4th gen ND Mazda MX-5 Miata

[LOLS2K]

@Quentin I'm very interested in visiting a Mazda dealer and checking one out (w/ no intention of buying). I see them on the road and they make me very happy. Which model did you test drive?

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by Quentin

I drove one today.

Bad
- shifter is imprecise
- steering wheel feels rubbery
- steering is very, very light
- gas pedal is floor hinged (annoying to rev match)
- torque curve seems to taper off after 5000rpm
- wind noise with top up is extremely loud

I wasn't unhappy to get back in my FR-S.

Sent from Tandy 400

Interesting you're the first person I've seen who disliked the ND Miata shifter. Might need a bit of time to break in.

But yeah a lot of people have mentioned the new Miata's steering is lighter and less precise than the Twins. Aso the floor-hinged gas pedal would annoy me too. A lot of German cars are like that and it never feels quite right to me.

Nice summary of your test drive!

[Quentin]

Originally Posted by LOLS2K

@Quentin I'm very interested in visiting a Mazda dealer and checking one out (w/ no intention of buying). I see them on the road and they make me very happy. Which model did you test drive?

6MT, club trim

I, too, was shocked about the shifter. The knob is very small. The throw distance was good, but it didn't give you that locked in feeling of the twins when you get it in gear. I had one instance where I went to start from a light and was in neutral.

It really is a full size smaller than the twins. Very, very small car.


Sent from Tandy 400

[LOLS2K]

I really need to get out there and check one out. Thanks for the review @Quentin

[jmark]

I am looking at the ND Club as a new daily driver. Drove one and find it very small. I am 6'-2" 196 lbs. and I am on the limit as far as room in the car. Great gearbox. Seat back is real tight at the shoulders. I actually went and sat in another one to make sure I can fit.

My son has wanted a FRS/BRZ for awhile so we drove a limited BRZ. I was impressed with the seats. I actually had to pull the seat up some! The steering feel is better than the ND's electric steering. Better weighted feel. The driver position is just about perfect. The gearbox is pretty good but I'd give the nod to the ND. The BRZ would be a better daily driver IMHO. Both are fun cars.

I can buy a 2016 Limited BRZ for less than a ND Club. Decisions decisions....

[why?]

Originally Posted by jmark

I am looking at the ND Club as a new daily driver. Drove one and find it very small. I am 6'-2" 196 lbs. and I am on the limit as far as room in the car. Great gearbox. Seat back is real tight at the shoulders. I actually went and sat in another one to make sure I can fit.

My son has wanted a FRS/BRZ for awhile so we drove a limited BRZ. I was impressed with the seats. I actually had to pull the seat up some! The steering feel is better than the ND's electric steering. Better weighted feel. The driver position is just about perfect. The gearbox is pretty good but I'd give the nod to the ND. The BRZ would be a better daily driver IMHO. Both are fun cars.

I can buy a 2016 Limited BRZ for less than a ND Club. Decisions decisions....

It really is impressive how much room the driver has in the BRZ. Oh, and that rear parcel shelf is good to store stuff.

[EAGLE5]

Originally Posted by jmark

I can buy a 2016 Limited BRZ for less than a ND Club. Decisions decisions....

Sounds like you pretty much made your decision already. I have never felt comfortable in a Miata, and a wearing a helmet in one is impossible for me.

[raven1231]

I like this a lot, reminds me of the old Datsuns. Turbo is nice as well!

http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/18/9...ible-laas-2015

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by raven1231

I like this a lot, reminds me of the old Datsuns. Turbo is nice as well!

http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/18/9...ible-laas-2015

Haha I guess looks really are subjective. Personally I wish they had left the body alone and just swapped the engine. The midrange torque from the turbo should be great!

[Specter_actual]

My brother had a grey '04 mx5 mazda speed. It was a great car and the turbo was small, but gave it a good kick. It felt like i was driving a street legal go-cart. I cant wait to get a twin, but it would be interesting to test drive the new mx5.

[strat61caster]

Fiata looks like a 2nd Gen S2k

Edit: Nobody saying anything on engine right? Go back a year, still saying it's the 1.4L MultiAir, ~160-170hp, good motor, great in a light car like the Abarth, should be even greater w/ RWD although the lag is real. Good tuning potential, Abarth guys can get to 200 wheel without a ton of effort iirc. Well I should say for about the same money it takes an 86 to get 200 wheel

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Fiata looks like a 2nd Gen S2k

Edit: Nobody saying anything on engine right? Go back a year, still saying it's the 1.4L MultiAir, ~160-170hp, good motor, great in a light car like the Abarth, should be even greater w/ RWD although the lag is real. Good tuning potential, Abarth guys can get to 200 wheel without a ton of effort iirc. Well I should say for about the same money it takes an 86 to get 200 wheel

Engine is reportedly the 1.4t multiair:

- 160 hp @ 5500 RPM
- 184 lbs-ft @ 2500 RPM

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/11/18/f...rison-feature/

[mn_ca]

Is this the same size as the na miata?

[vh_supra26]

If you thought a manufacturer couldn't go too far in their efforts to save weight while designing something more special, you probably haven't imagined yourself driving a car without a windshield before.

Of course, that's not all Mazda did to their MX-5 Speedster Concept that was originally shown at SEMA last year before going on display at Chicago this week, to reduce its weight by more than 250 pounds.

Unsprung weight was reduced via the 16x8 Rays Extreme Gram Lights alloys, carbon fiber doors, synthetic interior trim, custom carbon-fiber Mu-Len Delta seats and other materials used throughout. Some of its less obvious modifications include the adjustable coilover suspension and the Brembo four-piston calipers with vented rotors.

As for its looks, well the pictures speak for themselves, with the Speedster being one sexy looking ride without its windshield and the buttresses added behind the seats.

Sure, this is a concept and yes, the fact that it weighs just 2,078 lbs (943kg) sounds very appealing to anybody who's generally looking forward to putting on a racing helmet and spending their day going from apex to apex, but that's exactly what you'd need to do with this car, which is more or less to use it like a go-kart. A very expensive go-kart.

Overall, it's a nice little toy and if you had your own race track or lived right next to one, you could probably convince your significant other that a production-ready MX-5 Speedster would make for a good investment. And by good, we mean fun.

By the way, you could argue that a less "PG13" version of this car would be something like the one-off Lamborghini Aventador J Speedster, where you get a V12 instead of a four-pot.

http://www.carscoops.com/2016/02/maz...s-mx-5-to.html