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Mazda has suspended all US orders for cars built in Japan as the carmaker is preparing to shut down its plants once again after a short reopening period. According to the automaker’s American spokesman Jay Amestoy, the decision will affect shipments of cars that were due to arrive in the U.S. in May. The Mazda official added that it was uncertain when normal activity will resume.

Mazda USA imports almost all its range from the Japan, except the U.S.-built Mazda6 and Tribute. The models produced in Japan are the Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda5, MX-5 / Miata, RX-8, CX7 and CX9. Mazda halted production at its Hiroshima and Hofu plants from March 14 through March 21, but three days ago, it resumed temporary production using parts it had in its inventory.

Meet the all-new MX5-GT, a featherweight race car with which Mazda will participate in the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship 2011 taking on Aston Martin, Porsche, Lotus, and BMW. It may seem like a difficult task but Mazda, in cooperation with Jota Sport, the race engineering team that will run the cars in the 2011 series, have a few tricks under their sleeves.

For starters, the GT is claimed to be the lightest and most powerful MX-5 ever built. Jota Sport took some 400 hours to build the car’s shell to a specification that ensured it was 17 times stronger than required by the FIA. Weight-saving measures include the removal of interior parts, reducing component weight and dipping the shell in acid to shave 15kg. The end result is a total weight of just 850kg or 1,873 lbs.

In a nod to its memorable Le Mans victory in 1991, Mazda has launched a special edition version of its MX-5 roadster model in the land of smooth chocolates and punctual watches. The MX-5 ’55 Le Mans’ is named after the Mazda 787B No.55. Driven by Johnny Herbert, Volker Weidler, and Bertrand Gachot, the 787B No.55 won the 24-hours of Le Mans in 1991 claiming the first ever victory for a Japanese automobile and the rotary engine in the famed endurance race.

Named after “The way of the Sword”, which is said to be a form of modern Japanese martial art, the MX-5 Kendo is the latest special edition model to be released by Mazda to celebrate the 900,000 units produced since the introduction of the first MX-5 in 1989. The MX-5 Kendo has been created for the UK market and will be available from March 1 in two forms, the MX-5 1.8i Kendo soft-top priced at £19,255 and the more powerful MX-5 2.0i Kendo roadster coupe with a £22,320 price tag.

Earlier today, we told you about the Australian market Mazda MX-5 Special Edition featuring a sports suspension kit and some exclusive styling touches. Well, we now learn that the same model will be offered in the States in a limited run of 750 units, albeit at a much lower price as the U.S. version starts at $30,925 with a manual transmission, and $31,525 when equipped with the six-speed Sport AT automatic. That's compared to US$47,800 for the Aussie market model.

A new special edition version of the MX-5 with some very minor styling and suspension upgrades has been added to Mazda's vehicle range in Australia. A total of 200 MX-5 Special Editions are being brought into the country with Mazda announcing that the upgrades are being added at no additional cost.

The world's most popular roadster model ever, the Mazda MX-5 (also known as Roadster in Japan and Miata in North America), is celebrating yet another milestone in its enviable history as total production reached 900,000 units on February 4, 2011. This latest milestone was achieved 21 years and 10 months after mass production of the first-generation MX-5 commenced in April 1989.

This year’s Top Gear Christmas Special saw Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May embark on their most dangerous challenge yet: following the path of the three wise men, which took them on a 1,200 mile (1,932 km) journey, from Iraq to Bethlehem. In classic Top Gear fashion, the TV show hosts completed the trip in a trio of specially modified cars. These vehicles are now on display in the World of Top Gear exhibition at Beaulieu, UK.

In celebration of the 1990 launch of the original MX-5 BBR turbo, British tuning firm BBR has released a 20th Anniversary turbo conversion package for the Mk1 and Mk2 variants of the roadster model in both 1.6 and 1.8-liter guises, as well a more comprehensive tune for the Mk1 with additional chassis and styling mods. We'll remind you that BBR also joined forces with Cosworth to unveil a supercharger kit for the latest MX-5 Mk3, more of which you can read in our previous article here. Read more »

Owners of the latest generation MX-5 / Miata seeking more oomph from Mazda's best seller will be happy to know that BBR has joined forces with Cosworth Engineering to develop a supercharged conversion package for the 2.0-liter version. The BBR-Cosworth collaboration for the Mk3 2.0-litre MX-5 focuses around a fourth-generation Eaton MP62 supercharger mated to a Cosworth designed cast integral inlet manifold, which is said to be optimized for both performance and fuel economy - although we'd take the latter with a grain of salt.

Mazda, the maker of cars such as the RX-7, RX-8 and MX-5/Miata, turned 90 this month. So what a better time to take a trip down memory lane and see how the Japanese company’s logo and cars evolved over the past century.

The first corporate logo dates back to 1936. It was registered as a trademark when Mazda began manufacturing its first three-wheeler. The name itself is a derivative from Ahura Mazda, the god of wisdom, intelligence and harmony in early Asian cultures. It also derives from the anglicized version of the founder’s name, Jujiro Matsuda.

Independent designer David Cardoso recently sent in his take on a possible MX-5 competitor from Fiat. The Primo is meant to be a roadster/coupe with a face similar to the Fiat family's baby 500 and a rear treatment reminiscent of the marque's older 128.

If a cute little roadster/coupe like the Primo ever made it through Fiat's gates, there's no reason it couldn't be placed right on the 500's platform as a range expander. That would also allow for the Abarth boys to put an entry-level coupe in their stable of hi-po compacts.

Everyone knows Fiat currently has its hands full trying to reinvent Chrysler, integrate its 500 into the US market, and make Alfa Romeo profitable, but a 500 Coupe sure would make an interesting addition to Fiat's lineup somewhere down the line. More pictures after the jump.

In order to take full advantage of the aftermarket fanboys trolling around SEMA, Mazda released more than a few examples of the paths tuners could take when modifying its MX-5 roadster, Mazda2, and Mazda3 models.

The Mazda2s seen here are designed with two different goals in mind: looking slick on the street, or tearing it up at the track.

The Mazda2 Street keeps it simple by getting lowered on a set of 15x9s and adding some lower-body graphics, while the Mazda2 Evil Track gets the same rims, more aggressive vinyl, and enough safety/racing gear to meet NASA and SCCA standards. The "Evil Track" also wears a Mazda Design body kit and rides on H&R coilovers.

Thanks to one of Carscoop's commentators, we can now show you a video of Top Gear's trio of power obsessed presenters -that would be Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond- filming an episode in the Holy Land. As noted in our previous article with the scoop pictures, the cars of choice for Top Gear's latest escapade, are a trio of older generation roadster models - the BMW Z3, Mazda MX-5 and Fiat Barchetta.

There's also a guy with a white racing helmet driving what looks like an old Suzuki Alto, but we're not sure if he's part of the Top Gear crew or if some fans of the show decided to make fun of The Stig. As always, any help with the translation, would be welcome. Watch the video after the jump.

The crew from Top Gear [the original, not the US clone that some are persistently trying to shove down our throat - we get it, it's coming...], was snagged chilling at the border between Israel and Jordan.

According to one of our tipsters, Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond drove their specially modified BMW Z3, Fiat Barchetta and Mazda MX-5 roadsters from Jordan to Israel and their next stop will be at the Golan Heights and at Nazareth. Maybe we'll get some new photos from the shoot, but for now, enjoy some high-res pics after the jump.