From the time I was nine years old, I have been utterly fascinated, by bright red open two seater roadsters. Any other colour, somehow just did not seem appropriate in my eyes. MG was by far my favourite make, but then in the fifties Triumph started to make a name for themselves with their TR models and Sunbeam introduced their new Alpine, which in the sixties was enlarged to include the Tiger. Unfortunately under BMC MG suffered, as the top man, hated anything connected with Morris and did a deal with the Healey brothers, to build Austin-Healeys. MG fought a valiant fight, succeeding as the years rolled by, but then came the disaster that was British Leyland. Triumph had been bought by Leyland some ten years previously, so now it became a battle for survival between Triumph and MG, with all the advantages stacked in Triumph’s favour, as the new management were mainly Triumph men. MG and their home in Abingdon-on-Thames was closed down in 1980. It was inevitable, as the MGB, put into production in the early nineteen sixties, was still in production and showing its age. I felt as if my world had come to an end.
Since the end of the Second World War, the United States had become the major market for MG, so the demise of MG was naturally keenly felt over there. It was only natural with such a demand, that people over there, would start to look for a replacement. As early as 1979 an American journalist, James Hall, suggested to one of Mazda’s directors, that the company should develop a small open sports car. In 1981 Mazda opened a research and technical centre in Irving, California.
The following year the American journalist and two Mazda designers started working on three concepts for a small sports car. One was for a traditional front engine, rear wheel drive layout, another for a front engine, front wheel drive design and the third was for a mid-engine layout. As the car was intended mainly for the North American market, the traditional front engine, rear wheel drive, design was selected. Code named the MX5, design and development started in earnest in Japan in 1985. Later in the same year a British design studio, handed over the prototype MX5 for testing on the MIRA track and facilities in England. In 1989 the first models rolled off the production line in Japan, for the American, Canadian, Australian and Japanese markets. Initially only four colours were available ; Red - White - Blue and Silver. The first MX5s were delivered to European markets in May 1990. In that year 95,640 examples were built, with 25,226 going to the Japanese market and the rest being exported.
With the introduction of the MX5, my ideal world comes to life again and the Mazda MX5, fills that longing in my heart, for a red, open two seater roadster. It fills that terrible void, left by the departure of MG !

I loved it from the first time that I drove it. I loved the second generation model even more, indeed, it is still my favourite model. However, I like this latest third generation model too, but it has landed me with a dilemma: Soft top roadster or folding hardtop Roadster Coupe ?
Away back in 1957, when Ford in North America, introduced their “Skyliner”, folding hardtop convertible, I thought that it was the greatest idea on earth. I was puzzled when the concept was dropped at the end of 1959, as customers said that it was too mechanically complicated and took up too much luggage space. Then as a host of other manufacturers started to adopt folding hardtops, mainly for supposedly four seater convertibles, I went off the idea altogether. However, with advancing old age I am becoming more tolerant of the concept once again. As far as the Mazda MX5 is concerned I would be perfectly happy to own a roadster convertible, in fact in this latest guise, it would be my preferred option. The top takes up very little storage space, it raises or lowers, electrically in twelve seconds, it is easy to operate and as far as I have been able to determine, it does not leak around the windows or body joints. The only disadvantage seems to be that the car has no spare wheel, but this afflicts the soft top version as well.

My test car was fitted with the 1.8 litre engine, mated to a five speed manual gearbox. It had a potential top speed of 198 kph (123 mph), with 0-100 kph acceleration in 9.9 seconds. While this is perfectly satisfactory for daily driving in Irish conditions, be those conditions city/suburban or open road driving, on paper it does not compare all that well with many ordinary family cars. Fuel consumption, by EU testing standards, is Urban cycle 30 mpg (9.5 lt/100 km), Extra urban 51 mpg (5.5 lt/100 km) and Combined cycle 40 mpg (7.0 lt/100 km). This gives exhaust emissions in this latest version of 167 gm/km. That places the car in Irish road tax band D, with an annual rip-off, at present rates, of 448 euro. The car has an unladen weight of 1075 kg, with a power/weight ratio (based on gross vehicle weight) of 14.784 kg/kW.
By way of contrast the Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI, linked to a seven speed DSG gearbox, offers a top speed of 220 kph (136 mph) with 0-100 kph in 8.0 seconds. Although it has an unladen weight of 1286 kg and a power/weight ratio of 15.762 kg/kW (based on gross vehicle weight), it still manages an Urban cycle fuel consumption of 37 mpg (7.5 lt/100 km), Extra urban 54 mpg (5.2 lt/100 km) and Combined cycle average of 47 mpg (6.0 lt/100 km). Its exhaust emissions are 139 gm/km, placing the car in Irish road tax band B, with an annual demand of a much more acceptable 156 euro, at present rates.
The larger capacity Mazda engine is naturally aspirated, whereas the smaller capacity Volkswagen engine is turbocharged. The Volkswagen does have the advantage of a seven speed gearbox, compared to just five speeds in the Mazda, but the Volkswagen is heavier and capable of carrying up to five people and their luggage compared to just two in the Mazda MX5.
As I said earlier, the Mazda MX5 is perfectly suitable for Irish driving conditions. It drives beautifully, handles excellently and delivers magnificent driving pleasure in full measure. It is comfortable and well laid out. However, it could so easily be just that little bit better on paper, with a smaller, but more modern and powerful engine under the bonnet. If that delivers an even better fuel consumption, with lower exhaust emissions, then so much the better, especially as it will save expenditure on taxation and running costs.
Unfortunately, enthusiasts do sit down and compare performances on paper. I know, I did it myself on an almost daily basis and unfortunately my beloved MGA always came off worse than the Triumph TR, Morgan Plus Four and others, until the magnificent Twin Cam MGA came along and beat them all. Today the slightly more powerful, fifteen years old MGF, with 1.8 litre engine and five speed gearbox, has a top speed of 205 kph (127 mph) with 0-100 kph in 8.8 seconds, even if its fuel consumption and exhaust emissions are worse. As a result of its higher fuel consumption, the MGF’s exhaust emissions, put it into Irish tax band E, with a massive annual rip-off of 630 euro ! But remember the MGF is a fifteen years old design !

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, that Mazda’s engineers made the correct decision, when they opted for a traditional front engine, rear wheel drive layout. The double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension gives excellent roadholding. Compared to most family cars, the ride is that bit harder, but then this is only to be expected in a sporting car. It certainly contributes in a very positive way to the superb roadholding. The brakes likewise, seemed to be up to the task of stopping the car safety and controllably, whenever called upon to do so. The Mazda MX5 is designed for supreme driving pleasure and I am utterly convinced that it delivers this unquestionably, time after time.

The operation of the folding roof could not be simpler. You press a release button and lift a securing catch in the centre of the roof. Then press the appropriate button on the facia, keeping your finger on the button for the duration. After twelve seconds a buzzer will signal that the operation is complete. To raise the roof you press another button on the facia and when the buzzer sounds twelve seconds later, you flip the securing catch down to lock it. When lowered the upper rear body panel and the roof itself, appear to seal off the storage space in a neat and attractive manner. The rear roof panel, does have one major disadvantage, in that the window is not of the wrap-around sort, so that there is no visibility over your right shoulder, when reversing. You soon get used to this and learn to rely on the view provided by the excellent exterior rear view mirrors.

The instruments and driving controls are all beautifully laid out for comfort and ease of use. The instrument binnacle has five round analogue dials, with black faces and easy to see white lettering. The two larger dials are for the tachometer (left) and speedometer (right). The three smaller dials are fuel level (left), engine temperature (right) and up between the two large dials, there is an engine oil pressure gauge. Below this central dial there is a digital information panel, showing the trip and total distance recorders. The hazard warning switch is at the top of the centre console, with the button to lower the roof on its right and the corresponding button to raise the roof on its left. The audio equipment and its associated controls are below, with a digital information panel, that besides showing audio related information, also shows the time, when the audio is switched off. The three round rotary controls immediately below, are for the heating and ventilating equipment. The control on the left looks after the distribution. On its left hand side, it has a special section, for when the roof is lowered. This is an excellent idea in a car with an open roof. The middle rotary switch looks after the temperature selection, while that on the right controls the distribution fan speed. It is all so easy to see and excellently simple to use, whilst driving. Two flush fitting rocker switches on the tunnel behind the gearlever, are for raising and lowering the windows. The controls for the electrically adjustable, exterior rear view mirrors, are in the driver’s door armrest. Behind the two rocker switches in the centre tunnel there is a covered storage space, that also may be used for two cupholders, while between the two seats there is a lockable storage space of a reasonable size. Each door has a bottle holder in its lower forward section. The two seats adjust for reach, rake and height, while the leather covered steering wheel adjusts for height. It is geared to give 2.7 turns from lock to lock.

The seats are upholstered in cloth, which is a pity, as cloth absorbs moisture if it gets wet. Leather on the other hand, is far more appropriate for a convertible, as it can be wiped dry if it gets wet.

The boot is probably of an adequate size for a roadster, although two people touring, would have to be frugal in their packing. This could be a pity, as there is nothing to beat touring, top down, in beautiful countryside. Of more concern to me, is the fact that the car comes without a spare wheel and nowhere to store one. Those foam and compressor gadgets are all right for small punctures, but a proper spare wheel is my preferred option.

My preferred driving mode, was to have the top and both windows down. However, in strong side winds you may need to have the side windows up. On cooler days, this is also a good way to enjoy open top motoring, as with that special, top down setting, the heating/ventilating equipment manages to keep the cockpit pleasantly warm. The well raked windscreen manages to keep the interior pleasantly free of draughts. There is a small back-draught screen, between the two headrests, which may be folded down if not needed. On one cooler day, I did notice a cooler draught on the back of my neck, but I simply turned the back of the collar on my windproof jacket up and the problem was solved. Being so low, getting in and out, can be more difficult, for an old codger like myself, but overall I loved every minute of my driving experience. I drove both with the top erected and with the top lowered, but if is not actually raining, what is the point in having a convertible and then driving it with the top erected ?

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