2017 Mazda MX-5 RF: It Was Only a Roof, But What a Roof!
As we mentioned yesterday, did their best to get our attention regarding their mystery unveiling at the New York Auto Show.
Although rumours of a hardtop Mazda MX-5 were circulating, many people—including me—were hoping that Mazda would unveil something a little bolder, such as new RX or a Mazdaspeed model.
Nope. A banal, solid roof was simply added to the MX-5. But what a roof!
Actually, it’s not only an attractive rooftop. The car is called the Mazda MX-5 RF, short for Retractable Fastback, and a “new” version of the brand’s sports car. It uses the same formula that we know and love, but with a different body, since the hardtop doesn’t disappear as it did in the previous-generation car. Instead, it’s only the centre portion of the roof that retracts.
The 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF is more of a grand touring car than the conventional MX-5, since the suspension and the steering have been retuned to offer the same precise handling, but with enhanced comfort.
Under the hood, we still get the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, while other markets can still opt for a 1.5-litre engine.
Pricing for the RF version hasn’t yet been announced.
We can easily agree that the car’s styling is a success. However, we can speculate on the relevance of the modified suspension, whose calibration was already (almost) perfect.
We’ll see how well Mazda worked their magic when we get to drive the MX-5 RF.
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- Check out our complete coverage of the New York Auto Show