The most British of Japanese Roadster returns – here’s the facts on the 2016 Mazda MX-5 (Miata)

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On stage with Duran Duran

With 80’s hit band Duran Duran helping Mazda kick off and introduce the sleek, all new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Roadster (Miata), the atmosphere was kickin’ – but the 2016 Mazda MX-5’s details weren’t. Other than the exciting new shape, Skyactive engine announcement (sans specs),a new six-speed manual, it’s near 50:50 balance and the fact that this 2016 Mazda MX-5 is over 100 kilograms lighter than the last one, we know bubkis, nil, neff, nichts, nothing….

Here’s what Mazda printed:

“• Beautiful proportions that make the occupants stand out and look good.
• A deeper expression of the KODO design language that conveys agility.
• Body surfaces that richly express the Japanese sense of contrast between stillness
and motion.
• An interior design that melts away the boundaries between the inside and outside of
the car.
• A snug feeling cockpit with symmetry and a singular axis that enables concentration
on driving.

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The second element is to deliver a driving experience that will captivate any driver. For
every generation of the MX-5, importance was placed on appealing to the senses and
sensations through which people enjoy cars, rather than focusing merely on sheer
performance. With “sensation” as the keyword for the fourth-generation MX-5, development
efforts focused on making the car even more enjoyable to control and faithful in its
response. When driving in typical daily situations, the car responds directly to the driver’s 6
Mazda Roadster THANKS DAY in JAPAN
will, as though it were extension of the driver’s own body. When enjoying a sporty run along
winding roads, it responds faithfully to the driver’s actions in pleasingly light fashion. Every
effort went into further refining these attributes to realize the ultimate Jinba Ittai driving
experience that will captivate any driver. Specifically, development focused on the following.

 

2016 MX-5_Rear 1 (1)
• The latest SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY and Mazda’s “gram strategy” combine to
significantly reduce weight by more than 100kg over the third-generation model.
• Front-midship engine rear-wheel-drive configuration achieves an ideal 50:50
front-rear weight distribution.
• The engine is located closer to the vehicle’s center, the hood, trunk lid, front fender
and front and rear bumper reinforcements are made of aluminum, and the weight of
the soft top is reduced. These combine to realize a lower yaw inertial moment and a
lower center of gravity.
• The pedals, controls, meters and all equipment are optimally positioned to enable the
driver to maintain a straight posture and drive comfortably.
• The height of the hood is lowered and the A-pillars and windshield header are moved
rearward and made thinner to create a panoramic view with greater visibility of road
conditions and peripheral movement.
• SKYACTIV-G direct-injection gasoline engines are oriented longitudinally and
specially tuned for the MX-5.
• New six-speed manual and automatic transmissions are also specially tuned for the
MX-5.

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2016 Mazda Miata MX-5

• New lightweight yet highly rigid suspension fully leverages the know-how of
SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY, with a double-wishbone suspension in the front and
multilink suspension in the rear.
• The brake system is designed to maximize controllability and deliver reassuring
effectiveness, plenty of braking power, and an optimized posture when braking.
The third element is a pleasantly refreshing roadster experience that anyone can enjoy. It
embodies the feeling of openness only possible with an open-top lightweight sports car, a
feeling that can quickly lift anybody’s spirits anywhere and at any time while enjoying a
drive with the top down. To achieve this, development focused primarily on the following.
• The MX-5 is designed to be beautiful even with the top down.
• The interior is designed to maximize the pleasure of driving with the top down.
• The soft top can be operated easily while remaining seated.

• Wind control makes the drive pleasurable when the top is down.
• Headrest speakers enhance the enjoyment of driving with the top down.
In addition to the three aforementioned elements, the fourth generation further evolves the
pleasure of adapting the MX-5 to reflect the owner’s character” – – Mazda

2016 MX-5_int (1)
Someone in Mazda PR went through a lot of trouble to tell us nothing.

Sorry folks, we’ll get those facts for you as soon as we can.

Hey, at least the car looks awesome – right?

In this video, follow Roman from Colorado as he flies out to Monterey to cover the world wide unveiling of the new 2016 Miata.