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2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata First Drive

Written By: MyRide.com
Reprinted under license.

Mazda's redesigned roadster is King of fun little cars

Introduction

Mazda MX-5 Miata - 2006 First Drive: If you're up for a challenge, try this: redesign an icon that owns a spot in the Guinness Book of Records as the best-selling two-seater sports car in the world, one that is to this day loved and cherished around the globe. Should you take on such an endeavor, the best place to start would be at the end: If you were on the Mazda team that spent two years rethinking the Miata, you would look backward to leap forward, a jump that would start with the metaphor of Jinba Ittai, the spirit of the "horse and rider" as one, derived from an ancient Japanese competition in which a rider shoots arrows at a target while galloping at speed.

You did say you were up for a challenge, right? So if that's not enough, add in this brain buckler: engineer your third-generation 2006 MX-5 Miata in a way that replicates the performance of the successful first and second editions, yet has no parts in common. Give it the same basic shape and design, but make it notable in its differences, all the while making sure old Jinba Ittai - car and driver as one - is alive and well.

Which is exactly what they did. With this complete redesign, Mazda adhered to the core principle of Jinba Ittai, having ridden the horse and struck the target with uncanny precision. The 2006 Mazda MX-5's technological intelligence, bigger interior and exterior, improved safety, upgraded features, and great performance successfully marries its past to its future, a strategy sure to keep the newest Miata in the enviable position as the top-selling sports car in the world, loved by enthusiasts around the globe.

What's New?

Though it rides on a dedicated platform with no carry-over parts from the previous Miata, engineers working on the third-generation 2006 Mazda MX-5 did look back to its original DNA to replicate the styling, driving, cornering, braking, sound and interior touch points (such as materials, the shape and feel of gear knobs, and switches) that made it so successful. In addition, the Miata's engineering team borrowed a few styling cues and technologies from Mazda's big brother, the RX-8. And, while Mazda used exacting measurements to evaluate each performance parameter, the most important area of feedback considered was subjective "performance feel," a character hard to quantify although engineers wired a test driver to his Miata to monitor and measure behavior changes during different driving experiences in an effort to create hard design and engineering targets.

With a concentration on craftsmanship and consistency, the Miata's designers used the newest materials and methods to restrict the weight gain inherent to the larger exterior and interior packaging, keeping the net bump in mass to just 22 lbs. - not bad given the engineering requirements necessary to meet new safety and emissions standards. Other updates improve torsional rigidity (body stiffness is increased by more than forty percent); craft a top that is easier to open and close (one latch replaces two and it's easier to drop and raise with one hand); and increase performance (such as a lighter clutch flywheel and a stiffened drive shaft). Although the powertrain is also improved, Mazda engaged in extensive debate about the appropriate sound coming from the twin exhaust outlets, considering 59 different tuning frequencies before settling on a note that can immediately be recognized as an MX-5 from 15 feet away.

By sliding the engine rearward 5.3 inches, Mazda was also able to balance the MX-5 with a near 50/50 weight distribution, just as Honda has done with the S2000. The engine now sits behind the front axle and also contributes to the Miata's low center of gravity, which helps it stay planted on the road. Increases in length and height are negligible, but the wheelbase has been stretched by 2.5 inches and the width by 1.7 inches, which you'll feel as greater cabin room. Compared to an S2000, the Honda measures five inches longer than the Miata's 157.3-inch length, and the wheelbase reaches 2.8 inches farther. At 37.4 inches, the Mazda's headroom is much better than the 34.6 inches of an S2000, but legroom still trails the Honda by 1.2 inches.

In terms of styling, the rise and fall of the new Miata's front fenders clearly emulates the shape of the Mazda RX-8. From the front, however, the resemblance is not as conspicuous, as the uncreased upper front fascia houses smooth parallelogram-shaped headlights. A subtle bump in the center of the hood pleasantly accentuates the performance potential underneath, and on the flanks, larger door handles that pull upward are new and ergonomically appealing. The rear clip preserves the familiar Miata look, modernized with clear taillight lenses, flared fenders, and a pronounced crease on the back edge of the trunk lid. Miatas now hold 5.3 cubic feet of cargo, a bit more than the 5 cubic feet swallowed by an S2000.

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