Anniversary MX5 won’t put you in the red
SCOOT around the city centre for a few days with a sporty little number that turns heads and is quick to get her top off and everyone presumes you finally succumbed to that midlife crisis.
âYou havenât, have you?â was the universal, eyebrow-raised reaction, half in admiration, half in fear that youâve cracked, cashed in the tattered pension and caved into that craving for a little craziness.
But, to be honest, when your companion is the Mazda MX5 25th Anniversary Limited Edition, youâd expect nothing less. Itâs a car that brings a smile to the face and, with it, a timely reminder that driving is oh-so-much-more that just getting from A to B.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the worldâs best-selling roadster, Mazda has made a host of cosmetic changes, inside and out, to the Limited Edition, which has a production run of just 1,000 models. The fourth-generation MX 5, which hits showrooms next year, is 100kg lighter and quicker. It boasts the lowest centre of gravity, which sharpens up handling and performance. It features the latest SKYACTIV engine-and-chassis technology.
This car is stunning. It comes in one colour, Soul Red, set against the brilliant black, power-folding roof and black mirrors, 17-inch alloys with a gun-metal finish and chrome touches throughout. It looks even better with the roof down.
The interior has also had a major facelift, complete with white-leather, red-stitched seats, leather door panels and a black-leather steering wheel, and gear stick and handbrake with matching red stitch.
The headrests and stainless-steel scuff plates are embossed with the 25th-anniversary logo. Built into the new-look dash, and specific to the Limited Edition, is a 6.1-inch Alpine touchscreen navigation system, featuring Bluetooth, USB connectivity and a DVD player, that was quite user-friendly.
The drilled, aluminium pedals add a classic touch.
The MX5 does exactly what it says on the tin. Itâs a two-seat roadster, so buyers arenât expecting much leg-room, space for a babychair or a cavernous boot.
The inside is more cockpit than cabin; itâs snug, low-slung and with little room for anything other than the driver and passenger. But what else do you need?
For the week I had the MX5, we had a few of those blue-sky, unseasonably warm autumnal days custom built for driving. Up early a few mornings, I put the roof down, jacked-up the radio and headed for the coast. Let loose on quiet, winding country roads, you begin to understand what all the fuss is about. It handles beautifully. The steering is sharp and gear changes short and crisp, helped by the raised gearstick, which requires nothing more than a flick of the wrist.
Itâs not lightening-quick, but the 158bhp, two-litre engine delivers more than enough grunt. While it might not make aerodynamic sense, it was at its most enjoyable with the roof down â sunshine, lovely grumble from the exhaust, on the cliff road between Fontainstown and Myrtleville.
Bang for you buck has been the big selling point of the MX5, since it first rolled off the production line in 1989. Mazda has married all the attributes of a classic sports car to an attractive price tag. The new MX5, which hits showrooms next year, starts from âŹ32,000. A million drivers canât be wrong.
Anyone who doesnât want an SUV. Anyone who doesnât want to settle for an efficient, practical city car. Anyone who likes the thrill of driving.
Fun
a song, it would be Jackie Wilsonâs âReet Petiteâ, a timeless classic that puts a little spring in the step.
