You appreciate the good things in life. You admire the originality of classic design. You believe in understated style and elegance. Your sports car gives you control at your fingertips, the wind in your hair and the sun in your face. To which car do we rMAZDA MX-5: THE ACCESSIBLE DREAM
You appreciate the good things in life. You admire the originality of classic
design. You believe in understated style and elegance. Your sports car gives
you control at your fingertips, the wind in your hair and the sun in your face.
To which car do we refer? None other than the all-new Mazda MX-5 which is currently
making its debut here in South Africa.
One of the most successful and sought-after roadsters in the world, the stunning
new Mazda MX-5 offers classic design, understated style and elegance and is
set to appeal to motorists who love open-top, exhilarating motoring.
This head-turning new car combines the ultimate in rational buying criteria
– class-leading quality, reliability and dependability – with the pinnacle of
uncompromising motoring passion when it comes to the more emotive aspects of
styling and personality. This is a car that will certainly appeal to the senses!
Much more than just a mode of transport, it’s a car which instils a sense
of fun, excitement and desire. Quite simply, it’s joie de vivre on wheels!
The new MX-5 comes with an impeccable pedigree. The original MX-5, a classic
roadster designed with oneness between car and driver as the sole focus, was
a runaway success. Nearly 600 000 MX-5 roadsters have been sold since the first
model was launched in 1989, earning the vehicle a place in the Guinness Book
of World Records for the top-selling roadster.
Owners of the MX-5 are truly passionate about their cars. As testament of this,
there are more than 240 active MX-5 Owners Clubs throughout the world, testimony
to the loyalty and passion that the vehicle delivers.
Now, with the new MX-5, Mazda has reset the benchmark. Stylish, insightful
and spirited, the new MX-5 brings together distinctive design, exceptional functionality,
responsive handling and superb performance in an affordable and accessible package.
Air-conditioning, power steering, power windows (one-touch auto down), power
mirrors, a two-speaker, two tweeter Radio/CD sound system, central locking,
power doorlocks and remote releases for the fuel filler cap and the boot lid
are all standard features to ensure that driver and passenger alike travel in
foremost comfort and style.
Recent developments in automotive technology have seen Mazda improve the engine,
strengthen the body and fine-tune the suspension to a level where car and driver
become one.
The heart of the new MX-5 is a 1.8-litre DOHC, 4-cylinder, 16-valve engine
with Sequential Valve Timing (S-VT) mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.
Sequential Valve Timing features continuous phase variable valve timing, which
provides responsive engine performance from low to high engine speeds to complement
the motor’s outstanding characteristics. With a ‘short throw’
shifting six-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels, full advantage is
taken of the MX-5’s maximum power of 107 kW at 7 000 r/min and 168 Nm of
torque available at 5 000 r/min.
To cope with the dynamic capabilities of the power train, Mazda achieved significant
body strength improvements by enlarging and thickening side sills, and by expanding
tunnels gussets and other structural elements to give MX-5 class-leading structural
integrity and rigidity. Further improvements in body strength were achieved
by the use of Mazda’s Advanced Impact-energy Distribution and Absorption
System (MAIDAS).
Mazda engineers also fine-tuned the suspension by including modifying shock
damping force combined with high pressure, gas-filled sports dampers.
Added body stiffness is provided by the removable hard top, which not only
transforms the MX-5 into a racy sports coupé when in place, but also
increases rigidity. Without the hard top, driver and passenger are protected
from the elements by a stylish, manually operated soft top that features a tempered
glass rear window with integrated demister.
Braking is also an area where the MX-5 excels. An increase in the size of the
master cylinder and the brake discs, as well as improved vacuum booster operation,
endow the MX-5 with excellent and stable braking characteristics. Matched to
a four-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) is a new Electronically controlled
Brake Distribution (EBD) system that provides even better stability under braking
by enabling more subtle adjustment of the car’s posture. The system electronically
apportions braking force to each wheel in relation to the load being carried.
In addition to improving active safety through the use of ABS with EBD, passive
safety enhancements include an SRS airbag system for both the driver and passenger,
and a three-point inertia reel seatbelt system with pretensioners and load limiters.
From the under-the-skin engineering enhancements to the distinctive exterior
styling, Mazda has created a car that epitomises the company’s “contrast
in harmony” design theme. Subtle enhancements to MX-5’s already distinctive
styling have transformed the roadster’s design. The shark-nose bumper gives
it a more predatory visage while still remaining true to the original styling.
New headlamps and rear combination lamps, a large air intake, integrated driving
lights, a distinctive power bulge in the bonnet and new 16-inch round-rim aluminium
wheels combine to form a masculinity that was less evident in the previous model.
The interior continues sportiness and elegance which emanates throughout the
rest of the car. New leather-covered, high-back bucket seats, a new centre console,
white dials with red illumination and chrome-plated rims for the speedometer
and tachometer as well as a tasteful Nardi steering wheel and gear knob completely
complement the MX-5’s visual and dynamic promise. Detail improvements to
the interior include the addition of cup holders and a centre console box.
The MX-5 offers brilliant dynamic capabilities and head-turning styling while
simultaneously offering class-leading quality, reliability and dependability.
It is competitively priced at R225 000, which includes Mazda’s comprehensive
three-year or 100 000 km warranty. Service intervals are every 15 000 km.
“The Mazda MX-5 is the accessible dream for modern roadsters,” says
Alan Hatton, Director of Mazda Marketing. “It is definitely for people
who appreciate the good things in life and admire the originality of the classics.
MX-5 buyers believe in understated style and elegance and have not lost sight
of the meaning of freedom, exhilaration and having fun. They believe in doing
things exceptionally well – or not at all – which is exactly the attitude that
the MX-5 epitomises. After all, it’s the original classic roadster that
empowers you to live out your motoring dreams,” he concludes.
Mighty air outlets in front of the doors discharging the air drawn in for the
radiator and front brake cooling, and more air intake scoops of at least the
same size behind the doors, characterise the styling of the Porsche Carrera
GT from the side. The shoulder line extends smoothly and dynamically from front
to rear, stretched out over the front and rear wheels and ultimately merging
into the side sections of the retractable rear wing. All the proportions of
the car from the side, with the cockpit clearly oriented towards the front,
and the long distance between the door and the rear axle, accentuate the sporting
mid-engined concept. Both to provide a clear view of the engine and for thermal
reasons, the power domes stretching from the rollbars to the rear are made of
perforated light alloy.
MAZDA MX-5: ONE WITH THE ROAD
“A car built to make your heart beat faster.” That’s perhaps
one of the most apt descriptions of the Mazda MX-5, which features the new 1.8-litre,
DOHC, 4-cylinder, 16-valve engine. As a result, the engine delivers 107 kW of
power at 7 000 r/min and 168 Nm of torque at 5 000 r/min, ensuring an exhilarating
and exciting driving experience.
Equipped with S-VT (Sequential Valve Timing), the exceptionally smooth revving
power unit was designed to ensure excellent responsiveness and class-leading
levels of smoothness throughout the rev range as well as a racy engine sound.
Mounted far back and low down in the engine compartment, the engine – dubbed
BP-VE [RS] – hints at the agile driving dynamics of the MX-5 from the first
turn of the ignition key.
Suspension
MX-5, the latest – and arguably most exciting – vehicle to emerge from the Mazda
stable in South Africa features handling so precise that it is almost intuitive:
you pick your line through a corner and the MX-5 responds as if it’s on
rails. Naturally, this is in keeping with the hallmark of a true sports car
– the MX-5 is engineered for exhilarating driving, whether you’re cruising
the highway or attacking a mountain pass.
The suspension of the MX-5 is tailored to provide an inspired balance of sharp
steering response, minimal body roll, and a composed and confident ride. A four-wheel
double wishbone system, the suspension ensures that all four wheels remain almo
MAZDA MX-5: SAFE AND SECURE
When you drive a car as agile and manoeuvrable as the Mazda MX-5, you soon
learn that it possesses a natural ability to avoid potential hazards. Nevertheless
Mazda has catered for every contingency an