By EWAN KENNEDY
Mazda MX-5 significantly changed the direction of automotive history when it was introduced to a surprised world way back in 1989.
Until then every tightening safety regulations had caused car companies to pull out of designing open-top cars.
Mazda, ever the innovator, fought back with this and the MX-5 was the result.
Not only is it now by far the biggest selling roadster of all time, the MX-5 made other marques reconsider their strategies and now you won’t find a company of any significance that doesn’t have at least one convertible on its sales list.
Significantly, the styling of the fourth generation Mazda MX-5 sports roadster takes a completely different direction to its predecessors.
While the second and third generations (1997 and 2005) were evolutions of the original 1989 model, the gen-four designers have tossed away the plans and started with blank computer screens.
When I first saw the new MX-5 at the Paris Motor Show late last year I had reservations about its shape.
Reservations that haven’t completely gone away.
Existing Mazda MX-5 owners also seem divided on the new style and it will be interesting to see if there’s the sort of outcry what overwhelmed Porsche when it tried to replace the original 911 shape with more modern ones, the 924 and 928, back in the 1970s and ’80s.
There’s no doubt the all-new MX-5 falls into line with the other so-called Kodo design of the current Mazda range, something that certainly shows up in the TV commercial that shows the roadster leading a V-shaped group of Mazda hatches and SUVs.
Mazda MX-5 is offered with two different engines.
A price-leading ($31,990) 1.5-litre, four-cylinder six-speed manual MX-5 is certainly appealing. This engine produces a modest 96 kW of power and 150 Nm of torque.
There’s also a 2.0-litre (118 kW / 200 Nm) that comes in at $34,490 with the six-speed manual.
Automatic transmission, again with six forward ratios, adds $2000 to the price.
On-road charges have to be factored in, but being able to get into the driving seat of a Mazda MX-5 for under $35,000 is likely to have people rushing to showrooms.
Interestingly, Mazda Australia sees its main customers coming from two apparently dissimilar groups, young couples and empty nesters.
As well as the standard MX-5 Roadster there’s also an upmarket one, the Roadster GT.
Available with the same engine / transmission combinations as the lower cost model, the GT gains 16-inch wheels, black door-mirror housings, a seven-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, internet radio, automatic lights and wipers, climate control on the air conditioning, keyless entry and start, together with a few other bits and pieces.
The topline MX-5 GT with the 2.0-litre engine and automatic transmission is priced at $41,550; again on-road charges have to be added.
Starting with a blank computer screen means the designers have been able to trim a significant amount of weight from that of the 1110 kg gen-three MX-5, bringing the new car down to 1009 kilograms, agonisingly close to the 999 kg we suspect they were aiming for.
By way of comparison the original 1989 MX-5 was a featherweight 940 kg.
Part of the weigh reduction means the MX-5 now has a soft-top again, not a folding hardtop.
Driving the all-new Mazda MX-5 is a sheer delight, even more enjoyable than in previous models, hard as that is to believe.
The engine has been moved slightly backwards and the little roadster can be classed as mid-engined as its complete powerplant is within the wheelbase.
It has also been lowered to bring the centre of gravity just that little bit closer to the ground.
Also lower are the seats which may prove a disadvantage to some – as mentioned, Mazda Australia is chasing empty nesters as prime buyers.
Being in that class I find it less than easy to get down onto the seats as the old bones are reluctant to co-operate.
Once settled in, the seats are great, with good support for enthusiastic cornering.
Cornering of the type that cries out to be explored and which is guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of those who love their cars.
The MX-5’s ride is impressively comfortably for a car with the sort of balance and superb road grip the MX-5 provides; well done the suspension and tyre engineers.
Operation of the soft-top roof is simplicity itself, undo a single catch in the windscreen header rail, fold the roof back and it clips down into the open position. You can do it in less than five seconds. Lovely!
Engine performance from the 1.5 we tested is adequate but no more than that. At times we had to change down a couple of gears on hills that most other cars would have sailed up in top.
Fortunately gearchanges on the MX-5 are as precise and easy as always. Thankfully there’s a 2.0-litre engine option, though none of these are in Australia at this stage.
The Mazda range is available for test drive at Bruce Clough Mazda, Princes Highway, Nar Nar Goon. Phone 5942 5584.
Model range
Roadster 1.5-litre two-door convertible: $31,990 (manual), $33,990 (automatic).
Roadster GT 1.5-litre two-door convertible: $37,990 (manual), $39,990 (automatic).
Roadster 2.0-litre two-door convertible: $34,490 (manual), $36,490 (automatic).
Roadster GT 2.0-litre two-door convertible: $39,550 (manual), $41,550 (automatic).
