I recognize that face…
That’s not surprising. Launched in 1989 as an affordable, open-top every day sports car, 30 years, four generations and countless awards later, Mazda has sold well over a million of them. It is even listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s best-selling two-seater sports car. You don’t really have to go out of your way to come across one on the street.
The original isn’t really outdated, is it?
Nope. It premiered at the Chicago Auto Show when many current TGteam members weren’t even born yet, and the Lotus Elan-inspired look is as attractive as ever. The most striking are probably the folding headlights, which have already disappeared with the second generation due to safety requirements, just like those cool door handles.
To get in is to go back in time in both; you don’t have to be here for trinkets, but the family resemblance is clear. Opening the roof is simple – undo two clips and drop it behind the seats – and there’s a real lockable glove compartment.
Is the performance comparable?
The first generation, NA, weighed 955 kilograms and was initially only available with a 1.6-liter with 116 hp, good for a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 195 km/h. you. Five years later, a 1.8 was added that added 15 horsepower, took half a second off the sprint time and topped just over 200 km/h.
The current generation weighs about 100 kilos more, but continues to be roots faithful with rear-wheel drive and turboless engines. The entry-level is a 1.5 with 132 hp, which 0 to 100 in 8.3 seconds and a maximum speed of 204 km/h. The topper is a 2.0-liter with 184 hp, a top of 219 km/h and an acceleration to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds. Small steps.
Is the new one much better to drive?
Something, maybe, but it makes little difference. And there’s a good reason, too, that Mazda has barely changed the recipe for four generations. Where the original offered precise steering, crisp shifts and great balance thanks to a 50/50 weight distribution, the latest one… basically offers the exact same thing.
It’s the perfect formula for a simple sports car, and where it may lack some power compared to competitors, it’s certainly no less fun to drive. Especially with the roof down and the wind in your hair.
What is the difference in price?
When the MX-5 first appeared in showrooms in the 1990s, it cost around 23,500 euros. A pittance, whichever way you look at it. Nowadays you have to take more than 36 mille (just over 30k in Belgium) for a base model with the 1.5 engine. That doesn’t make it hard to understand why he’s always been such an attraction to anyone looking for affordable fun, right?
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