RE: Is the MX-5 RF a good looking car? PH Blog

[ocrx8]

One of the most awkward designs in recent years IMO.

[Mr-B]

Looks better in the flesh than pics. Drives just like the soft top apart from the wind noise that other road testers have mentioned. Don't think I will be swapping my ND for one, the "upgrade" just isn't that discernible. For me there was no "wow, this is so much better than the soft top"

[Yipper]

Looks hideous. All the proportions and angles are a mishmash.

[Niffty951]

This needs (at thw bare minimum) 280hp to be interesting. Manufactures seem in the habbit at the moment of matching each other. What ever happened to standing out from the crowd? How about a (peoples car) Golf that cost half as much as a Porsche but could out pace a 924? The original gti is born and the reputation has lasted 40 years.

Imagine A 350hp Mx5 or Toyota GT86. Instant history.

Edited by Niffty951 on Sunday 12th February 16:31

[grumbledoak]

Niffty951 said:

Imagine A 350hp Mx5 or Toyota GT86. Instant history.

Why imagine?
http://www.porsche.com/uk/models/718/718-cayman-s/...

[Niffty951]

I am very fond of the Cayman S (except the gearing) but 350hp for 50k seems depressingly low hp per £ where 350hp for sub 30k (and not in an M135i lacking LSD and chassis refinement) would be something worth remembering.

[mybrainhurts]

Yipper said:

Looks hideous. All the proportions and angles are a mishmash.

...like a bad 1960s kit car.

[WJNB]

em177 said:

Like most current Jap cars (think GT86 etc) they only really need a set of wheels and lowered to look fantastic. Assuming the RF will be the same. This is Garage Varys demo...

Good heavens that's awful - an instant Chavmobile

[WJNB]

What next, an estate or hatchback diesel version?
And why this fascination with depressing & dreary Tarmac Grey which is fine for Mr Pin Striped Executive in his corporate Mercedes but on a fun frivolous sportscar that is supposed to exude gaiety?

[leglessAlex]

Niffty951 said:

I am very fond of the Cayman S (except the gearing) but 350hp for 50k seems depressingly low hp per £ where 350hp for sub 30k (and not in an M135i lacking LSD and chassis refinement) would be something worth remembering.

370Z. £29k, manual box, RWD, 320bhp.

It's not even all that heavy by todays standard with a curb weight of 1500kg. It's extremely unlikely a 350bhp GT86 would be much lighter if it came from the factory with that power.

[blearyeyedboy]

Niffty951 said:

This needs (at thw bare minimum) 280hp to be interesting.

I suspect that no MX-5 ever to come out of a factory will be the car for you.

Never mind whether the MX-5 RF is any good or not. All these relatively light RWD roadsters are never about the power output. They're about handling balance on a back road. If power output is what rings your bell, other categories of car are available which will fulfill that brief better.

[Turning Japanese]

I think the new soft top mx5 is a great looking car and congratulations to Mazda for making it smaller and lighter.
This RF is very pretty from some angles but I think it looks odd from behind. If it had been a fixed roof coupe it really could have been beautiful from every angle. A bit like a mini Jag F type.
A previous comment hit the nail on the head for me. Why did Mazda have to offer this as well as the soft top, they are too similar?
They should have only offered a soft top for people who like having the open air experience and then a fixed roof coupe (with better looks, stiffer chassis, bigger boot etc) for people who want a cheap coupe that also returns decent mpg.

My preference would be a coupe version with the 1.5 engine and an LSD on 16" wheels. There must be a market for that.

[Johnnytheboy]

I think it looks lovely.

The propaganda campaign on the OH is under way.

[Craikeybaby]

I prefer the Roadster, but not convinced by the "face" on either. Hopefully amid cycle refresh sorts that out.

[darth_pies]

Looks really good. Photos don't do it justice as its a small low car and you'd rarely view it from a low angle side-profile like in the pics. Therefore the 'high roof' is not an issue in real life.

That said, will undoubtedly benefit from lowering as expect it will be teetering about on top of a high ride-height with massive wheel arch gaps straight out of the factory like the Mk3 did (some sort of pedestrian safety issue wasn't it?)

[RBH58]

It does look better with a slight drop. I actually like the standard rims. I think they are "right" for the car.

This is mine with a reasonable, sensible and legal 30mm drop on Eibachs...

Edited by RBH58 on Monday 13th February 08:53

[M1C]

I like that! I think it's got a mini-GT look about it.

[MustardCutter]

Seems to a lot of hate from people who haven't seen one in person, whilst pretty much all the commenters who have actually seen one like it. I have had a good look round one in real life and think it looks fantastic.

[Filibuster]

RBH58 said:

It does look better with a slight drop. I actually like the standard rims. I think they are "right" for the car.

This is mine with a reasonable, sensible and legal 30mm drop on Eibachs...

Edited by RBH58 on Monday 13th February 08:53

Top lurking! And a great first post! I really like your RF, best colour IMO and the -30mm suits it perfectly!

[RBH58]

M1C said:

I like that! I think it's got a mini-GT look about it.

I can see 1969 Opel GT & Volvo P1800 in the shape. But it still looks very Japanese to me too. I can see 240Z & 2000GT too.