FT-86 v.s. MX-5

[Soravia]

You missed my sarcasm. Anyway, that Miata Rotary has been around for a long time, next to Nessie. I don't see Mazda making their niche product more niche.

[Blokatos]

As a Miata owner, I can see the comparison but if Toyota got it right, GT 86 will be a better car overall.

On the plus side there are:
- More power and more torque. Miata critics always complaint about the car being way too underpowered for the potential of the chassis.
- A boxer engine. It is very important on many things. Linear delivery, smoothness of operation, more rev happy.
- Coupe body. More rigidity which helps handling and more safety. Long distance cruising also will be more quiet and more comfortable. Ask Miata owners about road noise in long trips...
- 2 more seats. For those who want only one car, it is quite important, even if the rear seats are a bit small and suitable for smaller people and/or children.
- Bigger boot. Adds to the total practicality/usability of the car.
-Low center of gravity. A primary goal of every suspension/chassis designer/engineer. Keeping low solves many problems for the dynamics of the car.
- Performance. Both top speed and acceleration will be better than the Miata and this makes the sport feeling enhanced.

On the minus side there are:
- Front suspension. Struts are a compromise for the boxer engine to fit although the rear tilting forward lower arm may be a good feature giving the car a "wishbone" feel.
- Larger dimensions. Miata's agility cannot be matched by a larger car no matter how well setup it is.
- Weight penalty. Weight is the holy grail of fun to drive cars, actually of all cars. You cannot change laws of physics.

There are both rwd sport cars with Torsen diffs aimed at those looking for driving fun, to those who want to control the car themselves and not by electronic gadgets.
Ultimately it is a trade off between agility and practicality/usability. It remains to be seen if the Toyota has that special feeling when you are behind the wheel, that rare connection you get by being one with the machine. Miata has it in tons. No press kit, no spec can tell you that. This is something each and everyone of us will find out when eventually we will drive the car.

I am not going to sell the Miata. I want to buy the GT 86 and give the Miata to the wife (she loves it). If GT 86 is even close to how the Miata drives and feels, then...Toyota take my money too.

[Deslock]

Originally Posted by Marrk

How is 2700 lbs. "lightweight"?

It's all relative. It's the lightest 2+2 RWD car we've seen in a long time.

Originally Posted by pastuch

NA Miata for life... My favorite car of all time based on sportyness-per-dollar. 2100 pounds of awesome. My Miata is 21 years old and everything still works like it did when it was new. We paid $19000 Canadian for it in 1990. That car is magic. 140hp never felt so terrific.

This.

Originally Posted by Blokatos

As a Miata owner, I can see the comparison but if Toyota got it right, GT 86 will be a better car overall.

On the plus side there are:
- More power and more torque. Miata critics always complaint about the car being way too underpowered for the potential of the chassis.
- A boxer engine. It is very important on many things. Linear delivery, smoothness of operation, more rev happy.
- Coupe body. More rigidity which helps handling and more safety. Long distance cruising also will be more quiet and more comfortable. Ask Miata owners about road noise in long trips...
- 2 more seats. For those who want only one car, it is quite important, even if the rear seats are a bit small and suitable for smaller people and/or children.
- Bigger boot. Adds to the total practicality/usability of the car.
-Low center of gravity. A primary goal of every suspension/chassis designer/engineer. Keeping low solves many problems for the dynamics of the car.
- Performance. Both top speed and acceleration will be better than the Miata and this makes the sport feeling enhanced.

On the minus side there are:
- Front suspension. Struts are a compromise for the boxer engine to fit although the rear tilting forward lower arm may be a good feature giving the car a "wishbone" feel.
- Larger dimensions. Miata's agility cannot be matched by a larger car no matter how well setup it is.
- Weight penalty. Weight is the holy grail of fun to drive cars, actually of all cars. You cannot change laws of physics.

There are both rwd sport cars with Torsen diffs aimed at those looking for driving fun, to those who want to control the car themselves and not by electronic gadgets.
Ultimately it is a trade off between agility and practicality/usability. It remains to be seen if the Toyota has that special feeling when you are behind the wheel, that rare connection you get by being one with the machine. Miata has it in tons. No press kit, no spec can tell you that. This is something each and everyone of us will find out when eventually we will drive the car.

I am not going to sell the Miata. I want to buy the GT 86 and give the Miata to the wife (she loves it). If GT 86 is even close to how the Miata drives and feels, then...Toyota take my money too.

The FT86 produces less lbf*ft per lb than the NC (nothing I'm concerned about, but noteworthy since you mentioned engine torque as an FT86 advantage).

I'd also add the FT86's longer wheelbase to your list of disadvantages (it'll help with high speed stability, but will make the car a little less exciting at low speeds).

Likewise, I consider the FT86's fixed rood both advantageous (for the reasons you mentioned) and disadvantageous (the MX5 is awesome with the top up, but even more awesome with the top down).

Having written that, I will almost certainly sell my NB. I adore it, but I don't drive enough miles to justify having two cars, nor do I have enough time to turn it into a track toy. The FT86 probably wont be quite as exhilarating, but should still be fun. I need more than 2 seats and I figure it's as close to the MX5 as I can get.

[brzmaybe]

I had a 2006 MX5 too, and I think the comments are spot on. After about 150 miles the seats had given my back as much abuse as it would take without complaint. And the road noise at speed bothered me as well.

I spent some time thinking about how I could mod my MX5 to provide more of the performance and feel of a 1960 Lotus Elan Series 4 that I once owned, but in the end I decided to trade it in. Funny thing... the Flyin Miata folks now offer a Targa package for about $7,000 that would have answered my prayers.

I also spent some time thinking about the convertible hardtop version... but the shape wasn't as nice as the the couple of Miata coupes that Mazda produced as styling exercises.

Try as I might, though, I think the Toybaru and the MX5 are two quite different cars. And I think the next generation MX5 with a bit more power might come closest to my Elan.

(Enough with the rose colored glasses. Anyone who's old enough to have actually driven an Elan will have to admit that your driving pleasure was limited because you had to spend so much time working on them.)

I'm looking forward to throwing a lunch, a helmet, a jack and four wheels into the back of a BRZ and heading off for a day of dodging cones...

[SilentMike]

I am an admitted Miataholic, having owned an NA, NB, and a beautiful winning blue NC that I had just gotten set up the way I wanted it (Springs, sways, intake, and burbly Roadstersport exhaust), when my wife and I found out we were going to need seating for three. The Miata was replaced by a Civic SI sedan. For a four door wrong-wheel-drive car, it's kept my soul from complete atrophy, but I've looked forward to getting back into a Miata. With room for myself, the missus, and our 4.6 year old daughter, the FR-S/BRZ looks like the answer to my prayers. (Relatively) light, tossable, and enough power to be fun. I don't think I'll miss the drop top too much. Between the three Miatas and a three year lease on an 01' S2000, I've probably soaked up enough sun.

I might have to jump ship and get the Subie. The world ralley blue is really close to the winning blue on my 06' Miata.

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by Mouse

There is some news....The MX-5 and RX-8 are to be merged into one product....MX-5 with a rotary? Finally MAZDA.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/11111303...ment-confirmed

I'm all for a rotary Miata (RX-5?), and for a new RX-8 (or 7!), but here's what the Mazda CEO actually SAID in that link:

"Production of the RX-8 does stop in 2012 but what comes after that I'm not in a position to say.
But I have been saying everywhere that we will continue research on the rotary engine. We will not extinguish the flame of the rotary engine.
That kind of product is iconic for our brand. So the current MX-5 or RX-8 we have decided in the future to maintain that type of [sports car] product.
I can't say, however, that they will be separate ... they may be merged into one.[We] can't rule out the possibility [of a rotary-powered MX-5]."

[miata]

How does Miata have higher CG than a coupe? I want numbers to prove that FRS has lower CG.

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by miata

How does Miata have higher CG than a coupe? I want numbers to prove that FRS has lower CG.

i dont think the roof contributes too much to that so its entirely possible but its already been proven that the na miata has a lower cg than the claims for the frs

[miata]

NA stock Miata CG is 18".
My current NA Miata sits about 1.5" lower than stock and probably has lower CG than a 360 (~17")

So it is pretty low CG that FRS has.

[2fast4you]

NA MX-5 = 457mm CoG

FR-S/BRZ = 465mm CoG

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2131

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by 2fast4you

NA MX-5 = 457mm CoG

FR-S/BRZ = 465mm CoG

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2131

447? I guess either way it doesn't matter

[sjd]

I have a 2010 MX-5 (modified of course) and don't think that the 86 is a direct comparison. One is a two seat roadster and the other is a 2+2 coupe.

I'm looking to add a BRZ as my daily driver for my family (wife and 10-year old son) and value a RWD, lightweight sports car.

I do think that like the original MX-5 the 86 is going to rejuvenate a segment of the market that most automakers have ignored for years.

[NastyNate]

Aside from the coupe/ vert difference I'd say the miata makes the most sense for comparison. Toybaru definately did smart by doing something thats not quite a miata but not quite an rx8.

[Zaku]

I was wondering if someone could tell me alittle bit of their owner experience between a 5 speed version and the 6 speed of the new kind. Thank you