FIRST LOOKS

The original Mazda MX-5 which was launched 16 years ago.

In February 1989, Mazda reinvented and reinvigorated the lightweight roadster when it launched the MX-5 (Miata) at the Chicago Auto Show. Its formula became one that defined affordable, fun cars throughout the 1990s and remains an icon today. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized the MX-5 as the best-selling two-seat convertible sportscar in history, with 531,890 units produced to that date. Since that affirmation in 2000, demand has held strong. More than 700,000 units have been sold around the globe.

In 2005, sixteen years after the first generation was born, the concept of the two-seat roadster has evolved into a third generation which made its debut at the Geneva Auto Salon this week. With this all-new MX-5, Mazda once again demonstrates that producing a simple, lightweight sportscar is fundamental to the soul of the carmaker and the purest expression of its Zoom-Zoom philosophy.

To renew the MX-5, Mazda engineers focused on evolving the lightweight sportscar concept as an all-new car which had the challenging task of following in the tracks of a modern motoring icon. When creating the new car, program manager Takao Kijima not only looked ahead to understand how the motoring world's needs had changed since the original MX-5 was launched, but also looked back to pinpoint and focus on what made this Mazda so special to car enthusiasts the world over. What he found was an intensity of spirit possessed by very few sportscars.

In Japanese, the exceptional soul of the MX-5 is described by the expression Jinba Ittai. The direct translation of the idiom is "rider and horse as one." Yabusame, a longstanding artistic ritual ceremony in Japan, truly embodies the essence of Jinba Ittai (pronounced gin-buy ee-tie). An archer mounted on horseback gallops past a target and shoots an arrow. To achieve a bull's eye, the archer and horse must move as one. There must be a natural two-way communication and a high degree of synergy in their alliance.

This oneness of motion between rider and horse was selected as the most apt analogy depicting the relationship between the driver and a MX-5. Updated for the 21st century, Jinba Ittai is akin to the bond between a single-seat formula-car and the driver. It is also exemplified by a high-performance sport motorcycle rider at speed. Jinba Ittai is the essence of Zoom-Zoom.

The rider-and-horse idiom and the effort to create a car universally seen as "lots of fun" served as the focal point around which the original and the all-new MX-5 were designed and engineered. While most sportscars aim for specific performance targets - such as the time required to accelerate to 100 km/h or cornering G provided by the chassis - Mazda engineers established additional goals to reinvigorate the lightweight sportscar. In essence, this became a celebration of the simple delights of driving an open roadster. The "fun" was designed for anyone anywhere at anytime.

Mazda's emphasis is on the feel of a responsive machine that complements any driver. The MX-5 stresses ideal dynamic balance achieved with minimal weight and propelled by a small but spirited engine. Factors of secondary importance in other cars - such as the way the open cockpit is bathed in sunshine and seasonal aroma of fresh air-top the MX-5's list of major attributes.

For Kijima and his engineering team, the first step was acknowledging that Jinba Ittai is what made the original MX-5 so attractive for sportscar enthusiasts and one of Mazda's greatest success stories. The second step was using modern engineering methods developed by Mazda to evolve the iconic Mazda into an all-new, third-generation for introduction this year. To convert the subtle imagery of Jinba Ittai into nuts-and-bolts reality with a body shell, a drivetrain, and chassis components, Takao Kijima wielded a tool called Kansei Engineering.

Like Jinba Ittai, Kansei is difficult to translate into Western terms. Thoughtful awareness and heightened sensitivity are the expressions that come closest to defining Kansei. It's the realization that the fitness of every constituent part underlies the goodness of the whole, that the aforementioned synergy between driver and car can be honed so that it can be felt by anyone who experiences the vehicle in motion. Another Kansei canon is that every aspect of design, mechanical function, and dynamic response ultimately contribute to driving satisfaction.

So, with Jinba Ittai as the point of origin and Kansei Engineering as the navigation tool, Kijima and his dedicated designers and engineers created an all-new MX-5 that's markedly better than, but not conceptually different from, the original.

At first, the team thoroughly discussed what should be retained from the first and second generations, and what to evolve for the new MX-5. Six key categories guided the effort towards the desired "oneness". They are styling (inside and outside), touching (every aspect concerned with the tactile sense), listening (dominated by the engine's voice but also encompassing wind effects), cornering (handling dynamics), driving (everything from ride quality to acceleration response), and braking.

Five basic requirements were defined by Mazda engineers to realize the Jinba Ittai concept:

1. That the car would be as compact and as light as possible while meeting global safety requirements.
2. That the cockpit would comfortably accommodate two full-stature occupants with no wasted space.
3. That the basic layout would continue with the original's front-midship rear-drive configuration with the engine positioned ahead of the driver but behind the front axle for 50:50 weight distribution.
4. That all four wheels would be attached by wishbone or multi-link suspension systems to maximize tyre performance, road grip and dynamic stability.
5. And that a power-plant frame would again provide a solid connection between the engine and rear-mounted differential to sharpen throttle response.

There's a natural tendency for curb weight to increase when trying to meet growing market demands. Realizing that this is contrary to the Jinba Ittai goal and that extra weight would have a dramatically negative influence on driving, cornering, and braking performance, Mazda engineers made every gram count. Their "gram strategy" assessed weight in the smallest possible increments and carefully scrutinized weight-trimming opportunities. Other weight-saving tactics were employed as well. Advanced technology was applied where practical to achieve a light and rigid unibody design using materials that offered higher strength and lighter weight.

In its final form, the new MX-5 is more powerful, more capable, more comfortable, and more useful. It offers several new features and further improves occupant protection from collision injury. Yet, thanks to Kansei Engineering efforts, curb weight has only increased by approximately 10 kgs.

While saving weight was a top priority for achieving Jinba Ittai, other concerns were the stiffness of the unibody structure, the height of the car's centre of gravity, 50:50 weight distribution and the vehicle's moment of inertia about the vertical (yaw) axis (a lower yaw moment of inertia quickens the vehicle's responsiveness to the driver's steering commands). Each of these parameters strongly influenced the new Mazda's overall fun-to-drive characteristics.

A stiff body structure is an essential ingredient in the feeling of oneness between the driver and the car. Thanks to shrewd analysis and the application of advanced materials such as ultra-high-tension steel, the new unibody delivers an increase of 22% for flexural stiffness and 47% for torsional rigidity compared to the previous MX-5. And moving the engine rearward by 135 mm was a major step towards balancing front-to-rear weight distribution and reducing the yaw moment of inertia.

Seeing and touching are critical parts of development, so it was crucial that the new MX-5 looks and feels like a spirited sportscar. This is a discipline of large and small details - the relationship of the wheels to the overall body shape at the grand end of the scale… down to the way the shift knob rests in the driver's hand at the fine end.

The original MX-5 thrived for 16 model years with just one major update, a testimony to its successful timeless formula that was a classic expression of simple, friendly and fun, while celebrating the virtues of compactness and efficiency.

The new MX-5 is clearly ‘the son of its father’. Exterior design themes had to include the "fun" factor as well as "modern styling." To achieve this, the latest MX-5 had to remain approachable and fun, but had to be updated with modern styling cues to communicate both the simple functionality of a modern lightweight sports car and the athletic solidity of a true sportscar, both of which remain obvious Mazda MX-5 design DNA attributes.

The most notable departure from the previous exterior shape is the elimination of the classic "Coke bottle" shape of the contours. The nose and tail are smoothly tapered, as before, but now the surfaces wrap smoothly between the wheels without narrowing. The functional benefit of this change is a wider cockpit with additional hip, shoulder, and elbowroom. In addition, the space needed for side air bags is available.

The fender arches of the new Mazda are notably more pronounced to accommodate the substantially wider wheel track dimensions and to provide a more athletic stance. 17-inch wheels, larger and wider than before, are available to define the corners of the car consistent with Mazda design DNA. The wide shoulder area of the body tapers to a narrower sill to lend a light-on-its-feet look.

In profile, the Mazda MX-5 continues the low, flowing shoulder line established by the original with side surfaces just below the shoulder creating prominent highlights between the wheels for a strong and muscular look. To accentuate the tapering shapes at each end of the Mazda MX-5, headlights and taillights are positioned well inboard of the car's corners.

So, in spite of modest increases in wheelbase (+65 mm), length (+20 mm), width (+40 mm), and height (+20 mm), a tight, compact visual image is maintained.

The high-quality folding soft top is a Z-fold design with one centrally-located latch handle. In the lowered position, it fits flush and smooth. The top can be raised or lowered without undue effort or stretching. A detachable hardtop is also available (depending on market). Thanks to a canted rear quarter pillar and a sweeping rear window, the MX-5 detachable hardtop has a modern, aggressive character that will surely extend this car's appeal in new directions.

The interior design themes of the new MX-5 are simple functionality and comfortable openness with high-quality craftsmanship to delight sports car enthusiasts. A T-shaped general layout joins the horizontal strength of the instrument panel to the substantial centre backbone tunnel. Four round heating and cooling vents help establish a straight reference line across the front of the cockpit. Piano-black finish provides a modern high-quality surface for several areas of the interior. Switches, gauges and driving controls are precisely designed and carefully positioned for optimum functionality. Five individual round gauges with metal-look trim fill the instrument cluster. Highly legible markings and needles are provided and polarized glass covers maintain legibility even in direct sunlight.

Employing Mazda's new-generation sportscar architecture that is significantly stiffer than before provides the base for the safety systems. For the first time, the MX-5 offers side airbag protection. A two-volume side-impact airbag is positioned inside each seat backrest. A single inflator simultaneously expands the torso portion of the airbag and the larger-volume head-protection airbag. This innovative design is light, compact, and highly effective at providing collision protection.

To ensure comfort for a wider range of drivers, an adjustable steering wheel and additional movement for seat adjustment have been added to help drivers with extremely tall or short statures fit the cockpit perfectly. Storage accommodation is plentiful for a vehicle of this size. Three compartments are located on the rear wall (one readily accessible and lockable with room for 10 CDs, two positioned behind the seat backs). There is a pocket attached to the back of the left side seat, another one on the passenger's side of the tunnel, a bottle holder in the door trim, as well as a covered receptacle for two beverage containers conveniently located behind the shift lever. The large glovebox can be locked and there's a small coinbox provided for the driver.

Two features are designed to enhance comfort with the top down. New waist-level vents direct warm and cool air throughout the cockpit to help maintain comfortable cabin temperature on cold and hot days, making the open-air-driving season longer. A mesh-type air deflector mounted vertically behind the seats allows some air to enter the cockpit through its surface, thereby reducing buffeting and top-down turbulence.

A spirited engine and a wieldy transmission constitute the heart of any sportscar. Two new MZR family engines - a 2.0-litre for all global markets and an additional 1.8-litre for Europe - power the new MX-5. These are light and compact and feature chain-driven double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, variable intake valve timing, electronically controlled port fuel injection, and coil-on-plug ignition. The block, head, and oil pan are cast aluminium, while cast iron liners provide a durable bore surface.

Both engines share a 10.8:1 compression ratio and an 83.1 mm stroke that is slightly shorter than the length of the piston's travel in the previous 1.8-litre engine. The bore in the 2.0-litre engine is 87.5 mm versus 83.0 mm for the 1.8-litre version.

Final output for each engine will be confirmed as the vehicles go on sale in key markets. Output for the 1.8-litre is targeted to be 93 kW/126 ps at 6500 rpm with maximum torque of 167 Nm at 4500 rpm. The 2.0-litre European model is targeted to be 118 kW/160 ps at 6700 rpm with peak torque of an estimated 188 Nm at 5000 rpm.

Mazda's newly-developed 6-speed manual transmission is available, along with 5-speed manual and an advanced 6-speed automatic transmissions, which can be manually controlled by the shift lever and by steering-wheel-mounted paddles.

A double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension system with optimized geometry help extract the best the 205/45WR-17 radial tyres have to offer. Aluminium was used for some chassis parts to minimize unsprung weight. Attaching the rear crossmember directly to the unibody with no rubber isolation enhances chassis rigidity while reinforcing the feeling of oneness. Careful tuning of the rack-and-pinion power steering gear yielded low friction, high linearity, and delightfully smooth steering response.

The newly-developed rear suspension is engineered to enhance dynamic stability by optimizing the positioning of the tyres on the road. To curb unwanted steering, pitch motion of the body during acceleration and braking is tightly controlled by the dampers and by anti-dive, anti-squat geometry. A wheelbase increased by 65 mm also helps balance the stable driving.

Sixteen years of success with the original Mazda MX-5 have established high expectations for its successor. Thanks to a deep respect for Jinba Ittai principles and thoughtful applications of Kansei Engineering, the all-new Mazda MX-5 is ready to convince sportscar enthusiasts that a new triple-zoom era has begun. The all-new MX-5 is scheduled to go on sale in global markets in the second half of this year.

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