LA CAR BLOG
MAZDA BUILDS THE PERFECT MIATA (IS THAT ENOUGH?)<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O
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October 18, 2005
I come away mighty impressed with the all-new 2006 Mazda MX-5. The lengths that Mazda went through to perfect this car will even make Adrian Monk raise an eyebrow.
The car was already one of the most well-balanced sports cars on the market. For 2006, the MX-5 has a new engine that's 42 pounds lighter. They even went through the trouble to move the engine 5.3 inches rearward for a near perfect 50/50 weight distribution.
As expected, the convertible cloth top is a one-hand, easy-fold design. Unexpectedly, no tonneau cover is needed, since the top is beautifully integrated when it's folded down. And with the top down, the MX-5 reveals a fresh-looking interior.
To keep the car at its sporting best, lightweight aluminum is used for the hood, decklid, transmission-to-differential power plant frame, and suspension components. To further lighten the load, both the driveshaft and front stabilizer bar are hollow. Even the rearview mirror was redesigned to save 94 grams in weight.
Mazda claims it tested 59 variations of exhaust notes. The claim is believable. The new MX-5 exhibits one of the best sounds ever to come out of a four-cylinder engine.
The new 2.0-liter aluminum engine packs 170 horsepower - a 20 percent increase from the outgoing model. The engine uses molybdenum-coated pistons. The power is transmitted through a quick-revving ultra-lightweight flywheel to a six-speed short-throw manual transmission. The automatic version features six forward speeds and steering wheel-mounted fingertip shifters. Even with the automatic, the car offers a high level of spirited performance.
For styling, Mazda took the honorable route and paid homage to the original Miata. The new Miata looks more like the original than the model it replaced. It's a smart design. Unfortunately, the designers at Pontiac decided to make their Miata-competitor, the Solstice, look like a vintage Ferrari competition spyder.
In the end, it may all come down to the way the car looks. In the case of the MX-5, it's a familiar face. The Solstice, on the other hand, looks like the hot new student on campus. Mazda may have built the perfect Miata, but, alas, buyers of two-seater convertibles may be looking for something different.
http://www.lacar.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=545</O>
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MAZDA BUILDS THE PERFECT MIATA (IS THAT ENOUGH?)<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O
style="MARGIN: 0px"> October 18, 2005
I come away mighty impressed with the all-new 2006 Mazda MX-5. The lengths that Mazda went through to perfect this car will even make Adrian Monk raise an eyebrow.
The car was already one of the most well-balanced sports cars on the market. For 2006, the MX-5 has a new engine that's 42 pounds lighter. They even went through the trouble to move the engine 5.3 inches rearward for a near perfect 50/50 weight distribution.
As expected, the convertible cloth top is a one-hand, easy-fold design. Unexpectedly, no tonneau cover is needed, since the top is beautifully integrated when it's folded down. And with the top down, the MX-5 reveals a fresh-looking interior.
To keep the car at its sporting best, lightweight aluminum is used for the hood, decklid, transmission-to-differential power plant frame, and suspension components. To further lighten the load, both the driveshaft and front stabilizer bar are hollow. Even the rearview mirror was redesigned to save 94 grams in weight.
Mazda claims it tested 59 variations of exhaust notes. The claim is believable. The new MX-5 exhibits one of the best sounds ever to come out of a four-cylinder engine.
The new 2.0-liter aluminum engine packs 170 horsepower - a 20 percent increase from the outgoing model. The engine uses molybdenum-coated pistons. The power is transmitted through a quick-revving ultra-lightweight flywheel to a six-speed short-throw manual transmission. The automatic version features six forward speeds and steering wheel-mounted fingertip shifters. Even with the automatic, the car offers a high level of spirited performance.
For styling, Mazda took the honorable route and paid homage to the original Miata. The new Miata looks more like the original than the model it replaced. It's a smart design. Unfortunately, the designers at Pontiac decided to make their Miata-competitor, the Solstice, look like a vintage Ferrari competition spyder.
In the end, it may all come down to the way the car looks. In the case of the MX-5, it's a familiar face. The Solstice, on the other hand, looks like the hot new student on campus. Mazda may have built the perfect Miata, but, alas, buyers of two-seater convertibles may be looking for something different.
http://www.lacar.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=545</O
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