HAIRDRESSERS HAVE GOOD TASTE

Aminor correction to the article ‘Three Times Five’ in Issue #349. I purchased a new MX-5 from the Dunedin Mazda agent more than three years prior to the date in your article. Early in 1989 I had read an article in Road and Track magazine about a pre-production drive in Japan. It was subheaded: “All you ever wanted in a British Sports Car without oil on the drive”.

After reading this I approached Angow Mazda in Dunedin who seemed to know nothing about these cars, but would make enquiries. A few weeks later they contacted me with the news that these cars would be available in New Zealand later that year. The estimated price would be about $30k and they would order one for me for a 10% deposit. As the price was about half that of an RX-7 I readily agreed.

Some months later I had a phone call to see if I would like a ride in the only demonstrator in the country. Apparently it was in Dunedin for a Mazda dealers conference. When ours arrived in early November that year we were requested to leave it with the dealer for a few days as it was the first in Dunedin.

I was intrigued that a New Zealand motoring journalist stated that they were “hairdresser cars”. Anyway, we were delighted with ours. When it was about a year old I ran it at a lowlevel classic race meeting at Ruapuna. Onlookers commented they were surprised the Mazda was able to foot it with cars with much bigger engines. Despite being on standard wheels and tyres it was faster through the corners. My conclusion is that hairdressers must have good taste.