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Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn't bought a PZEV

1K views 29 replies 23 participants last post by  PintoZX3 
#1 ·
Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bought a PZEV

This news comes just a few weeks too late for me to take advantage of - what a shame....


Click the pics for larger versions.



September 2003
Mazda RS Coupé

From top secret design study to headline-grabbing show star. It's been 10 years since Mazda put the finishing touches to its stylish MX-5-based coupé concept. But until now, the sleek machine has remained little more than a dream.

Now that's set to change. Mazda has at last decided to put the car into production. The firm even invited Auto Express to drive the newcomer before it goes on sale in November - and we didn't need to be asked twice!

Based on an evolution of the coupé concept revealed at January's Tokyo Auto Salon, this is the final production version, built by a team led by project manager Fumiaki Yamane at Mazda Engineering and Technology (E&T).

Until now, this 20-year-old Mazda subsidiary has been building special products, including vehicles for business use and the disabled. The RS Coupé is its first attempt at sports car customising. And what a superb effort it is. Enthusiasts will soon notice styling hints from Ferrari and Aston Martin.

That's no coincidence, as design boss for the original 1989 MX-5, Yoshinori Fukuda, who heads up E&T's styling section, is a fan of the European marques. While he won't officially admit to borrowing ideas from the companies, one look will tell any Ferrari fan that the grille oozes Daytona, and the C-pillars and rear bumper bulges are reminiscent of Aston Martins.

Whatever the similarities, we think that the facelift looks great and suits the contours of the car's original lines to a tee. It's out on the road, however, where the RS Coupé really shines.

Based on the bodyshell of a 1.8 six-speed MX-5 - which is actually stiffer than the 1.6-litre version - the Coupé sports Bilstein suspension and 17-inch alloys. By adding the roof, Mazda has nearly trebled the rigidity of the body

Performance delivered by the standard 146bhp engine is unchanged, and the car sprints from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds. But that doesn't mean the newcomer is not faster. The structural and suspension changes improve the handling significantly, so you can throw the RS into a corner quicker than in the MX-5, yet still expect lots of grip. Meanwhile, the stiffer body and dampers mean less roll and more accurate steering. The extra rigidity also gives the Mazda greater grip and maximises stability when braking. In fact, chassis flex is so low that the RS is crying out for 25-30 more bhp. But strangely, the rest of the car is standard. As Yamane said: "We didn't need to make any more changes. The new car is that good already." Scheduled for a December launch in Japan, the RS Coupé is likely to sell for £2,500 more than a standard 1.8 MX-5, giving a price of around £17,500, and will be available only in limited numbers. Although no official export scheme has been considered yet, personal imports are a possibility.
Pictures: Masanobu Ikenohira
Peter Lyon


Excuse me while I go in the corner and have a little time alone...








Taken from AutoExpress

>8^)
ER
 
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#3 ·
Re: Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bough my PZEV

For those who might not remember the original concept that I fell in love with almost a decade ago - here's a few pictures:







Note that the original concept was a little cleaner looking. I'm not a fan of these new headlights or taillights with those covers. Also some of the sculpting in the lower front bumper, and the tacky wheel arches along with the wing on this car do not really appeal to me. Lastly, this production roofline/rear window aren't nearly as clean looking - reminds me of a ZX2 actually.

I still love the idea of a Miata coupe no matter how it looks though. For those who don't have much or any seat time in a Miata, it's a wonderful car to drive.

Slick - I can only hope that they cheat us out of this thing
, or at least take about a year to get it over here. By then I could be done with my plans for the Focus and beable to buy one of these as well. This is all the info I've seen so far.

>8^)
ER
 
#4 ·
Re: Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bough my PZEV

So did they figure out how to comfortably fit my 6'6" self into that thing. It seems perfect. Small, lightweight, RWD two seater. Please say they did! (Though deep down I know they didn't since it's the same platform as what the Mista is currently on.
)
 
#10 ·
Re: Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bough my

Nice car add the jackson or aerocharger and your set...
 
#13 ·
Re: Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bough my

Just keep this in mind: you can neve win!

Examples:
Bought a 1999 Nissan Sentra SE. I asked the dealer if they were going to be redesigning the Sentra soon he said no. What happens? 2000 Nissan Sentra SE 2.0. Wish I had waited.

Bought a 2001 Focus ZX3. What happened? SVT came out soon after. Wish I had watied.

Bought a 1998 Honda Civic EX coupe. What happened? Friend sold his Si for nearly the amount I paid for my EX. Oh well.

As long as you're happy with the purchase, that's all that matters.
 
#15 ·
Re: Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bough my

Tight Miata.....I still like Foci better though.
 
#16 ·
Re: Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bough my

Just keep this in mind: you can neve win!

Examples:
Bought a 1999 Nissan Sentra SE. I asked the dealer if they were going to be redesigning the Sentra soon he said no. What happens? 2000 Nissan Sentra SE 2.0. Wish I had waited.
Never take advice from a dealership. Thier job is to sell the car NOW. Like you said, I wish I had waited.

That Miata is nice, but for a $26k you can have a 350Z.
 
#19 ·
Re: Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bough my

Nice car add the jackson or aerocharger and your set...
I'm puzzled...One does't add enough power, the other can't be had 'cept used (is Aerocharger doing anything at the moment?).
http://www.aerocharger.com/cartruck.htm

...although i think that page is a bit outdated because there is still this page for the Focus as well... unless they still sell the kits, but just abandoned FJ members
 
#20 ·
Re: Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bough my

I'm getting a strong baby maserati vibe, none of this tiburon zx2 bullish you're churning up


I would be all over it if I wasnt in the market for a 4 seater...which means something along the lines of an RX8 or the likes
 
#22 ·
Re: Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bough my

please understand the jackson unit for the miata is different then ours for the focus.
You can add an intercooler and thus increase boost....
and Well I assume the aerocharger is still available for the miata.... I could be wrong....
 
#25 ·
Re: Miata Coupe -or- why I wish I hadn\'t bough my

Well the only reason for me to be sad now is that it won't be coming to the US.

Japan only, according to Bob Hall:
"Japan only (due in no small part to the fact there's insufficient production capacity for the US since it's been farmed out to a small Mazda subsidiary company), heavier and only incrementally stiffer. The latter two problems shared with the GT-6, MGB GT and MGC GT.

No coupe in the NC's primary development, so if it's decided to add one at a later date, it'll wear a mass penalty and will be unlikely to bring a significant increase in torsional rigidity."

Sourced here
I guess I'll have to keep combing AutoWeek classifieds and Ebay Motors for a Spec Miata with the soft top removed and the hardtop in place. They should be showing up on the used market in a year or two I would assume.


Here's some more variations on this Miata Coupe offering - I'd happily take the NR-A version at the bottom. It seems to solve most of my gripes about the yellow car pictured again at the top. The one in the middle is extra ugly IMO. Sorry, no one has translated the text from these yet:










Anyway - I still love my choice of the PZEV - I was just overwhelmed and overly excited when I posted this last night. It's a shame we're truly getting the shaft on this thing, but possibly they'll see a market for it and incorporate it as an official worldwide offering when the full Miata redesign is released in one to two years.

>8^)
ER
 
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