey that measures the overall quality and satisfaction of the vehicle within the first 90 days of ownership.

Honda was the #1 ranking manufacturer but Mazda is working hard to close that gap. They are the most improved brand over the past five years and they continue thrive through innovation and customer service. The Mazda MX-5 Miata was ranked #1 best overall quality of non-premium brands in America.

Hot Out? Make sure you take these items out of your car.

Over the past couple of days the weather has been heating up all over New England with temperatures hitting as high as 107 degrees. I decided now would be a good time to give you a list of things you shouldn't leave in your car on a hot day excluding of course humans and pets. 

1. Aerosol Cans: They can explode in intense heat
2. Prescription Medications: Heat has the ability to change the chemical makeup of medications 
3. Lighters: Also, can and will explode
4. Electronics: These devices such as, GPS units, IPods and cell phones don't like extreme hot or cold. It will shorten their lifespan. 
5. CD's and DVD's
6. Sunglasses: If you have wire frames they can become warped in the sun. 
7. Plastic Bottles: The chemicals making up the bottles can seep into your drink. 
8. Crayons: This wax little buggers will melt every where. Not fun to try to clean up. 
9. Lipsticks: Another melter.
10. Soda Cans: This is another item that will explode in extreme temperatures.

Free Summer Events in Massachusetts

  This summer Highland Street Foundation is sponsoring Free Fun Fridays! A chance for you and your family to visit popular museums in MA for free. There is no registration or tickets just show up and enjoy. Every Friday new attractions are available and this Friday, July 22 you can visit several exciting locations.

FRANKLIN PARK ZOO

1 Franklin Park Rd - Dorchester

THE SPORTS MUSEUM

TD Garden - 100 Legends Way - Boston

NORMAN ROCKWELL MUSEUM

9 Route 183 - Stockbridge

PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM

161 Essex Street - Salem

Wellesley's Weekly Special: 2008 Mazda CX-7

Our blog readers will receive $500 off the internet price, $21,450.00, of this 2008 Mazda CX-7 Grand Touring Sport Utility 4D with only 31,871 miles.

Wellesley Mazda is offering a great deal on this already below Kelley Blue Book pricing. It is a one owner vehicle, purchased here and serviced here making complete service records available. It comes with a moonroof, Bose Stereo system and a 6 CD changer.

To inquire about this vehicle and take advantage of this great deal call Dan McBride, General Manager, at 781-235-6000.

Happy Fourth of July

Everyone at Wellesley Mazda would like to wish you all a Happy Fourth of July weekend. 

We will be open normal hours during Saturday, 9am-5pm, and Sunday, 12pm-5pm. Due to the holiday we will be Closed Monday the 4th. Regular hours will begin on Tuesday the 5th at 9am. 

Congratulations to Alan Pasnik: Express Service Winner

Alan Pasnik with his Red Sox Tickets

Wellesley Mazda would like to congratulate Alan Pasnik for winning our Express Service Red Sox Give-Away. He will be attending Red Sox vs. The Padres June 21st. We hope you have a great time! 


We will be giving away a pair of Red Sox tickets each month up till August 2011 to one lucky Express Service customer. No appointment needed and we will have you in and out in 30 minutes.

Mazda's New Lightweight Miata

2011 Mazda Miata

The future of the Mazda MX-5 Miata  looks lighter than ever. The engineers have been instructed by the powers that be at Mazda to decrease the current weight of the Miata by 720 lbs. The vehicle currently stands at an impressively light weight of 2,480 lbs, placing the new model at around only 1,760 lbs.

How does Mazda plan on accomplishing this task you may ask, "turning to high-strength steel for the vehicle's chassis and contemplating a smaller-displacement engine." The most unique method I have heard is putting the owner's manual on a USB drive instead of the paper form we have all come to know and love.

Now whether or not they will be able to accomplish this daunting task has yet to be determined. None of the engineers seem to be fully convinced its possible. Even if they cannot reach the golden 1,760 lbs it will be noticeably lighter than the 2011 model.

[Source: Autoblog]

2011 Perkins Possibilities Gala

May 2011 Perkins School for the Blind Gala

The Shaker family is a proud supporter of Perkins School for the Blind. We are excited to announce that at their recent Gala they successfully raised more than $1.5 million to help fund all the vital programs and support that Perkins provides to 150,000 people on campus, in the community and throughout the world.

Watch the performance of "It's Too Late for Me" by special musical guest Peter Wolf and the Midnight Travelers with Perkins secondary Chorus. You can also read the Press Release from the event at Perkins School for the Blind official website. You can also find out how you can help support the school.

43rd Annual Wellesley Veterans' Parade

Starting today, Friday the 20th, Wellesley, MA. is holding their 13th Annual Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend. So stop by and celebrate with us all.
Calendar of Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend Events:
Friday, May 20th
3:00pm-6:00pm            Annual Hunnewell Fun Fair

Saturday, May 21st
7:00am-2:30pm            Pancake Festival at Wellesley Middle School
Saturday-Sunday          18th Century Military Encampment
2:00pm-3:00pm            Family Concert Flamenco Guitar

Sunday, May 22nd
1:00pm-3:00pm           43rd Annual Wellesley Veterans' Parade
6:30pm                        Concert featuring The Reminisants
                                   & WHS Jazz Ensemble
Dusk                           Fire Works- The Biggest Ever

For a full list of events and possible schedule changes you can go to www.wellesleyweekend.com

Congratulations to Paul Sweet: Express Service Winner

Wellesley Mazda would like to congratulate Paul Sweet for winning our Express Service Red Sox Give-Away. He will be attending this Thursdays Red Sox Game against the Los Angeles Angels. We hope you have a great time! 


We will be giving away a pair of Red Sox tickets each month up till August 2011 to one lucky Express Service customer. No appointment needed and we will have you in and out in 30 minutes.

All New Mazda CX-5 Caught on Camera

Mazda's new CX-5 is to be premiered at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September but until then they have been working tirelessly to have it ready. This small crossover has elements from not only the Minagi concept, shown at the Geneva Motor Show, but the Shinari design concept. At the moment the vehicle still gets much of its design from the CX-7 but the closer we get to September the more it becomes a whole new vehicle. The all new CX-5 will be a replacement for the Mazda Tribute, which is being taken out of production.

[Source: Autoblog]

Congratulations to Gordon Seeley: Express Service Winner

Wellesley Mazda would like to congratulate Gordon Seeley for being our firstExpress Service Winner. He received a pair of Red Sox tickets for last Friday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Unfortunately, the Boston Red Sox lost 6 to 7, Blue Jays coming back for the win. 


We will be giving away a pair of Red Sox tickets each month up till August 2011 to one lucky Express Service customer. No appointment needed and we will have you in and out in 30 minutes.

Using your Senses

Look, Smell and Hear Your Way to a Safer Car

Many of us ignore the odd rattling noses or smells coming from our vehicles. The problem is that these are usually the sign a more serious issue. Here are a few of the warning signs your vehicle might be giving you and what they could mean. 

 Sight:

• symptom: Vehicle is leaning to one sign
• diagnosis: Could be an indication of a broken spring

• symptom: Puddles underneath your vehicle
• diagnosis: Leaking coolant or oil

 Smell:

• symptom: Turn on heater and it smells sweet
• diagnosis: This is a possible leaking heater core

• symptom: Turn on heater and it stinks
• diagnosis: High chance that there is mildew or mold build up

• symptom: A burning smell coming from your vehicle is never a good sign
• diagnosis: Oil could be leaking into engine, brakes may be sticking or possibly wires are overheating and melting

Hear:

• symptom: Brief squeaking sound when you turn on the car
• diagnosis: Possible slipping of fan belt

• symptom: Coming to a stop you hear a high pitched squeal
• diagnosis: Your brake pads could be worn and need replacing

• symptom: You hear a rumbling noise
• diagnosis: Muffler or exhaust could be leaking

• symptom: Vibrating rattle
• diagnosis: Loose exhaust heat shield

• symptom: Rumbling at highway speeds
• diagnosis: Worn wheel bearings

• symptom: Snapping or popping while turning the vehicle
• diagnosis: Indication of worn ball-joint or other steering component

• symptom: Tapping underneath the hood
• diagnosis: Ranges from dangerously low on oil to numerous other internal engine problems

[Source: AAA]

Celebrities Play Poker for Children's Charity

On April 2, 2011 Wellesley Mazda helped sponsor a local poker tournament to help raise money for The Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation. The event was held to raise money to send 150 inner-city kids to Camp Northbound in Maine for a week during the summer. And according to brothers, Donnie and Jimmy Wahlberg, they raised just enough money to cover camp this year. 

The event was held at the Tewksbury Country Club and it was packed. Doc Rivers coach of the Celtics along with Ken Casey from Dropkick Murphies are among the Celebs that decided to step out for a night of some good old fashion poker playing. Even Sean Thornton of the Bruins came to play after their big win only hours before. 

Wellesley Mazda donated a brand new Mazda 3 Sport to be won as the fourth place prize in the tournament. A Tewksbury Local, Michael McIntire, was the lucky winner. I was lucky enough to be in the press room during the night so check out my photos!

Cape Cod Mazda Blood Drive

Our sister store, Cape Cod Mazda, will be hosting a Blood Drive in South Yarmouth, MA on April 16th. If you live near by or will be in the area please stop by and help us give back to the community. By donating just one pint of blood you can save three lives. You can schedule an appointment by calling 1-800-Give-Life or going to RedCrossBlood.org
For more details view the flyer below:

Texting while Driving: Worse than Driving Drunk.

It is against the law in Connecticut and Massachusetts to text while driving. Since this info-graph (see above image) came out 11 more states have added this law to their books making a total of 30.  The Governors Highway Safety Association has a great information on each state and their laws regarding cell phones.

51.4% of teenagers admitted to texting while driving and 45.1% of 20-24 year olds. Just by talking on the phone you are 4 times more likely to cause an accident which is equivalent to your chances when driving drunk (.08 BAC). The scary part? You are 8 times more likely to cause an accident texting. 

Do you believe more states should ban texting while driving?

[Source: Inforgraphics Showcase]

2011 Mazda CX-9 Wins Motor Trend SUV Comparison

Mazda CX-9 comes out on top in a recent Motor Trend SUV comparison testing, coming out in the May 2011 issue. The comparison took 6 SUVs and pitted them against each other and here is how they stood up against the challenge:

1st Place: Mazda CX-9
2nd Place: Dodge Durango
3rd Place: Chevrolet Traverse
5th Place: Honda Pilot
6th Place: Ford Explorer

There is was plenty of praise to go around for the CX-9 but for now I will just give you a little Teaser until the article comes out.

"As a high speed, canyon-carving seven-seater, the CX-9 is severely gifted. It actually inspires confidence when you push, quite unlike the rest of the field."

[Source: Motor Trend]

The Future Direction of Mazda Design: Minagi Concept

2011 Geneva Motor show was a chance for Mazda to introduce its second showcar in the Kodo design language, Minagi. In a previous post we about the first showcar to be released in the Kodo style, Shinari. So is the Mazda Minagi Concept, everything we hoped for and more? With Mazda's SkyActiv technology this car could have a lot to offer.

Firefighters Helping Firefighters

Corey Shaker, a partner of the Shaker Automotive Group, has been a volunteer firefighter for the past 52 years. The Shakers' want to show their thanks and support to all firefighters and EMS personnel by giving them the best value they can on all of their Mazda inventory. So thank you for doing all you do everyday!

If you are interested in taking advantage of this offer you can visit the Wellesley Mazda website or call us at (866) 455-6675. Just mention this blog post!

2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition

In order to celebrate hitting 900,000 MX-5 Miatas produced, Mazda has rolled out a special edition of the beloved roadster. It will run you around $30,925 for a manual transmission and $31,525 for a six-speed automatic. The price will be worth it considering how rare it will be to find one; Mazda is only making 750 units.

The Special Edition MX-5 Miata is based off the fully-equipped Grand Touring model with a Power Retractable Hard Top. It also comes in only two colors Sparkling Black Mica or Dolphin Gray Mica while the interior includes heated leather seats with gray stitching and chrome treatments.

Both manual and automatic transmissions can enjoy the 167-horsepower, 140 lb-ft torque 2.0-liter four cylinder engine. This vehicle is only 2,593 pounds and has a nearly 50:50 weight distribution. Not only that but it comes with track-proven suspension and responsive power. This Mazda isn't messing around.

Giving Back to The American Red Cross

Wellesley Mazda will be donating $1.00 on your behalf to The American Red Cross for every Facebook page "Like" we have. You can Like our Facebook page and help give back to the community.

What's New at Wellesley Mazda

Wellesley Mazda, serving Massachusetts and the Boston area, announces the opening of their new EXPRESS SERVICE lane!

You can have minor services done in only 30 Minutes. No Appointment Necessary. Due to customer input we have opened our new Express Service which allows you to get in and out at your convenience. There are a wide variety of services to take advantage of such as:

• Oil Change
• Tire Rotation
• Air Filter Replacement
• Cabin Filter Replacement
• Wiper Blade Replacement
• Brake and Tire Inspection

You can visit our website to find out more about our Express Service and all about the Process our technicians follow.