Have you driven a Mazda 5 for an extensive period of time? CX5? CX9? Yes, every car with the exception of maybe the Tribute is Fun to drive.............

"shifts faster, turns flatter, and goes quicker......."

You said it yourself......

That's what I'm saying, they are all quite fun to drive! Just not "Driver's cars".

Makes sense :w00t:

It's still far from Mazda being "in the toilet" though.......

OFFTOPIC: Hey now, the 5 is till the only Minivan you can buy with a manual transmission, in the US. Which says a lot in this day. And you got it backwards on who is running who. They share tech but Ford uses Mazda's 4 cylinder engine/transmission designs and has for decades.

Ontopic. Forget Honda. Mazda needs to put a piston engine in the RX-8 chassis and sell it as the MX-8. :bellyroll:

My 01 Prelude was the car I sold when I got my FR-S and I will always love that car.

I also had a 00 hatch before that.

The NSX is my dream car and I will own one when I save up 30k.

I'll always be a fan of Honda if for nothing else than reliability, but I do think they need some sportier models. I actually like the styling of the new Accord coupe and if the FR-S didn't exist, it'd be between that and a Z.

I miss Honda, but moving over to Subaru hasn't been that bad at all.

Good luck Honda, I really hope they can come back into frame while thinking of racing enthusiasts in mind.

Mazda has been playing the fun car game longer than anyone in the car industry and its never stopped,now those others yeah they really started making appliances....and this includes Toyota to....until the twins.

New S2000 under consideration
 

Honda Source: Smaller, Lighter S2000 Replacement in Works


When the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ hit the scene, we rejoiced. Not only because the car is a dream to drive and toss around a track, but because there was the promise that it could spark a resurgence in the compact sportscar market. Well if rumors are to be believed, Honda might be joining in on the fun.
PHOTOS: See more of the Honda S2000
According to gtchannel.com, an unnamed Honda official has stated that the Japanese automaker is seriously considering a new, small, RWD sportscar. It would be the first of its kind since the amazing Honda S2000 drove off into the sunset after the 2009 model year.
http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Qh...NE-Concept.jpg
But the new roadster would be smaller and run a smaller engine. Potential powerplants could be a 1.3-liter, or the 1.4-liter from the Honda Fit, which makes 132 horsepower. But with a potential curb weight of only 2000 pounds, and equipped with a 5-speed manual, it would be an ideal runabout– even smaller than the Mazda Miata!
PHOTOS: See more of the Honda N-ONE
According to the report, the design is supposed to take cues from the N-ONE hatchback. An artist has conceptualized those cues, grafted to a roadster body style in the above photo. We’ll know for sure what this vehicle looks like when it takes true shape some time in 2015 or 2016.
Illustration source: gtchannel.com

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/honda-so...170014570.html

I saw an article on this yesterday. Sounds like BS to me. 2,000lbs? Lame engine suggestions and it is fugly.

I hope it comes, as we need more back to basics driver cars. Do I think it will happen - absolutely not.

BTW - a sub 2k lbs, 130hp, rwd car would be a potent platform. It would actually be better (lighter) than a first gen Miata.

I'm saying I don't believe that it would weigh 2k lbs. A Lotus weighs how much? And what about other small cars like Minis or Fiats? I don't see how it'd be that light. If it was, then yes, a small engine like that would be acceptable.

I'm sure this is more of the Kei car replacement, such as example the Honda Beat of the 90s.Just the fact that's it's lighter than a 1st Gen Miata, would put it in with the Kei car Crowd. And The Beat replacement has been talked about much more than the S2000 replacement. Meaning this is totally far off from any thing related to an S. But the idea of trying to be the old miata is something that might work since if you think about it the latest Miata is pretty much an S2k in an of it's own way.

HONDA ES TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN


i don't get it, did they kidnap the solstice designer?

Not really,
Current miata 2500 lbs, 167 hp, 14.97 lbs/hp
2000 lbs, 130 hp, 15.38 lbs/hp
Less 'potent' than the current miata, about as potent as the 20 year old miata (1.8L)... It'd be cool but would probably sell like the MRS Spyder.

I doubt that as well, for the record Lotus Exige is between 2,000 and 2,100. Fiat Abarth is around 2,500 lbs, Fiesta ST is around 2,600 lbs.

I think a 1.5L in a sub 2,500 lb car would be reasonable with 150+ hp, ideally hitting the same as the miata around 170 which is reasonable given S2000 performance and the technological improvements. Don't forget cost is a factor.