Little surprise Mazda has followed the form of the last MX-5 and introduced a new folding hardtop version at the New York Show. A little more surprise at the way it looks though. No longer a Roadster Coupe the new MX-5 is dubbed the RF, short for Retractable Fastback.
Roadster Coupe is out, Retractable Fastback is in!
As the name suggests, this is no longer simply a folding hardtop version of the roadster like the last NC model. Instead buttresses extend into the rear deck to create a distinctively different looking car with an identity of its own. With the roof retracted it's more a targa than roadster, the way the rear deck rises up to swallow the roof panels actually reminiscent of the Porsche 911 of the same name.
There is no published information on the weight penalty the new design brings, the last one impressive for its meagre addition of just 37kg to the kerbweight of the conventional fabric roadster. However, a PR source told us at the show that the weight penalty is "not much more" than the previous car.
The other major change for RF is the addition of a six-speed automatic option, Mazda clearly reckoning a proportion of buyers will be seeking a more all-round roadster than the more sporty standard car. Again, as yet there are no figures relating to performance comparative to the manual but, given the shift quality is one of the great strengths of the manual, we'd struggle to see the attraction.
Engines are as per the standard car, meaning a choice of 131hp 1.5 or 160hp 2.0-litre Skyactiv-G petrols. The RF will be on sale in 2017, with pricing and specification to be confirmed nearer the time.