The Mazda MX-5 Thread

I drove my friend's ND and test drove the Abarth 124, really fun car with a manual and free revving of the MX5 engine. The 124 has a much more punchy engine character.
 
Nearly-new buying guide: Mazda MX-5 Mk4

An approved used MX-5 can save you thousands over a new one

The cheapest new MX-5 is the £19,495 1.5 132 SE convertible, but why spend that when you can spear a four-year-old 2.0 SE-L Nav rag-top for £10,995? Why subject yourself to the curse of depreciation when there’s a perfectly good MX-5 down the road on which the leeches have done their worst?

Okay, it’s done 53,000 miles and, for all we know, it’s had a couple of owners. It’ll have a few scratches and maybe the brake calipers look a little tired. On the flipside, it’s a Mazda-approved car, which means it’s passed a multi-point inspection and has a 12-month, unlimited-mileage warranty and breakdown cover.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/used-cars/nearly-new-buying-guide-mazda-mx-5-mk4

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BBR beefs up Mazda MX-5 roadster with two fresh tuning packages

Northamptonshire-based tuner BBR has released two tuning packages for Mazda MX-5 roadster, each featuring a bump in power. The upgrades have been applied to the updated MX-5, which we should point out is not currently available in South Africa.

The first of the two packages is the Super 200 kit, which adds a four-into-one high-flow stainless steel exhaust manifold, a cold air intake system with a K&N high-flow air filter and a custom StarChip ECU remap. This takes the MX-5's standard outputs of 135 kW and 205 N.m to 150 kW and 224 N.m.

For those who want even more power, BBR has created the Super 220 package, which increases the power output to 165 kW (although the torque figure matches that of the Super 200). This takes all of the upgrades from the Super 200 and adds a set of high-profile camshafts, valve springs and retainers.

https://www.carmag.co.za/news/new-m...mx-5-roadster-with-two-fresh-tuning-packages/

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Hellcat Miata This Is Not a Drill

I’ll confess I’m not all that interested in or impressed by burnouts but, uh, there’s no denying the pure majesty of a 2,580-pound car putting 685 horsepower to its wheels.

This clip from Hoonigan Daily Transmission features what can only be described as a comically aggressive engine swap, I mean, then again, it’s really more its own animal than just a regular-old repower at this point.

As Hoonigan guests Stephen Crapps and Mike Kelly explain, this vehicle is the only known Hellcat-powered Miata. They take us through the project and parts that went into the build: the car runs a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission, like what you might find in a Challenger or Camaro, a Ford 8.8 rear end and meaty, meaty tires which it rips through with the grace and elegance of a pitbull trying to get some peanut butter out of a rubber ball.

https://jalopnik.com/hellcat-miata-this-is-not-a-drill-1836559824


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Mazda SA likely to offer next-gen MX-5 in both manual and auto

The managing director of Mazda Southern Africa says the local arm of the Japanese firm will “probably” offer the next-generation MX-5 with a manual as well as an automatic transmission.

Towards the end of 2017, Mazda SA quietly discontinued the MX-5 roadster, but interestingly chose to retain the RF variant – available exclusively with a six-speed automatic gearbox – of the little rear-wheel-drive sportscar.

Speaking to CARmag.co.za at the local launch of the new Mazda3, Craig Roberts said the decision to drop the soft-top version of the MX-5 was a tough one.

“It was just a complexity issue for us. We looked at it and it was a hard decision for us to take, because the MX-5 is legendary amongst roadster purchasers,” he told us.

“But we looked at the market and did focus groups and studies, and we [found we] couldn’t bring in too many variants because of the volumes, because of the size of the segment. Whether we got it right … who knows?”

Roberts went on to suggest the firm would likely offer the next (fifth-generation) version of the MX-5 with a choice of cog-swappers.

https://www.carmag.co.za/news/rumou...-offer-next-gen-mx-5-in-both-manual-and-auto/
 
FiestaST said:
Mazda SA likely to offer next-gen MX-5 in both manual and auto

The managing director of Mazda Southern Africa says the local arm of the Japanese firm will “probably” offer the next-generation MX-5 with a manual as well as an automatic transmission.

Towards the end of 2017, Mazda SA quietly discontinued the MX-5 roadster, but interestingly chose to retain the RF variant – available exclusively with a six-speed automatic gearbox – of the little rear-wheel-drive sportscar.

Speaking to CARmag.co.za at the local launch of the new Mazda3, Craig Roberts said the decision to drop the soft-top version of the MX-5 was a tough one.

“It was just a complexity issue for us. We looked at it and it was a hard decision for us to take, because the MX-5 is legendary amongst roadster purchasers,” he told us.

“But we looked at the market and did focus groups and studies, and we [found we] couldn’t bring in too many variants because of the volumes, because of the size of the segment. Whether we got it right … who knows?”

Roberts went on to suggest the firm would likely offer the next (fifth-generation) version of the MX-5 with a choice of cog-swappers.

https://www.carmag.co.za/news/rumou...-offer-next-gen-mx-5-in-both-manual-and-auto/
Click to expand...
Now that makes sense.
 
Mazda MX-5 30th Anniversary 2019 UK review

Should I buy one?

You’re going to be sorry you asked, because the answer’s certainly complicated. If you’ve never owned an MX-5, or if you’ve had so many that you’re totally smitten and just want another spin on the merry-go-round or a slice of the 30th birthday cake action, go ahead. There’s an awful lot to recommend the standard MX-5’s driving experience above and beyond that of almost any other sub-£30k driver’s car that you might compare it with. The Toyota GT86 would give it run for its money for sheer fun factor, but otherwise you’d basically need to be willing to daily a lower-end Caterham to match it for driver involvement.

There are now, however, other options hidden within the Mazda dealer accessories brochure that allow you to configure your own 30th birthday tribute to jinba ittai (just Google it if you don’t know) for less than the cost of this special edition and end up with a car that’s better to drive.

For customers looking to make a few aftermarket tweaks to the specification of their cars, Mazda now offers a few selected, dealer-fit upgrades to the MX-5 that really do make a telling difference to the way it handles and performs. There’s a lightweight BBS 17in alloy wheel that doesn’t look unlike the Rays rim on the 30th Anniversary car; an Eibach suspension lowering kit that drops the chassis 25mm lower to the ground; and a sports exhaust that boosts the car’s audible character to truly sporting levels. You could have the lot on a Sport Nav car, with an otherwise matching spec to the 30th Anniversary edition save for the front brakes, and in a nicer metallic colour, for the same price. In fact, there would be change to spend on 'go-faster' body trim if you so chose.

Mazda had an MX-5 2.0-litre with the dealer-fit lowering kit, the sports exhaust and the BBS wheels squirrelled away in a corner on the 30th Anniversary edition UK press launch, and a test drive proved, rather inconveniently perhaps, that it’s a noticably quicker, freer-revving, more precise and keener-handling prospect than any factory-spec MX-5. There’s a slightly more compelling sense of sporting purpose about it – even if it doesn’t have quite as smooth a low-speed ride as the Sport-spec car. Lowering the MX-5 was always the first thing aftermarket tuners did to it; no surprise, then, that it makes an already engaging chassis even more involving and special.

So, given that all of those dealer accessories are now fully warranted Mazda upgrades, you can guess where my money would go – and it wouldn’t be on that orange paint job. But I’m not a member of the MX-5 fan club; and I gather they like a special edition. It would, of course, be possible to fit the Eibach lowering kit and sports pipes to a 30th Anniversary car; and given special editions hold their value so well, it wouldn’t be an entirely daft way to spend £28,095, either.

So there you are, folks: go nuts, there's cake for all, to have and to eat, exactly as you prefer. Happy 30th, MX-5. Kool & The Gang, that’s your cue.

Mazda MX-5 30th Anniversary specification

Where Warwickshire, UK Price £28,095 On sale Now Engine 4cyls inline, 1998cc, normally aspirated, petrol Power 181bhp at 7000rpm Torque 151lb ft at 4000rpm Gearbox 6-spd manual Kerb weight 1124kg Top speed 136mph 0-62mph 6.5sec Fuel economy 40.9mpg (WLTP combined) CO2 tbc Rivals Toyota GT86, Nissan 370Z

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-revie...es/mazda-mx-5-30th-anniversary-2019-uk-review

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