4th gen ND Mazda MX-5 Miata

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by airjonny

My problem is them ignoring the #1 complaint of the car. It's like a basketball coach telling an offensive minded basketball player to work on his defense and the player being like "screw it im chucking more shots up this season".

If the numbers are true, what "special tuning" did Mazda do? This is basically an untouched engine that the Mazda 3 has on 87.

That's exactly what this is.

Just like "everyone" calling the Mustang a heavy pig and they add 100 lbs to the car. Mustangs will still sell and by all counts this Miata is going to be a hit as well.

I have no idea what they changed on the motor but they're rating the torque lower than the Mazda3 (and higher than the NC).

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...8-lb-ft-report

Edit: Sure the Mustang added some suspension and beefed up the chassis, just like the Miata added torque and shed some pounds, they've played to their strengths.

[YukiHachiRoku]

"According to official specifications released today, the American 2.0-liter engine in the 2016 MX-5 will offer 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque."

release the trolls!

[airjonny]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

That's exactly what this is.

Just like "everyone" calling the Mustang a heavy pig and they add 100 lbs to the car. Mustangs will still sell and by all counts this Miata is going to be a hit as well.

I have no idea what they changed on the motor but they're rating the torque lower than the Mazda3 (and higher than the NC).

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...8-lb-ft-report

Edit: Sure the Mustang added some suspension and beefed up the chassis, just like the Miata added torque and shed some pounds, they've played to their strengths.

Yes I raged a bit (especially when the head engineer implied that it would at least lose weight). But I give props because they improved the complaints of the rental car interior and live axle. When they did those improvements, they caught the eye of people who wouldn't consider a Mustang before because of that. It did those things while keeping it a Mustang.

Mazda can do those things too. What is Mazda doing to get buyers who had the Miata on their list, but opted for a s2k, FRS/BRZ etc etc? What reason do I have to upgrade if I have a bulletproof NA/NB? Why should I put out the extra dough, if I can get a mega deal on a NC club and put the savings into an even performance aftermarket?

Now that doesn't mean Mazda should build a 3000 pound AWD 350hp 2+2. They can add power to the Miata formula and can still be a Miata.

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by YukiHachiRoku

"According to official specifications released today, the American 2.0-liter engine in the 2016 MX-5 will offer 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque."

release the trolls!

To me it's the ideal Power to Weight ratio. They nailed it. 148Ft/lbs of torque makes it a terrific little around town fun car.

I wouldn't be surprised if this car didn't get 40+MPG on the freeway if they give it a nice long 6th gear.

[Rampage]

Originally Posted by airjonny

They can add power to the Miata formula and can still be a Miata.

No, they can't. That is not what the Miata is all about. The engineers have even gone so far as to say that the 1.5L 129HP equipped car is the truer interpretation of what the MX-5 is all about. There are many other cars that fill the niche you are talking about just like there are other cars that fill the niche of a more powerful FR-S. Both cars are as the designers and engineers wanted and intended them to be.

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by Rampage

Well, I am surprised they did not bow to the HP fiends and dial in more but with the extra 8 FT/LB of torgue and the 6 speed gearing it will be close to matching the FR-S in straightline speed and may be better around a track due to the lower weight.



Yes, no one was supposed to release anything until noon eastern time today. R&T write an especially glowing review of the car but I have yet to read any negative reviews about it.

Props to Mazda for bucking the trend of more weight and more HP. I guess Tada is not the only engineer in Japan that understands that making a fun to drive car is not all about horsepower and electronics.

Interesting, didn't they do the same to the mustang? lol

[airjonny]

Originally Posted by Rampage

No, they can't. That is not what the Miata is all about. The engineers have even gone so far as to say that the 1.5L 129HP equipped car is the truer interpretation of what the MX-5 is all about. There are many other cars that fill the niche you are talking about just like there are other cars that fill the niche of a more powerful FR-S. Both cars are as the designers and engineers wanted and intended them to be.

Yes, they can. The original interpretation of the Miata is not meant to have anemic power, but an homage to the British sportscar with a free revving engine. No mention of slow being a positive trait of the car. The Miata is good DESPITE the low power, not because of it.

I can't go on YouTube at work so I'll try to find the link tonight, but theres a video of one of the creators saying that there was going to be a single cam engine in the car, but when they realized that they were under budget, they went with a dohc.

If a larger allocation of the budget went to engine tuning on today's miata, I'm sure the engineers would have made a more powerful Miata.

[ZmZMWagon]

Originally Posted by airjonny

I still want to see something where a simple tune is going to add thousands of dollars to the car. If all that money went into the chassis, I sure hope it won't have the body roll of a 90s Mustang.

Which generation of Miata has had the body roll of a 90's Mustang?

Mazda as a company is about Suspension tuning and the "fun to drive" factor. They gave the Miata "mo powa" with the Mazdaspeed version in the NB and they sat in dealer lots with heavy discounts. People complained about turbo lag, blah blah blah. Mazda will not be able to please everyone, but as long as they can get the NA owners to buy this new ND then that should be good enough for them.

[airjonny]

Originally Posted by ZmZMWagon

Which generation of Miata has had the body roll of a 90's Mustang?

Mazda as a company is about Suspension tuning and the "fun to drive" factor. They gave the Miata "mo powa" with the Mazdaspeed version in the NB and they sat in dealer lots with heavy discounts. People complained about turbo lag, blah blah blah. Mazda will not be able to please everyone, but as long as they can get the NA owners to buy this new ND then that should be good enough for them.

The NC has a good amount of body roll. It's not bad, but it's just something that I thought was odd about it.

The biggest reason Mazdaspeed didn't sell well because everyone and their grandma knew it was at the end of its life cycle. Both the regular and turbo versions sat on the lots together. If it ever comes out, the Fiat built on the Miata chassis will truely show what would've happened if the original Mazdaspeed was done right.

[ZmZMWagon]

Originally Posted by airjonny

The NC has a good amount of body roll. It's not bad, but it's just something that I thought was odd about it.

The biggest reason Mazdaspeed didn't sell well because everyone and their grandma knew it was at the end of its life cycle. Both the regular and turbo versions sat on the lots together. If it ever comes out, the Fiat built on the Miata chassis will truely show what would've happened if the original Mazdaspeed was done right.

The plush NC(Grand Touring) has a fair amount of body roll, but not Mustang 90's body roll. The Club Spec NC has almost no body roll at all.

The original Mazdaspeed was done right, the value of that car has held well and are hard to find. Owners don't want to sell them. As a matter of fact the NC was as fast as the Mazdaspeed Miata and it still did not sell well. The excuse was it was "too fat" "it doesn't look good"........

[airjonny]

Originally Posted by ZmZMWagon

The plush NC(Grand Touring) has a fair amount of body roll, but not Mustang 90's body roll. The Club Spec NC has almost no body roll at all.

The original Mazdaspeed was done right, the value of that car has held well and are hard to find. Owners don't want to sell them. As a matter of fact the NC was as fast as the Mazdaspeed Miata and it still did not sell well. The excuse was it was "too fat" "it doesn't look good"........

The economy didn't help either.

[Rampage]

Originally Posted by airjonny

Yes, they can. The original interpretation of the Miata is not meant to have anemic power, but an homage to the British sportscar with a free revving engine. No mention of slow being a positive trait of the car. The Miata is good DESPITE the low power, not because of it.

I can't go on YouTube at work so I'll try to find the link tonight, but theres a video of one of the creators saying that there was going to be a single cam engine in the car, but when they realized that they were under budget, they went with a dohc.

If a larger allocation of the budget went to engine tuning on today's miata, I'm sure the engineers would have made a more powerful Miata.

Have you ever driven any of said British sports cars? Most of them were far from powerful free revving machines. I have driven a Triumph TR-6, MG Midget, Triumph Spitfire, Triumph GT6, MGB and a Lotus Europa. I would not say any of them are powerful nor do they rev freely. With the possible exception of the featureweight Europa, the new MX-5 would stomp the snot out of any of them.

The Miata was supposed to continue the "spirit" of the British roadster which it does, except it is better in virtually every way.

Truthfully, I expected the new car to have a little more HP in the US but I am sure they will not have any trouble selling them as they are. Remember, all the more powerful roadsters that were the Miata's rivals are out of production yet the underpowered little Mazda lives on and adds to its legacy of the best selling sportscar of all time.

Originally Posted by airjonny

If it ever comes out, the Fiat built on the Miata chassis will truely show what would've happened if the original Mazdaspeed was done right.

At least one of the news sources I read today said the Fiat would have the same engine.

[airjonny]

Originally Posted by Rampage

Have you ever driven any of said British sports cars? Most of them were far from powerful free revving machines. I have driven a Triumph TR-6, MG Midget, Triumph Spitfire, Triumph GT6, MGB and a Lotus Europa. I would not say any of them are powerful nor do they rev freely. With the possible exception of the featureweight Europa, the new MX-5 would stomp the snot out of any of them.

The Miata was supposed to continue the "spirit" of the British roadster which it does, except it is better in virtually every way.

Truthfully, I expected the new car to have a little more HP in the US but I am sure they will not have any trouble selling them as they are. Remember, all the more powerful roadsters that were the Miata's rivals are out of production yet the underpowered little Mazda lives on and adds to its legacy of the best selling sportscar of all time.



At least one of the news sources I read today said the Fiat would have the same engine.

Nooo! Just when I was getting excited for an Abarth powered Miata!

Anyway, I still enjoy Miata's and hope they stay forever. But it's biggest competition is itself. I'm sure they'll sell well in the beginning, but I don't think they'll see NA or NB numbers again.

[funwheeldrive]

I just wish that we got the 2,200 pound version with the 1.5L engine here in the states. That sounds like the ideal setup for the ND, even according to Mazda.