Mazda

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Saturday – Metal Fatigue

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Jeremy I thought having the hard-top option of the MX-5 Roadster Coupe wouldn’t present any disadvantages – especially as the folded steel of the Mazda doesn’t eat into the boot space of the car, unlike so many other convertibles.

However, after a fantastic day of driving the two-seater in the sunshine, what I have found is that the MX-5 looks so much better with the fabric roof fitted than the metal one. Not only that, it’s a much prettier and dynamic car with either roof down and stowed away.

I’m looking at the Roadster Coupe parked outside now with the top down, as the sun starts to disappear over the Cotswolds. It’s far and away the best-looking two-seater you can buy for £23,000 – and that’s the top spec model we’re testing. Investigate further down the range and you can snap up a bargain model that looks equally as good.

The revised front end is especially neat, with latest Mazda ‘nose’ and a lower air spoiler in black. Low, purposeful and shapely – just as any sports car should be. I’m enjoying every moment in this great little sportster.

 

 

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Friday – Too Cold For Comfort

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Jeremy If you are reading this in London and planning a Bank Holiday escape to the South West this afternoon, you may consider delaying your journey. The A303 ‘run to the sun’ is super busy and it’s cold too!

In fact, cold enough to deter me from dropping the hard-top on the MX-5 for too long just yet. Even with the seat-warmer on full tilt, the cabin of the Mazda is less than snug. The tiny wind-deflector between the headrests helps reduce the draft but a hat should be on the options list.

Getting back behind the wheel of an MX-5 is like meeting up with an old friend. The qualities that made this great little sports car a hit back in the 90s are still present – forgiving handling, lively but not breath-taking performance and great looks.

Although the Mazda boasts modest performance (0-60mph in 7.9 seconds), because you are sat so low in the car, it feels much faster. It can’t compete with a Porsche Boxster or a BMW Z4 in a straight line but the 2.0-litre engine works brilliantly in such a well-balanced car.

It may not be the most butch convertible on the market but if you want value for money thrills and great looks, only a fool would rule out the MX-5.

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Thursday – Don’t Call Me A Hairdresser

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Jeremy Why is it some people still think the MX-5 is a hairdresser’s car? I just told a male friend on the telephone that I was taking delivery of the Mazda today and his first response was ‘hairdresser’s car’. Just because he drives a butch 5 Series BMW – he’s probably never been in an MX-5 in his life.

The MX-5 is probably useless for hairstylists anyway. Drop the folding hard-top and all that coiffure is going to be blown away in an instant. I would imagine that hairdressers would much prefer a Fiat 500 cabriolet, or a Audi TT Roadster…

For me, the MX-5 is something of a legend. I owned one back in the 1990s and it just had that rare ability to always put a smile on my face. It loved being driven hard, especially around corners and along twisty backroads. It just set the benchmark for other convertibles to follow. Although nobody ever made anything quite so good for the same sort of money.

Our Roadster Coupe offers the best of both worlds. You can still buy an MX-5 with a soft top but the hard-top makes for quieter high-speed motoring and safer overnight parking.

Just what Mazda will do to improve the car when it is updated in 2014 remains to be seen. Let’s hope they don’t ruin a winning formula because this current version is still as good as it gets. More words tomorrow when I have had a proper drive…