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Ed Higginbotham
Ed Higginbotham Associate Editor
6/20/18 4:00 a.m.
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Mazda just announced some pretty exciting updates on the 2019 MX-5 coming—thanks to consumer demand. Here's what they had to say:

IRVINE, Calif. (June 20, 2018) – The Mazda MX-5 Miata has never been about power; it’s a car whose sole purpose is to help the driver and passenger fall in love with driving. But, a little extra power never …

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Fr3AkAzOiD
Fr3AkAzOiD Reader
6/20/18 4:38 a.m.

Nice to see the improvement are for all MX-5, was worried the hp boost was only with some $5,000 performance package option or something.

 

 

Feedyurhed
Feedyurhed SuperDork
6/20/18 7:15 a.m.

Awesome. Sounds like Mazda was listening and addressed most of the concerns (albeit small) owners had with their cars. Looking forward to test driving one this fall. 

AWSX1686
AWSX1686 GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/20/18 7:24 a.m.

No mention of new popping colors? :(

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/20/18 7:32 a.m.

Eternal Blue was introduced for 2018 but very few were made and not many are aware of it. I expect it’s going to stick around. 

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
6/20/18 8:03 a.m.

That new blue + the updates is going to make it very difficult for me to not trade in the 135i over the winter....assuming they will give me a decent trade-in for it.

AWSX1686
AWSX1686 GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/20/18 9:37 a.m.
Keith Tanner said:

Eternal Blue was introduced for 2018 but very few were made and not many are aware of it. I expect it’s going to stick around. 

I see that, it would be fun to have a new smurf blue, or yellow, or BRG, or the NC winning blue though. 

Still cool updates for 2019 though! Hopefully it'll push the '16-'18 cars down in price.

T.J.
T.J. MegaDork
6/20/18 9:40 a.m.

Not much of anything to dislike about those changes. Wonder what it will do to the MSRP?

Driven5
Driven5 SuperDork
6/20/18 9:51 a.m.

I still can't find any pics of Eternal Blue that make it 'pop' with a brightness or boldness even half as much as Kieth's image in the 'other' thread about this did.. Most look closer to the decidedly 'ho-hum' silver-blue that you see on the Mazda configurator and on some other Mazda's in the wild.  So I definitely wouldn't order that one sight unseen, expecting something interesting or exciting.

.

That aside: Building an engine with more mpg, more rpm, more hp, and more torque everywhere is quite the accomplishment!

Driven5
Driven5 SuperDork
6/20/18 9:53 a.m.
Ed Higginbotham said:

...easier-to-open doors and revised door stops and revised cupholders and seat levers....

Say no more!...Where do I sign up? wink

CyberEric
CyberEric HalfDork
6/20/18 10:34 a.m.

I love that Mazda has a "Gram strategy." 

I wonder if this new mill will make it to the 3. That'd be cool. 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/20/18 11:54 a.m.
AWSX1686 said:
Keith Tanner said:

Eternal Blue was introduced for 2018 but very few were made and not many are aware of it. I expect it’s going to stick around. 

I see that, it would be fun to have a new smurf blue, or yellow, or BRG, or the NC winning blue though. 

Still cool updates for 2019 though! Hopefully it'll push the '16-'18 cars down in price.

That's why Mazda waited to announce, they wanted to keep the value of the cars on their dealer lots up as long as possible.

I have it from a Mazda insider that the ND does not wear green well. We may not see a BRG. Here's a cellphone shot of Eternal Blue sent to me.

stanger_missle
stanger_missle GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/20/18 12:05 p.m.

• A new exhaust system with richer sound quality.

 

Was the '16-'18 exhaust that bad? Or was it just uninspiring?

In my opinion, a car like the MX5 needs a snorty exhaust. 

Driven5
Driven5 SuperDork
6/20/18 12:06 p.m.
Keith Tanner said:

I have it from a Mazda insider that the ND does not wear green well. 

I could see that with BRG. But on my way home yesterday, I saw a Mazda2 in that ridiculous (ly awesome) bright green. I don't know why, but it made me want to see how an ND would look in that color. I also have a feeling that the ND would wear yellow and orange quite well.

And that cell phone pic is closer to the others I've found for that color.  Sure it's 'nice', but it's still not what I would call visually stimulating either.

Professor_Brap
Professor_Brap Reader
6/20/18 12:20 p.m.

Plan on seeing failing DMF in the future! I know the cars that I have owned with them they dont seem to last long before making noise. 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/20/18 12:26 p.m.

What is DMF?

Driven5
Driven5 SuperDork
6/20/18 12:32 p.m.

DuMass Flywheel.

Tyler H
Tyler H GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
6/20/18 12:49 p.m.
Professor_Brap said:

Plan on seeing failing DMF in the future! I know the cars that I have owned with them they dont seem to last long before making noise. 

Just did the clutch in my 911 with 120k miles and reused the DMF.  No noise.  My previous 330i had 160k on the DMF.  It did make a little noise if you lugged the engine, but still worked fine.  100k on a MINI with a DMF and it was fine too.  

What are you driving that is failing early?

 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/20/18 12:50 p.m.

I'm sure if it's problematic, the aftermarket will be happy to supply single mass flywheels.

pinchvalve
pinchvalve GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/20/18 12:56 p.m.

DJ Alessandrini needs more power, yeah. 

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
6/20/18 1:25 p.m.
Tyler H said:
Professor_Brap said:

Plan on seeing failing DMF in the future! I know the cars that I have owned with them they dont seem to last long before making noise. 

Just did the clutch in my 911 with 120k miles and reused the DMF.  No noise.  My previous 330i had 160k on the DMF.  It did make a little noise if you lugged the engine, but still worked fine.  100k on a MINI with a DMF and it was fine too.  

What are you driving that is failing early?

 

Yeah. Many different manufacturers have been using them on multiple lines for years. 

BoxheadTim
BoxheadTim GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/20/18 1:29 p.m.

Interesting that they did change the exhaust header as well. That might back up the some people suggesting that it was/is a bottleneck on the ND1.

Makes me wonder if the new exhaust including header can be retrofitted. 

Joe Gearin
Joe Gearin Associate Publisher
6/20/18 1:40 p.m.
Keith Tanner said:
AWSX1686 said:
Keith Tanner said:

Eternal Blue was introduced for 2018 but very few were made and not many are aware of it. I expect it’s going to stick around. 

I see that, it would be fun to have a new smurf blue, or yellow, or BRG, or the NC winning blue though. 

Still cool updates for 2019 though! Hopefully it'll push the '16-'18 cars down in price.

That's why Mazda waited to announce, they wanted to keep the value of the cars on their dealer lots up as long as possible.

I have it from a Mazda insider that the ND does not wear green well. We may not see a BRG. Here's a cellphone shot of Eternal Blue sent to me.

Oooo.....that blue is lovely!    Still can't warm up to the RF stying though.   I'll take mine in a true droptop!   

Although the updates are welcome, there isn't really much wrong with the ND as it sits.  I'm looking forward to the depreciation dip for the 17-18 cars.   

Stefan
Stefan GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/20/18 1:41 p.m.
BoxheadTim said:

Interesting that they did change the exhaust header as well. That might back up the some people suggesting that it was/is a bottleneck on the ND1.

Makes me wonder if the new exhaust including header can be retrofitted. 

I suspect the change wasn't because it was an issue on the ND1 (not saying it is), but because it wasn't going to work at the power levels and RPM ranges the updated engine produced.

There's more to the changes than just throwing parts at the engine and looking at the peak numbers generated.

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
6/20/18 2:01 p.m.
Tyler H said:
Professor_Brap said:

Plan on seeing failing DMF in the future! I know the cars that I have owned with them they dont seem to last long before making noise. 

Just did the clutch in my 911 with 120k miles and reused the DMF.  No noise.  My previous 330i had 160k on the DMF.  It did make a little noise if you lugged the engine, but still worked fine.  100k on a MINI with a DMF and it was fine too.  

What are you driving that is failing early?

 

The DMF on the MINI is actually a fairly known problem.  My 2006 rattles. Most of my friends with MINI's have had similar issues.  Eventually I'll replace it, although probably with another DMF since the aftermarket versions are generally worse.  Just the nature of the beast.  For now I just keep the clutch pedal in and ignore it.

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