Wednesday 16th April 2008

PH Heroes: Mazda MX-5

Dreamt up in California, it was a Japanese interpretation of a classic British sports car. Simon Green looks at the Mazda MX-5...

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Development started in 1981

Mention the Mazda MX-5 to someone and you might see a smirk creep across their face. It’s a bit girly isn’t it? Handy for driving between hairdressing appointments. Nippy for going to meet Clarissa at the tennis club for a coffee. Finished yet? The truth is, and we all know it really, that the little Mazda has the right ingredients to make it an automotive legend.

There are no jokes about the way this car drives. Rear-wheel drive/ front engine, near 50-50 weight distribution, 16-valve engine, light and good handling. It is difficult to imagine that the origins of this car, now in its third incarnation, date back to 1981, and some people believe it may be earlier than that. Mazda had wanted to capture a bygone era of wind-in-the-hair British sports cars like the Lotus Elan, MGBs and Triumphs, so commissioned ideas from its design teams in California and Japan. The Japanese team proposed a front-engined, front-wheel drive car, but thankfully the US team won with their front-engined, rear-drive proposal.

MX-5 is modern day classic

Mazda happily used the Elan as its inspiration for the car, and made no secret of the fact that it had copied much of the British car’s design. Everything from the overall Lotus-esque design of the body, to the engine valve cover that looks like a Lotus twin cam, makes this car feel special. Even the exhaust note was meant to sound like an MGB (well a bit). Mazda had designed a well-sorted, cheap and pretty roadster that would appeal as much to yummy mummies who cared about their image, to serious drivers who cared about weight distribution and on-the-limit handling. This is probably why the MX-5 has become the best selling sports car of all time.

But what is the first generation like to drive today? Well for a start the MX-5 is covered in little details that give it character. It feels special from the moment you open the door with the little silver latch. Then you slide down into the car, not sit on top of it like so many other cars. The steering wheel is straight in front of you and if you take the rubber centre cap off you will see the MOMO badge. 

Simple interior layout

The pedals are just a little off to the right. Somehow the sea of black plastic looks OK and your eyes tend to focus on the two main dials in the pod. To your left is the centre console where you can control the surprisingly good heating. Unlike so many other Japanese cars of that time it is a joy to sit in because of the simple layout. Change gear on the MX-5 and you notice the feel of the chunky gear knob. The gearchange is very good, in part due to the heavy knob (no jokes), and each gear slots in nicely. Feedback through the power assisted steering is not up to Elise standards, but it’s not far off. Turn-in is very good and grip even up to the edge is fantastic. B-roads were put there for MX-5 drivers to enjoy their cars.

BBR Turbo MX-5 at PH show

The original MX-5, known as the NA, came with a 1.6-litre, double overhead cam, inline four-cyliner engine and although it only had around 110bhp to think that this car was only about straight-line speed was to miss the point. The car handles so beautifully and is so easy to control on the limit it meant you didn’t have to be a racing driver to feel like one. Being so popular, parts are cheap and the cars take high mileages in their stride. You can pick up rough examples for as little as £1,000 these days – a perfect track day proposition.

If the 1.6 litre really isn’t powerful enough you can either go for a later, more powerful version or even explore the possibilities of fitting a turbo. Insurance is not excessive and all round they are cheap to own.

Mk1 ran from '89 to '97

Hold on to it and you will have a future classic, although they arguably have already achieved classic status. In a way it’s good that all those hairdressers bought them, that means there’s plenty around for us to buy now.

[varsas]

Would love one, but IIRC a decent one is still around £5k. However, I paid £3k for my old spitfire and in that context £5k for a modern, more powerful version of that would be a bargain...i'll have to test drive one one day.

[Munter]

Nah it's st. Cant see the appeal at all.

[Altrezia]

varsas said:

Would love one, but IIRC a decent one is still around £5k. However, I paid £3k for my old spitfire and in that context £5k for a modern, more powerful version of that would be a bargain...i'll have to test drive one one day.

I paid a grand for mine!

Great fun, love it to bits. Cheap insurance, half decent miles to a tank, and cheap to service. drives about 50% as well as an Elise, but for 1/10th of the price.

[jamoor]

What a girls car!

[Strangely Brown]

I am truly disappointed.

Article said:

The peddles are just a little off to the right.

Article said:

To your left is the centre consol

That would be pedals and console Mr. Anonymous Author.

But the real killer is...

Article said:

B-roads were put there for MX-5 drivers to enjoy there cars.

Are standards at PH towers falling so fast that nobody proof reads anything any more, or is the place entirely staffed by illiterates?


ETA: Thanks for fixing it. You don't look like a product of the modern ed-u-kay-shun system now.

Edited by Strangely Brown on Wednesday 16th April 13:00

[Mclovin]

Its like a riding moped or shagging a MILF or a driving a souped up skoda, its fun until your friends see you doing it.

[swansea v6]

Def the best car ive owned, yea its not that fast in a straight line, but handling, as you would expect is awesome, much, much better than the E36 325i coupe I owned

[Chris71]

I'd be intrigued to try a really good one some time - none of the MX5s I've driven had especially good steering feedback. They were ok, but nothing more than decent hot hatch territory in terms of feel. Genuinely don't know if its the examples I've tried or if they're a tad overrated.

[paulmurr]

Strangely Brown said:

I am truly disappointed.

Article said:

The peddles are just a little off to the right.

Article said:

To your left is the centre consol

That would be pedals and console Mr. Anonymous Author.

But the real killer is...

Article said:

B-roads were put there for MX-5 drivers to enjoy there cars.

Are standards at PH towers falling so fast that nobody proof reads anything any more, or is the place entirely staffed by illiterates?

You missed this

Article said:

Simple imterior layout

ETA: I've got a Mk 2.5 1.8iS and its brilliant

Edited by paulmurr on Wednesday 16th April 11:32

[Munter]

Mclovin said:

Its like a riding moped or shagging a MILF or a driving a souped up skoda, its fun until your friends see you doing it.

Only if you've got the wrong friends.

[topless_mx5]

Typo at interior picture caption.

[darth_pies]

I was one of the many petrolheads who dismissed the MX5 as a good car but far too girly to be seen dead in. (see also Mini Cooper S)

Last Summer i didn't want to tie up too much money in a 'track hack' for a few trips to the Ring and so my brother persuaded me to get an imported Eunos for a couple of grand. I wasn't very keen on the idea TBH.

Having run some considerably more powerful and exotic cars I would have to admit i was sceptical that i'd enjoy driving it. Despite reading for 15 years about how much fun they are i'd never even sat in one.

But i'm happy to admit i was wrong. This is one of the most fun cars i've ever driven. These things are just pure entertainment. All the usual road test cliches apply: lightweight, delicate, feelsome, easy to chuck about, dependable, progressive etc. etc. On the bends it absolutely rocks. (although my car is a Jap special edition with extra bracing and Bilstein shocks so maybe they aren't ALL quite as good?)

If it has a fault its the lack of power.
My car is a 1993 Eunos with the original 1.6 engine.
Whilst it feels like a helluva lot more than 120bhp (engine is sweet and likes to rev) it isn't going to break any records in a straight line. On the Ring it noticeably ran out of puff on the run up the hill out of Bergwerk. Obviously you can cure this issue with a whacking great turbo or 'charger, but i think that's probably missing the point a bit.

A trip to Abbeville in the Autumn reignited my love for this little car. On a tight twisty track it is quite simply a hilarious two-seater go kart with drifts-on-demand. If you wring its neck it will always give you 110% and put a smile on your face.

The fact that they're cheap to run and ultra-reliable also doesn't hurt.

Driving thrills for the masses. Love it.

Now why did Mazda never make a proper 'hot' version?

[Strangely Brown]

darth_pies said:

Now why did Mazda never make a proper 'hot' version?

Because, as you say, maybe that would be missing the point.

Have to say, the "hot" versions are fun though.

[Munter]

Talking of using the MX5 on the 'ring.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-840254475...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-129807994...

Thats done an 8'46 apparently on a standard engine, new shocks and sticky tyres.

http://bridgetogantry.com/index.php?option=com_con...

[posterboy]

This is one of the most over rated cars ever.

Lame

[Brando]

I love mine to pieces, just need to find time to fit my roll bar and I'll be back on le Track (ring next year I hope for it's maiden voyage and ring sticker).

[The_Ox]

I'm sure that these are great driver's cars. Unfortunately, they do have a bit of an 'image' problem in certain circles. I can still remember my sister's fiance giving me a lift in the one my sister had. We had wolf-whistles from people thinking we were a couple...

[Red Firecracker]

posterboy said:

This is one of the most over rated cars ever.

Lame

You do seem to be in a minority.

What is the basis of your comment? I find they do tend to do exactly what it says on the tin (to coin a phrase).

[Strangely Brown]

Hmmm... posterboy seems to be a bit of a "keyboard kiddie".

Over 100 posts in just 1 month of membership and the only thing in his profile is that he is a student who wants and RS6. Clearly he does not speak from a position of actually knowing WTF he is talking about.

[Red Firecracker]

The_Ox said:

I'm sure that these are great driver's cars. Unfortunately, they do have a bit of an 'image' problem in certain circles. I can still remember my sister's fiance giving me a lift in the one my sister had. We had wolf-whistles from people thinking we were a couple...

Depends on your attitude to how other people see you I suppose. Must admit, never had that problem myself. They can think what they like. It's probably more "who's the grinning idiot in the ginger car?" to be honest.