Mazda Miata flips a new lid with retractable hardtop
Another big introduction for next month's London International Motor Show has been announced!
Mazda will use the venue to debut its new MX-5 Miata with retractable hardtop. The addition of the hardtop transforms what was already one of the best three season roadsters ever into a legitimate year-round machine. No details have been released other than the brief announcement and the two photos included here.
Expect much more in the coming weeks as we get closer to the Miata hardtop's July 18 debut.
(Press release after the jump)
[Source: Mazda]
Mazda to Exhibit New Mazda MX-5 with Power Retractable Hard Top at the British International Motor Show
Hiroshima, Japan, June 20, 2006. Mazda Motor Corporation will use the 2006 British International Motor Show for its global reveal of the new Mazda MX-5, now equipped with a power retractable hard top roof ** - and the regional debut of the Mazda BT-50 one-ton pickup truck.
The British International Motor Show will be held in London from Tuesday, July 18, through Sunday, July 30, 2006.
Featuring a new, unique power retractable hard top roof, this is an all-new addition to the third-generation Mazda MX-5 which has been celebrated globally since 2005. This new Mazda MX-5 model provides a unified sense of driving exhilaration, ready to spread the fun of lightweight sports cars in diverse and distinct new ways.
"Jinba Ittai"-or 'rider and horse as one' is the essence of Mazda MX-5, the expression reflecting the emotional connection between a horse and rider.
Mazda will also reveal its new one-ton truck, the Mazda BT-50, equipped with a powerful new 2.5- litre Direct Injection Turbo Diesel engine. The British International Motor Show marks the European premiere of this diesel engine, which made its world debut at the Bangkok Motor Show last March.
Along with these models, the Mazda Sassou and Mazda Kabura concept vehicles will also be exhibited.
Mazda will hold a press conference on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 at 11:45 a.m. (British Summer Time).
Hiroshima, Japan, June 20, 2006. Mazda Motor Corporation will use the 2006 British International Motor Show for its global reveal of the new Mazda MX-5, now equipped with a power retractable hard top roof ** - and the regional debut of the Mazda BT-50 one-ton pickup truck.
The British International Motor Show will be held in London from Tuesday, July 18, through Sunday, July 30, 2006.
Featuring a new, unique power retractable hard top roof, this is an all-new addition to the third-generation Mazda MX-5 which has been celebrated globally since 2005. This new Mazda MX-5 model provides a unified sense of driving exhilaration, ready to spread the fun of lightweight sports cars in diverse and distinct new ways.
"Jinba Ittai"-or 'rider and horse as one' is the essence of Mazda MX-5, the expression reflecting the emotional connection between a horse and rider.
Mazda will also reveal its new one-ton truck, the Mazda BT-50, equipped with a powerful new 2.5- litre Direct Injection Turbo Diesel engine. The British International Motor Show marks the European premiere of this diesel engine, which made its world debut at the Bangkok Motor Show last March.
Along with these models, the Mazda Sassou and Mazda Kabura concept vehicles will also be exhibited.
Mazda will hold a press conference on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 at 11:45 a.m. (British Summer Time).
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
taipeileviathan 5:09PM (6/20/2006)
hmm... interesting...
the normal miata/mx-5 is such a no-compromise road-carving instrument, i wonder how the extra weight from the mechanics of the roof will affect the car's performance...
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epilonious 5:09PM (6/20/2006)
Neeeeeeeat!
MX-5 has a hardtop, which will probably do more to flesh out mazda's roadster and separate it from the Solstice/Sky...
Meanwhile, GM has a hardtop-convertible in the G6.. undercutting the similar C70 hardtop...
The only thing more interesting than the proliferation of hard-top convertibles is the M6 still having a soft-top :-
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bgdc 5:13PM (6/20/2006)
Nice. Wonder what the weight and balance penalty will be with the HT. I'd imagine they opted for aluminum but it's still gotta be pricey.
Add the 2.3 turbo from the Mazdaspeed3/6/CX-7 and you'd have a blistering, all-wealth machine.
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Presto 5:15PM (6/20/2006)
Mazda hardtop = Homerun
Be prepared for the the hardcore SCCA racers out there to be up in arms about the added weight and it being against the whole rider and horse Miata philosophy.
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epilonious 5:15PM (6/20/2006)
#1(taipeileviathan)"the normal miata/mx-5 is such a no-compromise road-carving instrument, i wonder how the extra weight from the mechanics of the roof will affect the car's performance..."
The hard top will probably have the same effect as the Automatic transmission: Minimal weight gains compared to massive sales gains because while so many sports enthusiasts deign such things as heavy, slushy automatics and heavy hard-roof bits... many more people will start to see it as a daily driver and not just some seasonal track-mobile.
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PJ 5:29PM (6/20/2006)
Presto, you called me out. I was just about to leave a post whining about how this will increase weight and the center of gravity, how they'll mostly be automatics, et cetera...
Anyway, I imagine Mazda developed this car mostly because of the Euro market's current fascination with hardtop CCs. Across the pond, I bet it'll be a huge hit.
Here in the States, I dunno. Besides disappointing the purist in me, it seems odd that Mazda would go so far as dropping the "Miata" name to help get rid of the MX-5's "chick car" stigma, but then go ahead and sell this. I love Miatas, and hate the idea of assigning gender to cars... but even I thought "chick car" when I saw this story's accompanying pic.
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jstand6 5:30PM (6/20/2006)
Those that are worried about the weight/balance penalty have absolutely no need to worry. The soft top version is still available in five trim levels, while the new RHT will be available in three trim levels. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if the additional weight comes in quite a bit less than people think. Remember, despite the new Miata's bigger size and more equipment, it ended up being a whole 22 pounds heavier than the previous model.
This should help drive sales. There are things to consider here:
+This RHT takes up NO trunk space, which I believe is the only car than can make that claim in the U.S. market
+It will probably be the least expensive retractable hard top in the U.S. market; I would expect it to start well under $30k. Remember, the base Miata costs $20,995.
+Mazda expects it to the be fastest operating retractable hard top in the global market.
It has a whole lot going for it. The top-up looks, however, is interesting. The top is very truncated compared to the soft top and optional removeable hard top, kind of like the last generation Corvette Z06. Here's a picture of the car with the top up:
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/d/75954/d_ams_fotoshow_detail?skip=4
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now it's completely ugly... 5:49PM (6/20/2006)
This top is ugly. And it'll be heavy. And on top of the ugliness of the new MX-5 anyway (stupid wheel arches and gangsta wheels) it's just the total package now.
Completely ugly, completely silly.
The Pontiac G6 convertible looks a lot better. Of course, I can't imagine it's much of a handler either, but at least it doesn't pretend.
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Jaymez 6:01PM (6/20/2006)
The only way I'd ever consider buying a drop top is if it had a RHT. Rag tops look like hell, and face it, most rag tops spend most of their lives with the top up.
Now, if someone would just make a car with a RHT worth buying.
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Lee Gibson 7:01PM (6/20/2006)
Wow. As long as they continue to offer the ragtop, I can't see this being anything but a good move for Mazda.
I loved my ragtop '90, and I want a new one. Having moved from Texas (year-round convertible weather) to Oregon (not year-round convertible weather) this is a very, very interesting development.
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Xwing 7:15PM (6/20/2006)
Nice move, but I'll keep my regular softtop. It goes down in 2 seconds and up in 3. A hard top would be nice, but it doesn't snow in the South, so I'll keep my new silver bullet.
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Dave 7:24PM (6/20/2006)
It has added very little weight to the car overall, an article I read earlier stated that it was only 30kg heavier than the soft top. Prices for Europe/UK will be announced when it's officially unveiled at the British Motor show, but they're expected to be around 10% more than the soft top.
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LoneWolf 8:11PM (6/20/2006)
Ok, i knew it all the time, the MX-5 is a car, designed basically for women and wimps. But now, with this ugly Hardtop, it's just a "cute" Car, for people who cant fix a Softtop
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Andy 12:28AM (8/02/2008)
have you ever driven one... cause i bet if you have you wouldn't have said that... and two... how many women have you ever seen driving miatas..................... not many because not many know how to drive stick or they just want their SUV's... almost 2/3 of miata drivers are men... 2/3 = majority...girl car? i think not... and wimps... more mazda miata's are entered in SCCA events than any other brand/model...
Fun-to-drive?... YES
Girly?..............1/3
Wimpy?...........NO
Mike 8:20PM (6/20/2006)
okay cool.. now give us a coupe!
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Pinkerton 11:08PM (6/20/2006)
Ug, caveman no like girly Mazda with hard top. Caveman like water leak on leg and snow blow in face. Only need plastic back window. Window cloud up, caveman cut out with knife. Vinyl top crack, caveman rip off with bare hands. Only need tonneu cover with rusty broken zipper. Caveman tough and like put oil in carburetors.
Ugggg grunt snort
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John B 11:26PM (6/20/2006)
About seven or eight months ago, while waiting for service on my wife's Mazda3, I was discussing the MX-5 with the sales manager at the dealership. He told me then that Mazda would be bringing out the retractable hard top.
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mike 12:14AM (6/21/2006)
#12:
E X A C T L Y ! ! !
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Tom Design 12:50AM (6/21/2006)
What a sweet little gadget! Love the operational pics, but what does it look like fully closed, and fully opened? More pics please before judgement.
And, this is a coupe when the top is up, that's the whole idea, you get a coupe/hardtop 2 seater AND a convertible, duh!
Ok, so the BMW-6 and the Jaguar convertible kept classic ragtops, but you have to admit this is a wonderful concept.
I saw the Pontiac G6 convertible driving near Fenway Park in Kenmore Square, guy alone top down on a sunny day, and i was impressed by the classy, sporty design.
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Mike 2:44AM (6/21/2006)
"And, this is a coupe when the top is up, that's the whole idea, you get a coupe/hardtop 2 seater AND a convertible, duh!"
Does a hardtop convertible have the structural rigidity of a proper coupe? (genuine question). I do like hardtop convertibles better than ragtops generally, but I still prefer a good fastback or hatchback.
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