MICROSOFT AND MAZDA LET YOU DRIVE IT FIRST: ALL-NEW 2016 MAZDA MX-5 DEBUTS AS FREE DOWNLOAD FOR FORZA HORIZON 2 ON XBOX ONE

IRVINE, Calif., March 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning March 17, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is giving Forza Horizon 2 players the exclusive opportunity to drive the all-new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata on Xbox One months before the physical car goes on sale to the public. Additionally, by taking advantage of the free download of the car, and driving it in the game, users will have the chance to win one by competing in the new Time Trial Rivals Contest. In addition to the free download for the 2016 MX-5, the Mazda MX-5 pack gives Forza Horizon 2 gaming enthusiasts the chance to collect and drive other special one-of-a-kind MX-5s exclusively on Xbox One. A sneak peek of the Forza Horizon 2 Mazda MX-5 Car Pack can be viewed at https://youtu.be/7SCE3yONvOA.

"Through history, there have been very few purer sportscars than the Mazda MX-5 Miata, and this fourth generation car is no exception," said Russell Wager, vice president of marketing, MNAO. "In the past, Miata was always a product of the analogue world, but this new 2016 model is the most sophisticated and digital yet, while still being a throwback to everything that made the original 1990 car so special. The new car is nearly as light, yet with a power-to-weight ratio exceeding that of its predecessor. While the physical car doesn't go on sale until later this summer, we're excited to give fans an opportunity to get behind the virtual wheel in Forza Horizon 2 to drive it before they can buy it."

Forza Horizon 2 Mazda MX-5 Car Pack
Mazda MX-5 fans – and anyone who loves real sportscars -- will be able to explore the car in tremendous detail inside and out through Forza Horizon 2's stunning graphics. They will also get to experience the car in the game's massive open-world roads and, for the first time, in various climates and day and night settings. It will be the ultimate test drive for those accustomed to getting all their information digitally, and all before you can drive one in the real world.

The Forza Horizon 2 Mazda Car Pack will be made up of the 2016 MX-5, 2010 MX-5 Super20 SEMA concept car, 1990 MX-5 and 2005 MAZDASPEED MX-5. To download, after logging into Xbox Live on Xbox One, users can head to the Mazda landing page to find the car pack.

Those heading to the SXSW Gaming Expo, taking place Friday, March 13 to Sunday, March 15 in Austin, Texas, will be able to be amongst the first to drive the virtual 2016 MX-5 at Mazda's booth (#513) before it becomes available to download. As part of its activities at the expo, Mazda will have two interactive driving simulators pre-loaded with the 2016 MX-5. Mazda also will announce the winner of the Mazda Livery Design Contest, entered from the Xbox One and Xbox 360 platforms, at the show on Sunday, March 15 at 4:00 p.m. CDT.

Win a 2016 MX-5 in Time Trials Rivals Contest…Before It Arrives In Dealerships
The Time Trial Rivals Contest, which begins Tuesday, March 17 and ends Thursday, April 30, will give Forza Horizon 2 players the opportunity to win a 2016 MX-5—not a model, not a toy, but a real 2016 MX-5. To enter, users must log into Xbox Live using their Xbox One console and navigate to any one of the following channels: Games, Music, Movies or Apps. From there, users may see a Mazda MX-5 ad and must click into the Mazda MX-5 ad landing experience. Once on the hub, users must register to enter the contest by following the prompts on the contest page. Players will be required to play in the appropriate Rival Mode event (the "Mazda MX-5 Challenge") using the 2016 Mazda MX-5 vehicle from the Forza Horizon 2 Mazda MX-5 Car Pack on the Sisteron Perimeter Sprint Track. The two players with the fastest times will be flown to Los Angeles in June to compete head-to-head in a winner-take-all race, with the winner receiving a 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata.

SKYACTIV: More Technology, Less Weight
Mazda also has used this as an opportunity to reveal another important, previously unannounced, specification for the 2016 MX-5: curb weight, which has been reduced to 2,332 lbs. (when equipped with the manual transmission)/2,381 lbs. (with the automatic transmission). Reducing the weight by approximately 150 lbs. over the outgoing third-generation model required lightening and strengthening even the smallest parts for optimal performance and driving enjoyment—one of the benefits of SKYACTIV^® Technology. The Mazda MX-5 is the world's best-selling two-seat roadster, according to Guinness World Records, and recently celebrated its 25^th anniversary. Further information about the 2016 MX-5 can be found on the Mazda branded hub on Xbox One or Xbox 360 or at www.longlivetheroadster.com.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com.

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SOURCE Mazda North American Operations

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