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THE
entry of the Mazda MX-5 (then known globally as the
Miata) in the early ’90s and its strong interest sparked
a massive roadster revival. Since then the sports car
took a backseat to better competition. But when the
third-generation (chassis code NC) MX-5 was introduced
in March as an all-new design, it raised the question of
whether it can reset the roadster bar again.
The 2.0L
NC’s powerband is wide—especially at the bottom
end—despite the numbers (see specifications) falling way
short of the 200 mark. In fact, you can run in sixth
gear at 2,500 rpm without the revs NOT dropping greatly.
This is because the MX-5 is light with an all-aluminum
block, longitudinally mounted engine. The front
engine/rear-wheel-drive layout (known as FR, with the
engine ahead of the driver but behind the front axle for
50:50 weight distribution) has been retained. The tested
top speed is hardly surprising (232 kph), but not its
consumption (7.2 km/l, four days mixed driving).
Speed
racer,
The MX-5 label may not sound as good as the Mach 5,
but the MX-5 very much embodies the term "speed racer"
more than Go Mifune’s ride.
The MX-5
writes the book on M/T stick precision, effort and feel.
The short throws from the six-speed slam you back in the
seat and every throw nestles solidly in each slot.
Clutch take-up is weighty but doesn’t make your left
calf burn, and is more livable than, say, that of a
current Porsche 911 Carrera. Given that, the FR setup
and a limited slip differential, you can do your best
impression of (Japanese drift legend) Keiichi Tsuchiya
on downhill wet tarmac.
Top gone to top up,
The MX-5’s
top cleverly folds into its container in a way that
presents a finished appearance, almost as if you affixed
a hard boot over it.
The NC
carves corners like they were steaks. Traction breaks at
145 to 150 kph (with zero body roll), and a longer
travel suspension (with a Mazda RX-8-sourced rear setup)
gives nicely controlled compliance over choppy surfaces
where previous MX-5s used to feel harsh while bouncing
and flailing about. The steering can be compared to a
point-and-shoot camera—just point the steering wheel in
a particular way and the front wheels easily shoot in
the prescribed direction.
 The
MX-5 again delivers when asked to shed speed. Slightly
larger disc brake rotors plus a larger vacuum booster,
new linkage ratios and more rigidity in the lines and
calipers provide crisp response and great pedal feel.
Occupants will like the rather spacious interior and the
attractive exterior. Six-footers won’t be rubbing elbows
all the time, and the flat-shaped dash seems to be
mounted far away and high above the deep, broad foot
wells. There’s decent legroom, and you sit low so you
feel integrated into the cockpit. The air conditioning
is weak and a hideous lacquer interior beltline are
among its negatives, but they’re not too
irksome.
Taking
the top down is a cinch. You don’t even have to leave
your seat; you pop a release button in the middle of the
front windshield, unlock the single central latch and
press a button on the middle dashboard to toss the top
back. The top cleverly folds into the well in a way that
presents a finished appearance, almost as if you affixed
a hard boot over it. And with the top down, turbulence
and wind noise are considerably improved by reshaping
the header, adding front-quarter window panels in the
“V” section of the A-pillars and providing a wind
blocker behind the seats. A little warning—you have to
keep your finger on the buttons that take off or attach
the MX-5’s roof until the whole process is done, but
there’s a buzzer that tells you if the motions are
finished.
The
first total rework of everyone’s darling roadster comes
across as not having lost the driving experience’s fun
quotient, doing a superb job of reclaiming its
birthright as a car with no other purpose than pure fun. |
