Thursday 3rd February 2005

Mazda unveils new MX-5

It will probably look good and drive well

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Mazda will reveal the third generation Mazda MX-5 at the Geneva International Motor Show next month. It will be showing the car for the first time on 28 February, but in the meantime all Mazda could provide us with is this shot of the car in a bra. No prices, no spec, nothing.

The prototype was developed by UK design company International Automotive Design in Worthing, and the finished car was first announced in 1989. Since then, it has built a reputation as a affordable two-seater sports car that's fun to drive, but without so much power that the unwary could find themselves in trouble. As one contributor to an MX5 forum put it, "On a wet road or with a bit of gravel, you might find yourself getting a bit sideways. That's how you know it's rear-wheel drive."

Universally acclaimed for its good driving and build qualities, the MX5 was face-lifted in 1993, increasing engine capacity to 1.8-litres. With good residuals and assuming Mazda doesn't break the elements of the car that have made it a minor classic, it could be business as usual.

[Bill Carr]

I hate to pick holes, but the pop-up lamps were still around in 1993...

[GregE240]

Indeed, 1998 saw the release of the MK2 with fixed headlamps.

[philbob]

GIVE US SOME MORE POWER PLEASE!

[v8thunder]

I wonder if the Renesis would fit...

[snorky]

it'll be pedestrian friendly with that hot water jacket wrapped round it !!!

[Mal3]

Indeed, the 1.8l engine appeared with the '94 model, but as stated, it was the '99 model which lost the pop up lamps.

I miss my US market '94 Miata (the US only got the 1.8l engines when they became available) and though I'm sure the facelifted models probably drove even better, they lost all their charm with the '99 model. It didn't look unique, only yet another Japanese car - with a drop top. Did manage to get decent quality interiors at last, though.

Looking forward to the 3. gen.

Oh, and people have been putting 13B Wankels from the RX-7 into the MX-5, so, yeah, a RENESIS should fit, and be even fitter in the lighter MX-5. In fact, a small block Ford V8 or a Rover V8 will fit as well. What the MX-5 should get, in my opinion, is a lusty naturally aspirated 2.0 liter engine (around here, cars with engine capacities over 2.0l get a higher tax applied...)

[dinkel]

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread/t-47791.html

www.mx-5-freunde.de/Aktuelles/mx5_der_3.Generation.htm

The small 6pot 2.0 would be perfect . . .

[v8thunder]

Or what about that sweet high-revving 1.6-litre V6 they developed for the MX-6? Bored out to 2-litres, of course.

[simonrockman]

It's been discussed before, the 1.8 V6 was designed to be used transverse and so there would be problems turning it to go in an MX5.


Simon

[annodomini2]

There's a company in the states putting LS6 engines in them, if i find the link i'll post it

[FlasheeGee]

here is the link for the aussie version powered by lexus,with lots of turbo HP.

www.bulletcars.com

[Newromancer]

dinkel said:

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread/t-47791.html www.mx-5-freunde.de/Aktuelles/mx5_der_3.Generation.htm The small 6pot 2.0 would be perfect . . .

Thanks ...

it looked better with the bra.

[dinkel]

I never said it looked good . . . Cabrio looks like it's family with recent Mazda's . . .

[RobDickinson]

dinkel said:

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread/t-47791.html www.mx-5-freunde.de/Aktuelles/mx5_der_3.Generation.htm The small 6pot 2.0 would be perfect . . .

Beither of those are right, and the 2nd, white one, was an RX8 mule rather than anything to do with mX5 development.

[v8thunder]

Another example of good looks sacrificed for the sake of a corporate 'look'

[thirsty]

It still looks like a hair dresser's car to me.....

[phase90]

annodomini2 said:

There's a company in the states putting LS6 engines in them, if i find the link i'll post it

Are you talking this one?
[url]www.miata.net/news/v6.html[/url]

[phase90]

thirsty said:

It still looks like a hair dresser's car to me.....

Don't most cars? Especially the Z4...

[dinkel]

www.bishopsales.com/history/ford_bishop.html
"1991 Mazda Miata with Cardiac Cobra V8 Conversion. 1992 Ford 302 cu.in. V8 producing approx 285 hp. 5-speed transmission, and RX7 IRS rear end."

www.telusplanet.net/public/rbhutson/miata/arc02/musings_v8-04.htm
"1959 Cadillac look-alike Miata - Front"

www.scottkeen.com/miata/megamonster.asp

www.v8miata.com/
"I  have converted 100+ Monster Miatas in the past 14 years. It is a passion of mine. After having talked to a great many gearheads, my consensus is there needs to be a straight-forward way for the average person with a toolbox to do a V8 conversion themselves. I'm now proud to say we have achieved this as well. Panache has produced the "easy to understand" V-8 conversion kit."

www.ace.net.nz/miata/ogg1e.html

[oldboyracer]

interested to know who and how the RX7 engines have been put in, i always understood that they and the lovely 1.8V6 from the MX3 would not fit.
About 200HP would be good and not peaky/revvy like the S2000, another helmholz resonator perhaps