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Not many street cars, if any, can run 14:1 compression on pump gas without pre-detonation, and that in and of itself is an engineering marvel. If you really want to get technical -see here- but if you’re not an engineer, the gist is that they have perfected combustion chamber cooling using cylinder head design, valve timing, direct injection, and a long 4-2-1 exhaust header. All of this means performance, throttle response, and efficiency -words that make me giddy with excitement.
And in reference to the handling, it’s as agile as a NBA point guard and as well balanced as an olympic gymnast. Plus the new ND chassis communicates everything you want to know as a driver, and who doesn't like being told what they want to hear? The car was developed with Jinba ittai in mind -a Japanese expression that describes the unity of horse and rider, and it shows.
Sure, there’s some body roll, but that’s all part of the theatre and the car feels light. That’s probably because it is very light. Weighing in at a mere 2332 lbs, lightness is always the most effective way to make a car perform. To compare, a BMW 3 Series sedan weighs roughly 3569 lbs, and a Porsche 718 Boxster weighs in at 2944 lbs.
So it’s clear that the folks at Mazda have spent many tireless nights dedicated to this car, and their sleepless nights are going to translate to sleepless nights for MX-5 owners everywhere - as in ‘I get up at 3am to look at my car in the garage.’
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If you’re a car person then you know that what you drive says a lot about you, and you know if you like to drive you should get a Mazda.
Driving a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon says “yes I go camping, yes I skip work to go to the mountains, and yes I’m going to have this thing on three wheels any chance I get.” Whereas driving a Honda Accord tells us that you’re sensible, pragmatic, and reliable - perhaps you teach violin in your free time. If you drive a Lexus, then you really don’t like driving and should stop reading here - only kidding. But if you love to drive, then you already know that the answer is always Mazda. As the only car company to successfully recreate the soul of the famed British roadsters of the 60s, Mazda is keeping true to it’s form, and I’m elated to report that in a world where safety regulations, emissions requirements, and driver aids are slowly suffocating the sports car, the Mazda lineup is only getting better. So let’s take a moment to thank the automotive deities that Mazda is so active in the motorsports community. They’re taking that innovation and bringing it mainstream, and it shows with the SkyActiv engine architecture. A quick blip of the throttle on the 2017 Mazda MX-5 with the 2.0L SkyActiv Mazda will make you a believer and shall we say a more "spirited" driver. [gallery ids="10626,10627,10628"] The 2017 MX-5 sports a 14:1 compression ratio, a 6800 rpm redline, 0.97g worth of grip, a limited slip differential (in Club trim) proving it race worthy from the factory. On top of that, this little roadster can take you zero to sixty in 5.8 seconds, and it can take you 36 miles on one gallon. That means you can drive it hard, you drive it far, and the only time you have to stop is when you want to sit at a cafe to admire your smile-machine. You already know that the MX-5 is a fun car, but this a whole new level of fun - like hangin' with Sinatra in Vegas fun - and best of all, you can go topless.
Not many street cars, if any, can run 14:1 compression on pump gas without pre-detonation, and that in and of itself is an engineering marvel. If you really want to get technical -see here- but if you’re not an engineer, the gist is that they have perfected combustion chamber cooling using cylinder head design, valve timing, direct injection, and a long 4-2-1 exhaust header. All of this means performance, throttle response, and efficiency -words that make me giddy with excitement.
And in reference to the handling, it’s as agile as a NBA point guard and as well balanced as an olympic gymnast. Plus the new ND chassis communicates everything you want to know as a driver, and who doesn't like being told what they want to hear? The car was developed with Jinba ittai in mind -a Japanese expression that describes the unity of horse and rider, and it shows.
Sure, there’s some body roll, but that’s all part of the theatre and the car feels light. That’s probably because it is very light. Weighing in at a mere 2332 lbs, lightness is always the most effective way to make a car perform. To compare, a BMW 3 Series sedan weighs roughly 3569 lbs, and a Porsche 718 Boxster weighs in at 2944 lbs.
So it’s clear that the folks at Mazda have spent many tireless nights dedicated to this car, and their sleepless nights are going to translate to sleepless nights for MX-5 owners everywhere - as in ‘I get up at 3am to look at my car in the garage.’
Few cars can stir emotion like the MX5. In fact I might even consider it a rolling opera. With access to some of Colorado’s best driving roads, I may just head to my local Mazda dealer, which for me is McDonald Mazda in Littleton, in the next few days, and pick one up myself. In the meantime, will somebody tell my boss that I’ll be out for a few days with drivingitis?
See you on the road! What are your thoughts? What’s your perfect Colorado Car? Let us know!
