4th gen ND Mazda MX-5 Miata

[BlueDubbinTDI]

This thing is still supposedly a full year from release. I actually may look into them in a year when they come out though. Looks like baby Jag F-Type to me and there's nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

[Rampage]

Originally Posted by BlueDubbinTDI

This thing is still supposedly a full year from release. I actually may look into them in a year when they come out though. Looks like baby Jag F-Type to me and there's nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

They are supposed to be available in spring 2015. 6-8 months away.

I am sure in the meantime there will be lots of information coming on drive train and other specs. Theu said early on that the car could not produce less power so I am expecting around 170HP. With 220 less pounds and the same HP it will be considerably faster than a NC. Good news for any enthusiast.

[Poodles]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

That is not a smidge faster. It is much faster. You just described a 2ZZ swapped MR2 Spyder, which is as fast as a base 981 Boxster, which I guarantee is a lot faster than an FRS.

The Miata will come with 150hp at best, IMO. They wouldn't give it the 2L engine.

Why would you think they wouldn't use the 2.0 engine when they already use a 2.0 engine in the current model? It also already makes 170HP, so we need to be aiming higher here...

I don't see them downsizing the motor and power from the current model when they have competition to compete with.

[Kilika]

It'll only take ~160 HP to get the same power-to-weight ratio as the twins. The rumored coupe version which should be lighter would only increase Mazda's lead in numbers for every circuit in America.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Poodles

Why would you think they wouldn't use the 2.0 engine when they already use a 2.0 engine in the current model? It also already makes 170HP, so we need to be aiming higher here...

I don't see them downsizing the motor and power from the current model when they have competition to compete with.

My bad, I always thought it was a 1.8L in the NC.

I could see a downsize. It only has to be a little faster than the current car, so they may very well downsize. I guess it depends on how much weight they really lost.

[Allch Chcar]

There are people that still believe it will have more power? Ha. The famous creator wanted to downsize the engine with less power! I believe they were talking about a 1.3 turbocharged engine. The 2.0L was the biggest engine it's ever had or will have. Note that a 1.3L was throw around because they do not have a Skyactiv 1.5L, they only have the 1.3L Skyactiv used in the Mazda Demio(Mazda2 in the US). Which is also why the Mazda2 is still using the 1.5L MZR. Which is nothing like the bigger MZR, BTW. IMHO, they need to design a high output version of the 2.0L MZR for the US. But that is assuming they want to sell it to Americans. Hell, even if they made a 2.5L turbocharged version for the USDM, Americans would still want more power.

That said, I'm not impressed with the new body at all.

@Cerealk11er, a 1.8L version of the MZR is available in Europe.

Originally Posted by n2oinferno

Converted to Imperial I get:
Wheelbase (in) 91.1" (change of -0.6")
Length (in) 154.1" (change of -3.17")
Width (in) 68.1" (change of +0.4")
Height (in) 48.6" (change of -0.8")

The NC:

Originally Posted by Mazdausa

Wheelbase (in) 91.7
Length (in) 157.3
Width (in) 67.7
Height (in) 49.4

But then those were just development targets. :/

While often thrown around 2200lb curb weight is a nice low number, it's overly optimistic and highly unlikely to be the final result. The current NC weighs ~2593lbs with a PRHT and 6 speed standard, ~2619lbs for the 6 speed automatic with PRHT. The 2500(actually 2480)lb curb weight you hear quoted all the time is for a base NC with soft top and the 5 speed. It's more likely that the ND with a 6spd and PRHT weighs ~2370lbs.

Obviously, I can't account for the difference a lower weight will have on the subjective "fun" factor. Therefore I won't try to.

Sources:http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...e=MX5&trim=MXR
and
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...ehicleCode=MX5

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Thanks - heard that and like it - but there was one of those " number of angels on the head of a pin" debates over at miata.net about whether the engine sound was faked (certain miata netters are even more OCD than some around here ).

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by Poodles

Why would you think they wouldn't use the 2.0 engine when they already use a 2.0 engine in the current model? It also already makes 170HP, so we need to be aiming higher here...

I don't see them downsizing the motor and power from the current model when they have competition to compete with.

Losing 220 lbs. overall and shifting weight distribution rearward to 50/50, while keeping the current heavier 2.0L engine up front would be quite difficult.

Not saying it's not possible, but I would definitely tip my hat to Mazda if they could pull that feat off.

[Entroper]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

That is not a smidge faster. It is much faster. You just described a 2ZZ swapped MR2 Spyder, which is as fast as a base 981 Boxster, which I guarantee is a lot faster than an FRS.

The Miata will come with 150hp at best, IMO. They wouldn't give it the 2L engine.

What I described was 13.53 lb/hp. The FR-S is 13.75 lb/hp. That's a difference of 1.6%, which I think can be safely referred to as a "smidge". I would also accept "hair".

[wbradley]

I'm sure it will be a decent car but I don't care for the smiley face front grille any more than the BRZ's. Also, I see some styling rip offs. The taillights appear to be a vague rendition of the Jaguar type F. That's expected considering the original Miata styling was a ripoff of the Lotus Elise.

Too bad there's no points for originality/creativity.

At least with the twins, styling cues were taken from previous Toyotas.

[MarbleGT]

Originally Posted by wbradley

That's expected considering the original Miata styling was a ripoff of the Lotus Elise.

The Elise came out 7 years after the original Miata.

Originally Posted by wbradley

Too bad there's no points for originality/creativity.

At least with the twins, styling cues were taken from previous Toyotas.

This is conflicting. The ND is completely new, nothing taken or re-imagined from previous models. It's all original.

[wbradley]

Originally Posted by MarbleGT

The Elise came out 7 years after the original Miata.

If you're thinking Elan, that falls into the classic British Roadster category from which it was built to modernize. It wasn't in any way styled after one though.



This is conflicting. The ND is completely new, nothing taken or re-imagined from previous models. It's all original.

Correction, might have been Lotus Elan. Even taillight design copied on original Miata. I guess it was Mazda's marketing strategy. Who cares anyway, the Miata is not a vehicle I'd buy. Don't like Mazda.

[WolfpackS2k]

Originally Posted by wbradley

That's expected considering the original Miata styling was a ripoff of the Lotus Elise.

Pretty sure you meant to say Lotus Elan, the super lightweight British roadster from the 60s.


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[WolfpackS2k]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

The power seats that most people opt for don't help, they are heavy as s***. I didn't notice a single person with a totally base car, but I remember thinking based on reading a thread that a realistic weight for a totally base Cayman MT with 18" wheels and 2 way seats is 2950-3000, not 2890. I recall some people had 3200+ lbs Caymans thanks to their 20" wheels, 18-way heated vented seats, PASM, PDK etc.

I can't speak for the Boxster, but the base Cayman seats still have electric adjustability for the seatback, and manual adjustment for height and fore/aft movement. My Cayman S is about as light as you can get from the factory. Only option my car has is Sport Chrono. However I've yet to have it weighed, though I would imagine it's under 3000.


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