2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata

NEW, MORE STYLISH MAZDA MX-5

A new, more stylish Mazda MX-5 is now available in South Africa. The world's best-selling roadster now offers more Zoom-Zoom than ever before in the guise of some considerable cosmetic changes. According to Rob Crouse, Mazda South Africa's Marketing Manager, the heart of the MX- 5 – its magnificent drivetrain – has remained unchanged. 'When it comes to its engine and performance, the Mazda MX-5 already epitomises Mazda's product formula – craftsmanship and quality that customers expect, mixed with the dynamic drive that is elemental to Zoom-Zoom and Mazda's heritage at the forefront of sports car design. The MX-5 remains a silky / smooth, expeditious machine that keeps the senses alive and raring to go. However, with the new cosmetic improvements, the MX-5 is further enhanced and continues to set new benchmarks within the industry,' he notes. While the Mazda MX-5 has always turned heads, the latest model is even more visually appealing. The latest generation MX-5 is characterised by new fog lamps and alloy wheels. The sexy MX-5 has been designed for looks and comfort and its outer appeal of a 'shark-nose' bumper and integrated driving lights create a rapacious visage. There is a choice of six vibrant colours to add to the roadster's style and a sleek removable hard top that contributes to the stiffness of the chassis and increases its rigidity. Also up for grabs is a manual soft-top cover, with a glass tempered rear window with integrated demister, to protect the driver and passenger from the outside elements. With the new Mazda MX-5, the scuff plate, centre panel, gear lever base panel, audio panel, meter ring, door inner handle, parking brake release button and side louvre bezel are now all decorated in a striking shade of silver. Considerable design enhancements have been made to the leather steering wheel, leather shift knob and leather parking brake lever while the leather seats have received the addition of piping. New Mazda MX-5

The aero board on the MX-5 – which has made its way into the Guinness World Book of Records for being the biggest-selling roadster – is now equipped with two speakers. These comfort features are designed to make the trip as relaxing and luxurious as possible, whilst the Mazda's engine does all the hard work. Heated sculpted bucket seats hold the driver in place when turning sharp corners, fully employing the MX-5's power suspension. A look of sporty elegance is evident throughout the interior, in the guise of features such as the chrome-plated rims for the speedometer and tachometer and white dials with red illumination for night-time vision. Standard features include power steering, air-conditioning, automatic power windows and mirrors, central locking, two-speaker twotweeter radio/CD sound system, central locking, power door locks with keyless entry and remote releases for the fuel and boot lid allowing the car to be opened from a distance without the hassle of keys. Although the Mazda is a luxurious vehicle, it didn't win its top-selling status based purely on its comfort levels. The heart of the roadster is a MX-5 1.8-litre DOHC, 4-cylinder, 16- valve engine. With a six-speed manual gearbox, the feisty MX-5 produces 107 kW at 7000 r/min and 168 Nm of torque at 5000 r/min. The engine's mid-range torque is especially impressive, thanks to the exhaust manifold port being longer than customary. Furthermore, the resonance chamber is tuned, which gives the MX-5 even more powerful performance.




New Mazda MX-5

While in mid-load conditions the S-VT opens the air intake valve early to expand valve overlap, which increases exhaust gas diffusion and reduces pumping loss. The performance of the roadster is just as impressive as the engine. The fine-tuned suspension includes modifying shock dampening force and high pressure gas filed dampers, which ensures that the Mazda MX-5 cuts through corners and handles speed with control that takes hold of the road. The MX-5 has near perfect 50:50 weight distribution that advances adrenaline-pumping speeds and is the ideal front/rear distribution for complete control of the sports car. To accomplish this balance, the engine has been mounted behind the front axle for a mid ship layout, the bonnet created with aluminium with the fuel tank located in front of the rear axle, and the battery placed in the boot. The weight now rests between the axles, resulting in outstanding cornering. Another performance perk of the Mazda is the four-wheel double wishbone suspension. This keeps the wheels perpendicular to the road throughout the length of suspension travel. The MX-5 includes optimal front roll centre height, and front strut tow bar and highly rigid rubber shock absorber mounts that allow you to push the performance to the edge. Body rigidity is important, for without it the body twists and flexes resulting in the suspension and steering being adversely affected. To make sure this doesn't occur, the aluminium power plant frame locks the entire power train into a single unit and, combined with the extensive reinforcement of the body panels and under floor frames, the roadster is a power performer. The MX-5 is equipped with a Limited Slip Differential (LSD) with ensures that maximum power to the right and left wheels is supplied independently to reduce the wheel spin, and allow the car to continue driving. The six-speed gearbox, with its typically sporty 'short throw', is designed to keep the engine within its optimal torque range. Its responsive and powerful acceleration has a cross ratio between the second and fourth gears, of the gearbox, to allow for flick of the wrist gear changes.

New Mazda MX-5

While styling, comfort, power and performance are tops in this car, so is the safety. An ultra-stiff chassis and Mazda's Advanced Impact Distribution System ensure safety of the vehicle.



Other safety features inside the vehicle are full size Supplement Restraint System (SRS) airbag for both the driver and passenger, with a side cut-off system for the passenger. Three point seat belts with pre-tensioners and load limiting mechanisms hold the occupants in place while the airbag deploys and the load limiter helps to avoid chest injuries. Child seats are fitted to the passenger seat by using international standard ISOFIX bars and tether anchorage for the safety of infants travelling in the car. The headlamps offer 50m of extended illumination and side lamps are also fitted to the car (giving increased visibility of 3m to either side of the car), making night-time driving as safe as possible. The MX-5 also has a number of impressive security features to ensure that it remains in its rightful hands. Features include an ID transponder that is built into the ignition key.

New Mazda MX-5

This has a unique vehicle identification code that is sent to the immobiliser computer when the key is in the ignition. If the ID signal is not the same as the computer immobilser's, then engine components such as ignition, fuel and starter relay are deactivated. According to Crouse, the new Mazda MX-5 is a fast machine offering superb styling inside and out, powerful performance and the ultimate in handling and control. 'It is comfortable, but luxurious, safe and secure. It's already the world's most popular roadster and, given its latest enhancements, this is sure to be a position it continues to enjoy in years to come,' he concludes.

Source - Ford Motor Company

Mazda Motor Corporation revealed the all-new MX-5 to the world at a press conference held today at the 75th Geneva International Motor Show (Salon International de l'Auto in Geneva). Úpdated, improved, and at long last unleashed, the all-new, third-generation Mazda MX-5 is the latest and most-advanced evolution of the world's best-selling lightweight sports car. Takao Kijima, program manager for the new vehicle, said, 'Our effort with the all-new MX-5 was to retain the key roadster attributes that made this car famous--the lightweight feeling, the balanced handling, the overall nimbleness of the product--but make the vehicle more useful for a wider range of customers, offering better value, more comfort, and overall higher levels of interior quality.'

The MX-5 (known as the Roadster in Japan) debuted at the Chicago Auto Show in February 1989, and since then Mazda has relentlessly pursued the fun found in a lightweight, open sports car. The Japanese expression jinba ittai (meaning the oneness of motion, 'rider and horse as one') best describes this evolved MX-5's 'fun-to-drive' character. Development focused on creating a car that would be enjoyable in any driving situation--whether it is sports driving or just daily use. It was designed and engineered to achieve a dynamic balance between a powerful engine and a more lightweight, compact body.

Evolution of 'Jinba Ittai'- lighter, stiffer body
For improved performance, safety, comfort and also to be more useful, Mazda employed a variety of new equipment and technologies to find any possible way to minimize weight and achieve a lighter model. The result: a total increase for the entire vehicle weight of only about 10 kg compared to the previous generation MX-5.

Útilizing advanced materials such as ultra-high-tension steel, the new MX-5's unibody delivers an increase of 22 percent for flexural stiffness and 47 percent for torsional rigidity compared to its predecessor. Moving the engine rearward by 135 mm (5.3 inches) was a major step toward balancing front-to-rear weight distribution and reducing the yaw moment of inertia.

Delightful Design - Fun and Modern Styling
The low, flowing shoulder lines established in the original roadster are still there. Long associated with being approachable and fun, the new version was further transformed into a lightweight sports car of simple functionality and athletic solidity, both of which remain obvious design DNA attributes. The fender arches are more pronounced for wider wheeltrack dimensions, providing a more athletic stance.

The interior design themes of the new Mazda MX-5 are simple functionality and comfortable openness with high-quality craftsmanship. Four round heating and cooling vents help establish a straight reference line across the front of the cockpit. Several areas of the interior consist of a Piano-black finish that render a modern, high-quality surface. Five round gauges with metal-look trim have glass covers with a coating to reduce reflections and maintain legibility even in direct sunlight.

Eight exterior colors are available. With base models, tasteful black upholstery and a matte-silver metallic finish can be selected. High-grade models offer two choices: a combination of saddle-tan and black leather or black leather in a monotone treatment.

Improved safety and comfort
Although the new MX-5 is an open car boasting the Mazda Advanced Impact-energy Distribution and Absorption System, Mazda sought--and achieved--higher collision safety performance. Newly developed side airbags protect the torso, and it is also equipped with a larger-volume head protection airbag.

Various types of body statures can comfortably fit in the cockpit driver's seat. New waist-level vents and a mesh-type air deflector mounted behind the seats improve ventilation inside the cabin for an improved sense of open-air motoring.

Perfected Powertrain
Equipped with a newly developed 2.0-liter MZR engine in all markets, models with a 1.8-liter engine are available for the European market.

Throughout the engine development, work focused on what engineer's call 'response', 'expansion feel' and 'pleasant engine sound.' A lighter flywheel and a stiffer drive shaft contributed to realizing the responsive, direct feel of the new MX-5. Also, a 57 percent reduction in intake restriction was achieved. Pressure loss in the exhaust system was reduced 40 percent to keep the engine torque curve nearly level at high rpm. Furthermore, the intake manifold and the intake and exhaust system were tuned, and the engine sound that resulted is one of the pleasant appeals of the new MX-5.

The newly developed 6-speed manual transmission is available in all markets. Shifting gears is a breeze--seems like just a flick of the wrist--when using the triple-cone synchronizers for the first four gears. The gearshift lever can also manually control five-speed manual and advanced six-speed automatic transmissions.

Predictable, lively handling
Realizing a light-but-stiff unibody that serves as the chassis foundation, a double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension system with optimized geometry help extract the best that 205/45WR-17 radial tires have to offer. Aluminum was used for some chassis parts to minimize unsprung weight, and attaching the rear cross member directly to the unibody with no rubber isolation enhances chassis rigidity while reinforcing the driver's feeling of oneness with the car.

Únwanted steering and pitch motion of the body during acceleration and braking are tightly controlled by anti-drive, anti-squat geometry. Also, a 65 mm (2.56 inches) increase in the wheelbase helps balance the stable driving.

The rack-and-pinion power steering gears yields low friction, high linearity, and delightfully smooth steering responses. Another significant change that induces improved handling is a 75 mm (3.0 inches) increase in the front track and a 55 mm (2.1 inches) increase in the rear track.

Class-leading level stopping distances are achieved in the new MX-5 because front and rear rotors are increased in diameter and calipers are increased in its stiffness to engineer a precise brake pedal response with a high degree of linearity.

Source - Mazda Motor Corp.