On any given Saturday or Sunday, the world’s autocross courses and racetracks are filled with weekend racers attempting their
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
fastest lap while taking on other would-be Nico Rosbergs and Lewis Hamiltons. The most popular car of choice is Mazda’s petit MX-5 a.k.a. Miata, a lightweight sports car with such a deep cult following that performance upgrades are cheap and reasonably priced mechanics that know how to work on them are plentiful.
While this might be of some interest, I’m going to take a stab in the dark and guess that all of this racing stuff doesn’t matter to you. After all, most of us are so busy on weekends that the concept of checking our track-tuned racer in at the motorsport park (if there even is one in your area) is just a pipe dream. No, we remain content with the reality that a weekend getaway at a not-too-distant resort is about as much as we can handle, and that a nice car to get there would be ideal.
Such
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
down-to-earth dreams have been fueling Mazda MX-5 sales for decades. It’s easily the most popular sports car ever created, due to an achievable entry price, great performance and rock-steady reliability. Few convertibles come cheaper, and fewer still are cheaper to run. The MX-5’s starting price is a mere $29,450 plus freight, whereas that car’s fuel economy is rated at a scant 9.2 L/100km city and 7.1 highway.
While most racers would pick up a base model and then track-tune it from there, the average consumer prefers a few more features. My 2014 MX-5 GT tester was fully fitted with almost every option Mazda offers (a six-speed automatic is available), including a body-coloured power retractable hardtop that neatly folds away behind the seats in seconds. Leather-lined and kitted out with proximity sensing remote access and pushbutton ignition, the GT also boasts heated seats, an
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth hands-free, seven-speaker AM/FM/CD Bose audio with satellite radio, nice upgraded chrome and silver trim inside and out, HID headlights, and unique 17-inch alloys on 205/45R17 performance tires. This all gets added to a car that’s already loaded with equipment from lesser GX and GS trims, so I was hardly hard done by.
All base GX models get power door locks with remote keyless entry, power windows with one-touch down, body-coloured power-operated exterior mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with tilt, steering spoke-mounted audio and cruise controls, an AM/FM/CD audio system with four speakers, two tweeters and an auxiliary input, fog lights, traction and stability control, ABS-enhanced disc brakes all-round with electronic brake force distribution, a full assortment of airbags and more.
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Move up to the GS and a the six-speed manual gets added (or alternatively the six-speed automatic gets paddle shifters), while a front strut tower brace and limited slip differential join a sport suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers as well as 17-inch wheels and tires for better handling. Additionally, a standard black power retractable hardtop combines with matching black mirror caps for a great look and coupe-like convenience. Inside, the GS gets air conditioning, an exterior temperature gauge, trip computer, adjustable driver’s seat lifter and more.
While the features included with my GT were very nice, sound system excellent and power roof the ideal all-weather roadster companion, the reason why the MX-5 received so much of my attention was its performance. Few cars are as much fun
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
to coax through a corner, and fewer still so unflappable doing so. The MX-5 begs to be driven fast, its free-revving 167 horsepower 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine contented to rev past its 7,400 redline, although it only needs 7,000 rpm to make peak power and 5,000 for maximum torque.
What might be better than the engine is the car’s optional six-speed manual; a five-speed is standard with the base car. The six-speed slots into gear with svelte precision, only needing subtle wrist flicks to step through the cogs resulting in short-throw shifting heaven. Likewise, clutch take-up is perfectly weighted for quick reaction yet solid, purposeful feel, matched by brakes that seem like they could scrub off speed without fading all day at racecourse pace.
The
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| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
MX-5 is a fabulous driving package that has the capability of delivering all the fun of a premium sports car costing twice the price, yet can be purchased by we regular folks strapped to our normal budgets. It’s just as happy slamming over curbs at the track as it is on Monday’s commute to work, and likely will continue serving both purposes for years to come without the usual reliability problems that go along with performance car life. Add to that a trunk that can actually hold a weekend’s luggage and Mazda’s MX-5 continues forward as the best value in the two-seat roadster segment. No wonder it remains a best seller.
©(Copyright Canadian Auto Press)
