KEY POINTS:
Anyone writing Mazda's MX-5 off as "only good for hairdressers" clearly hasn't driven one, doesn't know how to drive - or wants to reserve any
driving jollies for scissor-wielding fashionistas. And why should they have all the fun?
Not for nothing has the MX-5 always scored highly as a driver's car, favoured by motoring journalists parting with their own money, and been a past winner of New Zealand's Car of the Year. It's always been a sweet-handling, nimble machine that eschews power in search of balance, and that feeling of oneness that's so much part of a truly absorbing driving experience.
Even adding a coupe version - with the roof's attendant weight - could
barely tarnish the car's giant reputation. Fortunately the facelift due
here in March next year promises more of the same.
External changes are new. The grille better links the MX-5 with its siblings, while aerodynamics are improved thanks to a suite of detail changes.
There are differences under the bonnet, too. The MX-5 has always favoured flexibility over sheer power.
Engine tweaks take that further, with power for the 2.0 manual now peaking 300rpm higher up the rev range at 7000rpm, with the rev limiter raised to 7500rpm to suit.
Meanwhile, suspension changes are aimed at reducing the car's front roll
centre and retuning the suspension to reduce vertical loading on the outer wheels, to impart a more natural driving feel and improve steering precision. Less rock and roll for an already stable car, in other words.
We're told the in-cabin experience is quieter - though that's an uphill
battle in a convertible. Mind you, the engine should sound keener. An
"Induction Sound Enhancer" amplifies pulses when the throttle valve
opens to jazz up the soundtrack.
There are no huge changes to the car's dimensions. It's still a two-seater, though an unusually practical one thanks to the reasonably sized boot.
New Zealand MX-5s already have DSC stability control as standard, and the choice of manual or auto transmissions; otherwise it's situation normal.
Sounds as if Mazda's determined not to let increasing complexity spoil
the MX-5's still fairly elemental driving balance, though what it'll do to your wallet remains to be seen.
With exchange rates fluctuating like a fairground ride, Mazda can't confirm price until closer to launch.
