PACKING POWER, FUN AND AFFORDABILITY

ADDITION OF HARDTOP ROOF CAPSTONE OF ATTRACTIVE PACKAGE

Min San Diego azda’s CX-3 and CX5 crossovers, plus the Mazda3 compact sedan and hatch, might be the volume vehicles for the Japanese automaker — the ones that put meat on the table, pay the rent, that sort of thing — but it’s the Mazda MX-5 that remains the halo car. The MX-5 (that would be Miata to all but the bigwigs at head office) is the irrepressibly cheerful-todrive roadster that puts the zoom in zoom-zoom.

Since its debut 28 years ago, more than a million MX5s have been sold globally, making it the most popular two-seat sports car in the world. That fact comes down to a few things: affordability, reliability and simplicity. Unlike with the expensive, high-end sports cars with more power than can ever be properly used and more aerodynamic aids than a Le Mans race car, one just jumps into the MX-5, throws back the soft-top and motors on. As the owner of a 2008 NC-generation Miata, I speak from experience.

However, two years after introducing the fourthgeneration ND to the world, Mazda is expanding the MX5’s functionality — or finally addressing an oversight, depending on your outlook. That would be the addition of a hardtop roof, something the ND has lacked until now. The first- and second-generation Miatas both offered detachable hardtops, while a powered retractable hardtop was available for the NC.

But Mazda didn’t just rework the car to accept the same power-retractable top as on the previous model. No, indeed! According to Nobuhiro Yamamoto, MX-5 program manager, “we stayed true to our aim of making open-top driving more accessible, but freed ourselves from traditional ways of thinking and took on new challenges in order to create something completely new.” That would be the MX-5 RF.

As much as I would love to tell you that RF stands for Really Fast, with Mazda bolting a supercharger onto its free-revving but moderately powered four-cylinder, the powertrain remains unchanged. A 155-horsepower, normally aspirated 2.0-litre engine is hooked up to either a six-speed manual transmission or (eek!) a six-speed automatic. In this case, RF stands for Retractable Fastback, and it puts a whole different spin on the affable sports car.

In short, the car’s new silhouette is sexy. OK, maybe not as drop-dead gorgeous as Jaguar’s F-Type Coupe — the hardtop version based on the Convertible — but it is cuter. (For those with long memories, think of the Opel GT — or, more recently, hints of the BMW Z4.) And the F-Type is an either/or situation; you can have a convertible or you can have a hardtop coupe. With the RF, you get the best of both worlds.

“We began development by throwing our thinking into reverse,” says Yamamoto. “Our aim was a convertible sports car with gorgeous fastback lines when the roof is closed and an exhilarating open-air feel when open. We … ditched the traditional idea of stowing the entire roof and realized styling that further articulates an iconic sports car design.”

The reason Mazda felt the need to add the retractable roof to the current MX5 in the first place goes back to the previous-generation NC model. By the end of the third-generation MX-5’s model life, the retractable hardtop accounted for more than half of its sales, proving particularly popular with those who wanted all-season comfort and utility.

The RF’s retractable hardtop consists of a front roof, middle roof, rear roof and back window glass. When the roof is open, the front and middle roof sections are stowed together with the back window glass in the space behind the seats. A large acrylic wind blocker helps prevent air from the rear blowing back into the cabin. The whole electricpowered operation to open or close the roof takes just 13 seconds, at speeds of 10 km/h or less. And the 4.6-cubic-foot (130-L) trunk loses no capacity in comparison with the soft-top model.

The roof adds about 55 kilograms to the weight of the RF, so the driving dynamics are all but identical to that of the soft-top. That means The MX-5’s hardtop roof takes all of 13 seconds to open and close. strong if not spectacular acceleration, but brilliant handling, especially when blasting deep into the numerous corners that made up the twisting valley roads east of San Diego. Like the soft-top model, the RF uses a double-wishbone front suspension and a rear multi-link setup. There’s some roll, typical of the MX-5, to go with the limpet-like grip.

Top up, the cabin is reasonably quiet — or at least quieter than the regular MX-5 — though road noise was still pronounced when driving on gritty tarmac surfaces. Top down, wind noise is moderate; driver and passenger can carry on a conversation without resorting to shouting or hand signals.

The basic premise of any convertible, not just the soft-top MX-5, is top-down driving. Yet Mazda has recognized that, by comparison, RF owners will likely spend far more time — as much as 80 per cent — with the top up. So, clearly, the ability to enjoy fun-in-the-sun driving is of greater importance than actually doing so. Ultimately, though, what the RF does is introduce a whole different clientele to the profound joys of driving an MX-5. Smiles all around!

The MX-5 RF will be available in two trim levels — GS and GT — with several option packages available. Starting price is $38,800 for the GS. The optional Sport Package ($4,400) cranks up the heat with the addition of 17-inch forged BBS wheels, Brembo front brakes and red-painted calipers.

The GT starts at $42,200, with leather seats, Bose premium audio system with nine speakers, automatic climate control and safety features such as lane-departure warning and high-beam control.