Honk if you are having fun. This reads like one of those cheesy stickers that adorn the rear windshields of some cars.
Fun, however, is a byword that's often used to describe the MX-5's whole reason for being.
The Japanese prefer to call it Jinba ittai, a catch-all phrase that pointedly suggests fun is to be had when driver and car are one.
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It's a philosophy that has driven the development of the MX-5 across three generations as the design and performance strive to stay in tune with the times even as the car grew bigger and weightier.
In the 18 years it has been around, the MX-5 has attracted a legion of owners. Over 850,000 have been spoken for at last count, earning it a place in the Guinness World Records as the highest-selling two-seat convertible sports car in the world. It's a spectacular run by any yardstick.
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| Fair bit of room in the boot to fit in soft luggage for two. |
We recently had the MX-5 for all of 72 hours, and restricted ourselves to the Klang Valley as the car was unregistered. Never- theless, the nation's most cosmopolitan region afforded plenty of wide open spaces and jam-packed roads to discover the car's potential.
The last weeks of 2008 had seen a few roadsters passing through our hands — first an SLK, then an SL and now this Mazda. All, coincidentally, had retractable hard tops. While the monsoon rains were inevitable this time of year, there had fortunately been days when the skies were clear and that gave us the rare opportunity to enjoy open-top motoring.
As luck would have it, we managed to do that on a late afternoon jaunt through country roads to Kuala Selangor.
Monkeys, cattle and the odd farmer were stirred out of their stupor to catch a glimpse of a copper red MX-5 zipping by.
The free-and-easy itinerary was also marked by a stopover under the cool shade of huge angsana trees. As we took a break and admired the rustic landscape and relaxing pace of life outside the city, kampung boys chattered and gestured excitedly in the direction of something that must have been the stuff of boyhood fantasies.
''Pak, when I grow up I want a car like that one,'' little Ismail was overheard telling his father as he pointed to the MX-5 at our next stopover at a kopitiam.
If young Ismail could drive today, he would be pleased to know he would be getting a fine little roadster.
Light and almost toyish in proportions, the rounded corners and friendly facial expression of the MX-5 hark back to its original design.
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| The MX-5 keeps things light by dispensing with a spare tyre in the boot. What you get is a tyre repair kit that allows you to get to the nearest service centre in case of a puncture. BELOW: This is the boot space you will get from the roadster. |
With the top up, the MX-5 turns into a coupe in the fastest pop-up time we have seen at 12 seconds. The minimal complexity means that one has to manually open a latch before the roof can slide open at the press of a button.
The hard-top version was introduced in response to demands for better safety and comfort. It was also positioned as an upmarket variant to the soft-top MX-5 Mazda has been offering in and out of Japan.
Frankly, we think the rather upright stance of the roof disrupts the fluidity of the lines, especially when the car is seen in profile. However, the MX-5 is a pretty sight when the roof is stashed away.
As a two-seater, one may not expect much from a roadster in the way of space but surprisingly the MX-5 has a fair bit of room in the boot to fit in soft luggage for two.
The bucket seats are snug landing spots for the driver and his passenger. The dash, in keeping with a driver's car image, is pleasant and uncluttered, while the tiltable steering wheel comes with paddle shifters.
The cabin isn't as spartan as that of the Lotus Elise where one gets the distinct impression it's two chairs in a tub. If only the centre console were wrapped in soft leather instead of hard-as-nails plastic.
The six-speed auto box is old school; the gear lever has to be shunted to the right of ''D'' before you can play with the paddle shifters, unlike Mazda's latest Direct Activematic System that dispenses with the intermediate step.
The MX-5 is not a sports car in its rawest form. The hard-top version is rather civilised, serving up a little refinement yet retaining the simple driving balance the car is known for.
The engine sound is an integral part of the sports car experience and the cockpit readily lets in the hearty beat of the 2.0-litre engine that comes on smooth and linear all the way to redline. Joining it is an ensemble of external noises that make for unquiet moments.
The pliant suspension soaks up bumps and potholes, minimising jolts and coarseness from the road.
Step out of line in corners and the MX-5 will show a tendency to fishtail as the rear-driven wheels lose traction. It can be startling for the amateur MX-5 driver but it's a situation that can be easily remedied with throttle control.
Just as important as going fast is stopping fast. In this regard, the brakes do a wonderful job of stopping the car without drama.
The MX-5 represents an affordable sports car in markets where pricing is more down to earth.
Locally, the car has crept into the premium space with its RM226,000 sticker price. If you are looking for a brand new roadster that's south of RM250K and a legend in its own right, the MX-5 deserves serious consideration.
