Mazda MX-5: This classic, lightweight sports car has been bringing smiles to faces for more than three decades and the latest version hasn't lost its charm.
It's easy to forget how much the Mazda MX-5 has changed over the years. Although the basic ingredients remain the same since 1989, Mazda engineers continue to refine their recipe like cooks in pursuit of perfection. And it's tastier than ever.
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Taking the corners in this lightweight car, you can feel the love that permeates every element of the driving experience.
The gearbox using the sweetest gear change at any time, turn the steering wheel with precision and feel the little car advance towards the axis of a corner in a way that bigger cars simply can't match.
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The fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 arrived in 2015 as a simplified machine priced from US$31,990, powered by the 1.5-litre heart of the Mazda2. Today, it's a machine 2,0 litres starting at 41,520 US dollars and rising to over 60,000 US dollars including shipping for the automatic model with stereo Bose, plus the leather seats and retractable hardtop (hard-top).
This represents an increase of between USD 2310 and USD 3220 compared to last year's model.
The changes include new LED front and rear lights, a larger 8.8″ entertainment (infotainment) screen with doors USB-C and new "connected services" that allow you to remotely check the location of your car and lock its doors with an app.
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It can call an ambulance after an accident or alert owners if the car has been driven outside certain hours or locations - exposing their children if they take it for a ride.
The driving instruments look slightly different (but there's no digital gear yet) and there are subtle changes to the '17' wheels.
Driving enthusiasts will be more interested in a reset limited slip differential with reduced locking effect on corner entry that makes the car more predictable on the approach to a corner. Also, a sharper throttle is intended to provide more precise reactions to how you use the gas pedal, especially when releasing the throttle to adjust your line at high revs.
Having already benefited from a larger intake manifold, revised exhaust, larger valves and new fuel actuators in 2018, the MX-5's 2.0-litre engine has a new air intake for 2024 that boosts intake noise without causing more power than the 135 kW and 205 Nm reported in last year's model.
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The car was tested on the East Track at The Bend Motorsport Park, a technical layout that combines 22 turns on less than four miles of roadbed.
It is said to allow more room to move when you reach the limit of its thin tyres, encouraging drivers to enjoy the odd slip on the track knowing that there is still a safety net to prevent you from losing control.
Everyone can appreciate the lightness and cool nature of the MX-5.
It also rewards the sensitivity and gentle touch of experienced drivers who can get the most out of its superbly balanced chassis.
Buying and driving an MX-5 requires some selfishness and self-awareness on the part of customers.
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You don't choose it to impress passengers, who are locked into a not-so-spacious or comfortable space with little legroom and storage. You certainly don't buy the MX-5 expecting it to be a practical daily driver, to impress friends with fresh technologies or bystanders with its exhaust.
You don't have to buy the MX-5 to be the fastest on the straight, or watch "Cars & Coffee" on a trip no one has ever seen before.
You buy it because you enjoy the art of driving and because it's more important to you than impressing your neighbours, colleagues or strangers on social media.
Although the MX-5 evolves every year, this part hasn't changed at all.
Source :: news.com
