OT: Today will be an interesting day for a new product showing….

[Coronita]

…No it’s not the boring iPhone 6…

Today, Mazda is going to show the next generation ND Miata…. Now, that will be an interesting product release….

[moneymaker]

Are they going aluminum? Like the F-150. Should find a way to quiet the ride before going for more horsepower. I do like our 2006 Grand Touring model, just have to turn the Bose up on the freeway to drown out the ambient noise.

[Coronita]

[quote=moneymaker]Are they going aluminum? Like the F-150. Should find a way to quiet the ride before going for more horsepower. I do like our 2006 Grand Touring model, just have to turn the Bose up on the freeway to drown out the ambient noise.[/quote]

No idea.

[Rich Toscano]

I’m watching it live, like a total dork.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze5GPxABcMs#t=391

[spdrun]

2200 lb. Low beltline (at least by current nanny standards). I’ll take one or two, please.

I want a car, not a safety box or overpowered rocket sled, and this is it.

This being said, it has a big-a$$ screen in the middle of the dash. No DIN or dual-DIN slot. Yuck. I want a car, not a rolling cum-pootah.

[Coronita]

2200 lbs.. Looks like it’s a winner. I like it…. that puts it slightly above an NA…I doubt it will be 2200 in the US though…. The ND looks smaller than the NA….

[an]

Call me when they put the turbo SkyActiv engine in there. Now, that would be a screamer. Mazdaspeed Miata is what would get me excited. 2.0L 280HP in a 2300lb car. That would be fun and trackable.

[spdrun]

Problem is that if it has 280 HP and has to be warranted, it won’t be 2300 lb, since the brakes, drivetrain, and chassis will have to be porked up to handle the extra power/tq.

[an]

[quote=spdrun]Problem is that if it has 280 HP and has to be warranted, it won’t be 2300 lb, since the brakes, drivetrain, and chassis will have to be porked up to handle the extra power/tq.[/quote]Brakes, yes, drivetrain, it depends, chassis, not necessarily (look at the Elise/Exige). Add in a turbo will probably add ~50lb and larger brakes and tires will add another 50lb. That is where I get 2300lb from, since the non-turbo weighs 2200lb. If you want to cut weight, you can always pay more and get a single piece forged wheels for example. Regardless, it’s very doable to get 2300 lb and still have to whole car beefed up to handle 280-300 HP, especially if the non turbo car is already 2200lb. You can also reduce some weight by getting titanium exhaust, light weight clutch and fly wheel, carbon fiber hood and trunk. You can go extreme and make it a hardtop with carbon fiber roof. I wouldn’t mind paying another $10k over the base Miata for some of those modifications.

If they can’t keep it down to 2300lb, I wouldn’t mind 2400lb if they make the engine stronger and turn up the boost to yield around 300-320HP. That would still be a very fun little car, not only in the curve but also in straight line.

[spdrun]

The Lotus cars are also mid/rear, so no driveshaft or conventional transmission. Might make it easier to keep weight down.

[Coronita]

2200 isn’t going to happen for North America… Crash regulations,etc….

That said, I hope there is a coupe version. And as long as it’s highly tuneable…..I’d be happy with a near 200hp car stock with a 2300lb car, with room for aftermarket tuning……

So doing some planning… If I buy this car in 2015, I can drive it a few years, and it will be the perfect old car for my kid when my kid is old enough to drive…heh heh…

[Coronita]

[quote=flu]2200 isn’t going to happen for North America… Crash regulations,etc….

That said, I hope there is a coupe version. And as long as it’s highly tuneable…..I’d be happy with a near 200hp car stock with a 2300lb car, with room for aftermarket tuning……

So doing some planning… If I buy this car in 2015, I can drive it a few years, and it will be the perfect old car for my kid when my kid is old enough to drive…heh heh…[/quote]

Well so much for that idea.. I ran that idea across with my kid…..Kid says

“I’m a little concerned about the car being that small. You know in case a big truck runs over it…….But you can get it and keep it for yourself…”

Well, so much for that idea…

[svelte]

[quote=flu]

Well so much for that idea.. I ran that idea across with my kid…..Kid says

“I’m a little concerned about the car being that small. You know in case a big truck runs over it…….But you can get it and keep it for yourself…”

Well, so much for that idea…[/quote]

Wow. When we bought our white 89 Miata we bought it with the intention of giving it my oldest son when he turned 16. Well as that year approached *I* got frightened about handing a car that small over to a new driver. Hell, I had almost been run over in it several times (from ppl who didn’t see me) and I’m good at evasive maneuvers. I couldn’t stomach the thought of handing it over to my son.

So we bought him a larger car instead. I was all prepared to get him something sporty, but he chose a midsize 4 door so his friends would ride all comfy.

Kids today. 🙂

[svelte]

And the 2016 Miata? Stunning.

Great work Mazda, best one yet! And that’s saying something.

[Coronita]

This is interesting…

400hp 4-banger….We probably won’t get it in the States…

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/10/01/audi-tt-sportback-concept-paris-2014/

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/10/01/audi-tt-sportback-concept-paris-2014/?icid=autoblog|check-these-out

[Author]

Posts