IN 1979 Bob Hall, an American motoring journalist, took an idea for a modern, affordable version of the classic British roadster the Lotus Elan to a company called Mazda. Back then the name Mazda brought to mind a type of lightbulb (made by companies such as General Electric) rather than cars. It took a while for the Japanese company to come round to the idea, but a decade later, after many revisions, the MX-5 was launched. After three generations of the car, more than 950,000 have been produced, putting the little Mazda into the record books and sending other manufacturers scurrying to create rivals.
For the fourth generation Mazda has stuck to the same beans-on-toast formula: rear-wheel drive, two seats and the choice of two petrol engines. They are expected to produce 140bhp and a more zesty 180bhp and are mounted behind the front axle on a chassis that uses Mazda’s SkyActiv engineering technology, which helps to bring the weight of the car down to close to a ton. It also lowers the centre of gravity and ensures a 50-50 weight distribution. The result, says Mazda, is a car that’s even more fun to drive.
For the first time the MX-5 will feature electric power steering, which will alarm purists and no doubt give rise to claims that the car has lost its driving feel.
The new version has sharper lines and more heavily styled headlights than its predecessor. Inside, the designers have gone for what now passes for simple, with a screen controlled by a dial next to the manual handbrake. The few buttons there are enable a quick transition to top-down motoring, and three chunky ventilation dials let drivers quickly pump up the heat for open-air winter motoring.
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The exact time it takes to put the hood down depends on the owner: the soft top is operated manually. A version with a metal folding roof is likely to be launched later.
Prices should start at £20,000 when it goes on sale next summer.
