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Auto Blog
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
I Drove the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata, Here Is How It Compares to the Honda S2000
As I peered down the winding canyon road, I anticipated the next turn and pitched the Miata into it with ease. I know every turn on this road because I take every press car I drive on it, but this time, it felt different. The 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata has such communicative steering that it felt like the car could read the turns with me as I made my way down the road. Its brakes provided good feedback, and its suspension was compliant yet stiff enough that I could feel the weight transfer as I hit the apex and made my way out of every corner. I have driven hundreds of cars, and there is no other car that eats up the turns like this little roadster… except for one—the Honda S2000. My love affair with the Honda S2000 came when I rented one from Turo for two days back in 2016. My mission was to see if I could live with it on a daily basis, and it turned out that I could at the time, so I bought one. I drove my beloved Laguna Blue S2000 daily for two years straight in the sunshine, rain, and windiness that the Bay Area, Calif., had to offer. It was fun, impractical, and mildly uncomfortable, but I still loved it. I sold that car a year ago, and I don't miss squeezing in and out of it, but I do miss its driving spirit. 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata — Source: Mazda But now, as I slink behind the wheel of the Mazda Miata press car that I have for a week, my memory is flooded with visions of that old S2000. Of course, I still favor the Honda over the Mazda, but the Miata is a stark reminder of what pure driving enjoyment a roadster can bring to your daily life. But a convertible top, a lightweight chassis, and responsive steering aren't the only comparisons to draw between the two cars. Here is how the Mazda Miata stacks up against the Honda S2000, in case you're looking for summer fun in a roadster. The Honda S2000 and Mazda Miata Are Similar But Different If you're shopping between these two convertible cars, you likely already know the specs for each one. If not, the 2025 Mazda Miata is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 181 horsepower, weighs just over 2,300 pounds, and comes with a manual soft top roof or a retractable hardtop. It also features a range of modern amenities, including heated seats, premium sound, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. Those are features that the Honda S2000 does not have. 2006 Honda S2000 — Source: Honda The Honda S2000, on the other hand, uses its naturally aspirated, high-revving engine as its soundtrack. Under its hood is a 2.0-liter (2.2 in the later years) engine that produces 237 horsepower at a staggering 7,800 rpm. The earlier versions (2000-2003) had a 9,000-rpm redline, which made the car feel like a sport bike on four wheels. Even better, the S2000's six-speed manual transmission was shifted by the best-feeling shifter on the market. I challenge anyone who says the Miata's stick feels better. It doesn't. Aside from that, the S2000 tipped the scales at around 2,800 pounds and was significantly faster than the Miata. It also had a powered soft top with the option for an OEM removable hardtop. That said, it's clear that these two cars have a good amount of similarities, despite their differences in weight and power. Both vehicles are rear-wheel drive and have similarly sized cabins and trunk spaces (around four cubic feet), so they should feel the same when daily driving, right? Not really. Daily Driving Each Car Feels Different When it comes to daily commuting, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is the better car. No, it's not any easier to get in and out of, unless the top is down, but it does have a more pliable suspension, and that modern tech really comes in handy. Sure, any S2000 enthusiast (including myself) will tell you that the sound of the glorious VTEC engine is the only sound you need to smile from ear to ear every time you get behind the wheel. But now, after daily driving the car for a couple of years, I can say that driving without music while sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic is no fun. My car did have a radio, but it paled in comparison to the infotainment system in the Miata. Additionally, the Miata's heated seats, headrest speakers, and safety systems make the car more enjoyable to live with as well. It also gets better gas mileage. During my week with the Miata, I averaged nearly 30 mpg, with a mix of city and highway driving, along with the occasional throttle romp. In my S2000, I was lucky ever to see an average of 23 mpg. Yes, it's that bad. 2006 Honda S2000. Sitting inside each car is a different experience. The S2000 features a cockpit-like interior, where all the HVAC and radio controls are positioned to face the driver. There's also a radio that can be hidden, as well as a cupholder cover. The sport leather buckets are also supportive but not soft. The Miata's interior is a little more cramped but also more accommodating. The vehicle features a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with satellite radio, a Bose sound system, and wireless smartphone connectivity, all of which are easily accessible for both the driver and passenger. Maintenance is also a little easier with the Miata because Mazda still makes the car, so finding replacement parts doesn't require deep Internet searches. Parts for the Honda S2000 are being slowly discontinued, so future maintenance and repairs could be challenging. If you're shopping between these two cars, that could be something to consider. 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata — Source: Mazda Final Thoughts Although my Honda S2000 is long gone, I will never forget the way it made me feel every time I drove. Its suspension was stiffer than the Miata's, but its engine had far more power, and the exhaust note sounded so much better. I drove down that canyon road many times and was never disappointed as I hit every gear change and rung the engine up to its redline. In that case, which one would I pick? The S2000, of course, but the Miata is not without its merits. After spending time in the Miata, I can say that it's the better daily commuter of the two. If Honda hadn't discontinued the S2000 in 2009, it probably would have had many of the same accoutrements as today's Miata, but alas, it's gone. So, if you're looking for a fun roadster to flog on a canyon road and keep it for a long time, the Miata is a good choice. But if you don't care for all the fancy features and livability, the Honda S2000 is the way to go. About the Author Joe Santos View Profile
Daily Mail
12-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Family vacation ends in tragedy as girl, 11, plunges to her death from Brazil's biggest canyon
An 11-year-old girl plunged 230ft to her death after running off from her parents during a family vacation. Bianca Bernardon Zanella let her curiosity get the better of her when she ran towards the biggest canyon in Brazil on Thursday and lost her footing. Her dad said the family was about to return to the base of the Fortaleza Canyon in Cambara do Sul when the tragedy unfolded at about 1pm local time. Died: Bianca Bernardon Zanella died after falling off a cliff at Fortaleza Canyon in Cambara do Sul, Brazil on Thursday. The 11-year-old, who was diagnosed with autism, reportedly ran from a bench where her parents were about to sit and was chased by her father, who was unable to prevent her fall Zanella's father told CambarA do Sul police chief Fernanda Aranha they were about to return to the base of the canyon before his wife escorted their two sons, ages 5 and 9, to a snack bar. He stood behind with Zanella, who had autism. They were about to sit on a bench located in an area of the canyon that is considered the highest point. Zanella at one point ran while her father was not looking and was chased before falling off the cliff around 1pm local time. The youngster's body was located in the canyon around 5.30pm with the use of a drone that was deployed by the fire department. A search mission via helicopter was postponed due to fog and bad weather at the canyon. A team of firefighters rappelled into the mountain in a mission and found Bianca dead at around 11pm. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was shocked by Zanella's death. 'The death of little Bianca Zanella, 11, moved me deeply,' Lula wrote on his X account Friday morning. 'She fell from a cliff in the Serra Geral National Park, in Rio Grande do Sul, and despite the brave efforts of security forces, it was not possible to rescue her alive. 'I express my deepest sympathy to his parents and family, and I pray that God brings them comfort in this time of grief.' Serra Geral National Park was closed to visitors on Friday as part of a Rio Grande do Sul Civil Police investigation. Fortaleza Canyon, which is 4.7 miles long and 6,561ft wide, is 3,795ft above sea level and 14 miles from the city center. The site features several guarded trails, including the Mirante Trail, which offers a complete view of the canyon.
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Little girl was so excited to be on vacation she ran ahead of her family at stunning cliff...then tragedy struck
A family vacation ended in tragedy after a curious little girl suffered a 229-foot fall into Brazil 's biggest canyon and died Thursday. Bianca Bernardon Zanella, 11, took off running and fell from the edge of Fortaleza Canyon in Cambará do Sul, the Rio Grande do Sul Fire Department said. Zanella's father told Cambará do Sul police chief Fernanda Aranha they were about to return to the base of the canyon before his wife escorted their two youngest children to a snack bar. He stood behind with Zanella, who had autism. They were about to sit on a bench located in an area of the canyon that is considered the highest point. Zanella at one point ran while her father was not looking and was chased before falling off the cliff around 1pm local time. The youngster's body was located in the canyon around 5:30 pm with the use of a drone that was deployed by the fire department. A search mission via helicopter was postponed due to fog and bad weather at the canyon. A team of firefighters rappelled into the mountain in a mission and found Bianca dead at around 11pm. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was shocked by Zanella's death. 'The death of little Bianca Zanella, 11, moved me deeply,' Lula wrote on his X account Friday morning. 'She fell from a cliff in the Serra Geral National Park, in Rio Grande do Sul, and despite the brave efforts of security forces, it was not possible to rescue her alive. 'I express my deepest sympathy to his parents and family, and I pray that God brings them comfort in this time of grief.' Serra Geral National Park was closed to visitors on Friday as part of a Rio Grande do Sul Civil Police investigation. Fortaleza Canyon, which is 4.7 miles long and 6,561 feet wide, is 3,795 above sea level and 14 miles from the city center. The site features several guarded trails, including the Mirante Trail, which offers a complete view of the canyon.
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Granite Demos Show Green Excavation Power For AI Data Centers
Bulldozer on pile of dirtOther construction images: In a canyon accompanied by trailers and vehicles, a few dozen people wearing hardhats are watching a Cat 307.5 excavator at work cutting through hard stone. They're witnessing the Earthgrid company's Plasma Excavation System (PES) where the colossal machine, equipped with two 2500-kilowatt plasma torches, makes a clean border through granite. It's an exciting display, and it represents some of the biggest work being done in renewable tunneling and excavation processes The Environmental Impact Why does this kind of innovation help save the planet and reduce climate impact? For one thing, it makes it easier to put in things like powerlines and utilities underground, decreasing wildfire risks in certain parts of the country that are experiencing severe conflagrations and resulting property damage, as well as harmful emissions. The electric tunneling process replaces dirty diesel equipment, and explosives, which typically have their own impact. There's also the potential to do earth moving in a different way that's less intrusive. All of this combines to make Earthgrid's process very interesting to people who want to improve what we do with infrastructure. CEO Troy Helming was present at Davos talking about the need for such kinds of renewable activity. He's also been vocal about the breakthrough that the company is celebrating now. "(Our recent) developments illustrate a clear step in proving our TBR model and its potential to rapidly connect our underground electrical and fiber optic grid safely. No company has ever tried boring through rock with more than one plasma torch – much less through rock like greywacke or granite," Helming said in a press statement around the process of innovation. "We are excited to deploy our two-torch system on several upcoming customer projects." Coming Up On June 27, the company celebrated a Sierra Granite demo event in Raymond, California. The company chose the spot for its geology and its cache of White Sierra Granite. Helming describes the process this way: 'It's a robot with two lightsabers up front, just sort of vaporizing through rock and soil, with a Mandalorian jet pack on the back, blowing out all the little bits of rock, cornflake-sized bits of rock,' he said. 'And it can go so fast and so much cheaper than anything else out there, it's the power grid, transmission lines, our water pipelines, fiber… there are so many communities that don't have access to highspeed bandwidth. ..' That's one way that the green process will serve our need for energy in a future high-tech age, but here's another: Right now, innovators and big money partners are looking for ways to build out energy sources for large AI data centers. How this gets done is a big question in terms of environmental impact. 'As AI continues to grow rapidly, we're working on even better ways to cool servers efficiently, reduce water usage, and push sustainable, green computing forward,' says Johnson Eung at Supermicro, a top company working on server design. Together, many of these stakeholders will be looking to improve the ways that we usher in the most powerful IT systems ever to exist. That's probably a big deal.
BBC News
05-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Hide-and-Seek Champ: Gecko Found After 33 Years!
Researchers from the Endangered Wildlife Trust have discovered a type of gecko that hasn't been seen in more than 30 years. Since the Blyde Rondavel flat gecko was identified in 1991, where this little lizard has been hiding has been a mystery. Now, the Trust says that two of its researchers have found specimens of the mysterious gecko in South Africa. The researchers discovered it in a remote canyon in after they were dropped off there by a helicopter. This lizard was was first identified after it was found in a canyon in the Mpumalanga Province in northeastern South Africa in researchers Darren Pietersen and John Davies returned to the same canyon determined to solve the mystery. In the end, it only took them three days camping on the outcrop to find the geckos. "And when we did, we were elated to say the least," said Pietersen. What is a "lost species"? The species until now has been listed as "lost" as it hadn't been recorded for more than 10 years. However rather than extinct, the lizard has been registered as 'data deficient' by The International Union for Conservation of Nature, the authority on endangered was because not enough was known to say for sure if it was Darren Pietersen who found the lizard said: "I've always loved the species that others wouldn't study because they're harder to find or obscure."
