Mazda MX-5
Miata Challenge Project: Chapter 2
When we last left our hero…we said we had bought a Miata for a new one-track series that some people we know are creating. These guys are aiming for novice racers who’ve done HPDE or track days, as well as folks who want to step up from their first taste of racing in ChumpCar or LeMons.
Miata Challenge Project: Chapter One
We’re joining a new one-track series. We thought some of you might be interested in following this for several reasons, so we’ll do regular posts.
Winding Road Presents The Best Cars Of 2012
If you’re a driving enthusiast, and are considering the purchase of a new car in 2012, the prospect of you being able to find something you truly love is better than ever before. Horsepower and torque are being delivered to the winding roads of our nation in record outputs. Fuel economy is getting better at a faster rate than ever before, while overall luxury, safety, and build quality leaves even the last generation of automobiles in the dust.
Question: What’s The Perfect Two-Vehicle Combination?
We’ll put the question to you then, to ponder and then answer in the comments section below: what two vehicles would make an ideal work/play combo for you?
We’ve assumed a generally rational budget to frame this question—close your eyes and assume that you’re not Jay Leno—but you can feel free to let fantasy rule if you must.
Blog: In Defense Of Keeping The Top Up
I’m kind of the oddball in the Michigan office of Winding Road—among other reasons, my colleagues would argue—in that I’m not as fond of convertibles as the rest of the team. I almost always prefer the coupe version to the droptop, if available. Heck, if they made an MX-5 coupe, and it was my money, I’d definitely consider choosing that over the convertible. Similarly, I don’t particularly care for sunroofs. I’m just not a big fan of the sun. It hurts my eyes, makes me itchy, and sometimes triggers a migraine. Perhaps my vampiric photophobia stems from growing up in the rainy, shady Pacific Northwest. Or maybe I’m just a freak.
Comparison Test: 2011 Mazdaspeed3 vs. 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. 2011 Mazda RX-8
A weird thing happened the other day. We were messing around and looking at car discounts and deals online, when we stumbled upon the AOL Autos Best Deal tool. (No, AOL didn’t pay us to write this part; we just genuinely think they’ve got a cool thing going here.) The online tool allows you to search for “best deal” by showing cars in your area that are being offered for the most money off of the baseline MSRP. At the time, we’d just booked a one-week loan of a Mazda RX-8, so we took a look at what discounts were available for the car (one we’ve always been pretty fond of).
Facebook List: Your Top 10 Favorite Summer Cars
Yep, summer has officially started, which means that if you haven’t made some serious driving plans yet, you had better get a move on. We asked our Facebook fans to tell us which cars they thought were the very best for driving during the warm months. The answers were mostly convertible based, which is good, but a few, inspiring coupes snuck in for good measure, too.
SEMA 2010: Mazda Displays MX-5 Cup Car
This year at SEMA, Mazda is displaying the Mazda MX-5 Cup car, built to the specifications of the MX-5 Cup racing series.
Driven: 2011 Mazda2
There exists a tendency, without having driven the car, to try to compare the new Mazda2 to cars one is already familiar with. After all, it shares DNA with the Mazda3, and even the Ford Fiesta. Beware these comparisons, as they will mislead you. The 2 is its own entity, occupying a new space in the company’s North American market, a segment which seems to be ballooning as drivers seek value and practicality. And this economy car is coming from a manufacturer that understands that the best cars are also fun cars. In a Venn diagram, picture the Mazda2 in the shaded area where pragmatism and enthusiasm intersect, and you’re off to a good start.
I Want To Go Racing: Getting Started
Racing is something that people tend to think is expensive or only for professionals. Well, truth be told, it’s not. For interested beginners, all that’s really needed is the entrance fee to your local motorsports venue in your pocket and your daily driver. You don’t need any kind of racing experience for many events and you don’t need a sports car (although having one can make events so much more fun).
Driven: 2010 Mazda MX-5 PRHT
The Mazda MX-5 (it isn’t a Miata anymore) has grown up. What started as a simple revival of the classic British roadster has blossomed into a usable, everyday car. Our tester is the Grand Touring trim with the optional Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT). Not exactly traditional MX-5, but we won’t complain about the all-weather ability of the tin top, or the heated leather seats (it may be July, but those seats would really extend convertible season).
Keepers: Mazda Miata MX-5—Community
There’s good news and bad news for Miata enthusiasts looking for club based camaraderie with which to share their roadster excitement. Despite being one of the most popular two-seat sports cars in the world, there is no single American Miata organization. This wasn’t always the case—the Miata Club of America served as a traditional owners club from 1989 through 2000, and when that organization went out of business, Mazda created the manufacturer-backed Miata Owners Club in 2001. That venture only lasted a year and a half, leaving Miata gearheads to rely on local clubs for their fix of automotive bliss.
Keepers: Mazda Miata MX-5—Shopping
The nice thing about the Mazda Miata is that no matter which flavor you go for, they all pretty much have that same elemental feel to them. In our first Miata piece we mentioned focusing on the second generation cars—they preserve that first generation featherweight feel while offering extra horsepower, tweaked handling, and a handsome list of available equipment akin to the current generation Miata. Yes, there’s something to be said for the character of the original car, and we know many Miata purists consider luxury items and safety systems to be automotive heresy, but the reality is the second generation Miata is just a damn fine automobile, and of the three generations on the market, it’s the one we would did pick.
Keepers: Mazda Miata MX-5
If we could choose only one car to represent the epitome of Winding Road’s philosophy, well, it wouldn’t be the Miata. But you can bet your driving gloves and designer sunglasses that the little Mazda would be in the top five, maybe even in the top three. Few cars in the past 20 years have captured the essence of basic, undiluted driving enjoyment as well as the Miata, and it should come as no surprise that this outstanding little machine isn’t just a Keeper, but an icon among motoring purists around the world.
Driven: 2010 Mazda3
When you think about driving along the mountain roads of southern California, your brain immediately fixates on images of Lotus Elises and Porsche Boxsters as potential quick-footed dance partners for a day of driving fun. But in reality, any car with nimble steering, a taught suspension, and a bit of pep in its step can give similar pleasures. Take our 2010 Mazda3, for example. We spent many hours throwing it through a seemingly endless series of back-and-forth, left-and-right turns, and walked away feeling quite satisfied. The previous generation 3 was seriously fun in these conditions. We’re happy to report that the new car is too.
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