Shed of the Week: Mazda MX-6

If the MX-5 is the Answer to Everything then an MX-6 must be the Answer to Something, right?

Anyone ever been to Flat Rock, Michigan? PHers who have powerfully inscribed their X onto a Mustang order form might recognise this as the address of Ford's Assembly Plant.

Adenoidally, history nerds will add that Flat Rock was also responsible for turning out the Ford Probe back in the 90s. Built on the Mazda GE platform, the blobby Probe was a good deal less handsome than the MX-6 that Mazda managed to conjure up on their drawing boards in 1991.

What happens when you add one to MX-5?

It didn't matter. The contemporary motoring press tore both of them new ones for their flabbiness and languid performance.

Luckily, motoring perceptions and expectations change over time. Despite squillions spent on R&D over the last 20 years or so, the differences on the road between then and now aren't as massive as you might expect. That's partly because, like for like, cars are a lot bigger now than they were in the 90s. Heavier, too. That new Mustang weighs in at around 1,650kg for the weediest 2.3-litre four-pot version. In 1991, the 2.5 V6-powered MX-6 was perceived as positively lardmungous at 1,250kg.

Naturally, engines have moved on considerably to make up for the weight penalty. Even that milk toast 2.3 'Stang claims 317hp. But the Mazda needed only half that amount of horsepower to reach its top speed of 138mph, just 7mph down on the 2016 Ford. Eeeh, them were the days, sort of.

Old man image means it's avoided yoof tinkering

Admittedly, the Mazda's 0-60 time is about three seconds longer than the Ford's, which in this context (if not so much in reality) is an age, but the Shedman will correctly argue that an eight-second squirt of creamy twin-cam 24-valve V6 trumps five seconds of Identikit turbo four drone any day.

It's a decent engine, this, with a good rep for reliability. Distributors can fail, giving you the cranking but not the starting that you'd ideally like. Valve cover gaskets leak, spark plugs short, and lumpy running probably means a split in the pipe between the MAF sensor and the throttle body.

Generally speaking though, you have little to fear. The MX-6's unstressed state of tune bodes well for high miles, as our Shed is already demonstrating. It's a manual too, which allows you to hang on to the gears in search of that magical top end rush. Like the golden Euromillions envelope, this is something that will never arrive, but dreaming is free.

Front-wheel drive means safe rather than spectacular handling, but it also means that the drift boys never targeted MX-6s for enskidment. The 6's stair lift image has also saved it from the horrors of Halfordisation.

Piped leather? Swish!

This example from the last year of production certainly looks honest enough with its sales-boosting run-out accoutrements like the cushy piped leather cabin and smart alloys. Dark blue is a better colour for these than the fading red. Rust is neither mentioned nor immediately obvious on the pics, but check the carpets for dampness as the air-con can leak into the passenger footwell. Windows and sunroofs can suffer from lazy electricity.

The MX-6 is a cruiser rather than a bruiser, but it's a comfy old shoe and you can squeeze four golf bags into the back if you're into that type of thing.

Remember too that there's a 12-month waiting list for a Mustang. The wait for this chap is as long as it takes you to get to Bedfordshire. And it's thirty times cheaper.

Here's the ad.

Dark Blue Mazda MX-6 2.5 V6. Drives well, clean in and out. Common wear and tear for age, come and see for yourself! MOT untill december. Surprisingly quick! No extra mods or anything. Perfect car for someone looking to project, or tune and upgrade!

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Nuppy

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