I should clarify that I don't want the Miata 'vert to go away at all. Just wish they would introduce a separate model (perhaps more up market?) that was essentially an MX-5 Coupe to go up against the FR-S twins and to maybe go after the Cayman's of the world (in an underdog kind of way).
That said, unless my finances suddenly improve to allow the purchase of a brandy-new ND, I'll be looking at picking up an NC in the next few months and watching for the ND's to drop in price :)
turboswede wrote: I should clarify that I don't want the Miata 'vert to go away at all. Just wish they would introduce a separate model (perhaps more up market?) that was essentially an MX-5 Coupe to go up against the FR-S twins and to maybe go after the Cayman's of the world (in an underdog kind of way). That said, unless my finances suddenly improve to allow the purchase of a brandy-new ND, I'll be looking at picking up an NC in the next few months and watching for the ND's to drop in price :)
I am in the opposite camp. Sitting with a 2 year old FRS, if the ND does not suck, I can wait till they drop in price and pick up a nice 5 year old example.
If the do suck, I will probably sell the MGB GT and go on the hunt for the nicest NA I can find in North America as a keeper/toy. I have had the GT for 36 years and as I get older, I am less tolerant of the sacrifices that need to be made to enjoy antique cars. Miatas don't beat you up like MGBs.
Keith Tanner wrote: If the Club had been introduced in 2006, Mazda would have sold them by the boatload. We've supercharged a couple of them and it makes for a really nice package. Definitely the best NC.
Keith, do you mean if they had launched a package specced like the current club in 06 they would have sold a bunch, or do you mean if they had sold the current suspension tuning in 06 they would have sold a bunch? What was to stop you speccing a car like a club back then, didnt' they have a sports suspension package with LSD, 6 speed option and body options that were effectively the same thing back then?
Every time I go and price out a Miata I start with a Club then end up wanting leather, fart warmers, Bluetooth, Climate control and end up speccing out a GT instead. Yes the Club is the perfect toy, but when buying new to be used as a 365 daily driver the GT ends up a better proposition at least for me.
I wouldn't say the Miata is a direct competitor to the FRS/BRZ since the FRS/BRZ is heavier and more nose-heavy... and the obvious coupe-only vs convertible. But power-to-weight and price-wise they're fairly close.
I would think the FRS/BRZ sales success would show Mazda that people want a good-handling, inexpensive coupe, and what better plaform than the Miata? Mazda would at least keep the weight off the nose instead of the doofus Toyota engineers making it nose-heavy on purpose for drifting 
And if they make a coupe based on the same platform, they could put in a rotary! Oh, wait...
Adrian_Thompson wrote:Keith Tanner wrote: If the Club had been introduced in 2006, Mazda would have sold them by the boatload. We've supercharged a couple of them and it makes for a really nice package. Definitely the best NC.Keith, do you mean if they had launched a package specced like the current club in 06 they would have sold a bunch, or do you mean if they had sold the current suspension tuning in 06 they would have sold a bunch?
Suspension tuning is a major part of it. The 06 Sport suspension was laughably bad. Had the 2012 suspension tuning been available six years earlier, the cars probably would have attracted different buyers. As it was, the first two versions of the NC were more like Buicks than Mazdas.
I think the Club spec package is attracting buyers as well. I don't pay enough attention to the frilly stuff that goes on the car (as opposed to the greasy stuff that's interesting) so I can't say how close you could have spec'd a car to a Club in 2006. But I've seen more brand new Clubs come in for modification than we've seen for a while, which tells me it's attracting a very different buyer. One who's actually invested in the car, figuratively speaking.
David S. Wallens wrote: There's a Mazda6 in my driveway right now. It's a pretty car.
Will there be a review posted soon? And if you have the ear of anyone at Mazda, please let them know that if they brought the Mazda6 wagon here with a manual I would buy one. Make mine a touring please. The only option I want is the fancy stereo, but I'll buy the car even if they make me buy the moon roof like they do with the sedan.
Sad that Mazda is struggling to make ends meet. I hope whatever the Miata is, that it sells like hot cakes and they make a healthy 15% profit on each one of the things.
Otherwise they may get bought by who knows who.
Mitsubishi Mazda Motors
We need to tell normal drivers that they should buy a Mazda 3 or a Mazda 6 instead of whatever appliance car they may look at first.
turboswede wrote: I should clarify that I don't want the Miata 'vert to go away at all. Just wish they would introduce a separate model (perhaps more up market?) that was essentially an MX-5 Coupe to go up against the FR-S twins and to maybe go after the Cayman's of the world (in an underdog kind of way). That said, unless my finances suddenly improve to allow the purchase of a brandy-new ND, I'll be looking at picking up an NC in the next few months and watching for the ND's to drop in price :)
I actually believe that a resurrected RX-8 or a RX-9 would be a better competitor to a Cayman, 370Z, and a Genesis Coupe. It would have to be a similar size, price, and power too or normal drivers wouldn't cross shop them. But they may have to use a V6 so low gas mileage, low torque, and quirky maintenance from a rotary doesn't get them crossed off shoppers' lists.
We bought a new Mazda6 in 2011. My wife loves it. I'm debating selling the RX-8 and saving my pennies to buy a new MX-5 for a daily driver. If the fuel economy is there, it might beat the GTI with a DSG.
What I really wish that a DSG type transmission was more common outside of the German producers. It ticks my "Transmission that does what you want it to when you tell it to do it" box, and my wife can drive it, too. I won't hold my breath, since Mazda stuck with a traditional automatic for their Skyactiv paradigm.
Brett_Murphy wrote: What I really wish that a DSG type transmission was more common outside of the German producers. It ticks my "Transmission that does what you want it to when you tell it to do it" box, and my wife can drive it, too. I won't hold my breath, since Mazda stuck with a traditional automatic for their Skyactiv paradigm.
My guess is that DSG boxes will fall out of favor over the next few years. Modern 6-7-8-9 speed auto's are getting better and better control all the time. I think it's Jag who already have an Auto in the XK and F type that acts more like a DSG in that the torque convertor is basically locked when moving so you have a direct link from engine RPM to wheel speed without the slip. The torque convertor will just slip for starting and stopping similar to a clutch lock up. Add in blip downshifts and it will sound, feel and act like an automated manual box.
I wouldn't be surprised if with the exception of tiny manufactures like Caterham, Morgan etc. who use aftermarket transmissions is all manuals are gone completely within 20 years
I'm all for a Miata coupe. Choices are good!
I'd love to see an uber lightweight, high-hp monster but in reality I think it's going to look more like this:
I bet 100/1 that we don't see a coupe, or a true "mazdaspeed version" right out of the gate, (coupe probably ever?)
Autolex wrote: I'd love to see an uber lightweight, high-hp monster but in reality I think it's going to look more like this: * ~2600lb (+-50lb) * 175-190hp (either small turbo four or 2.0L ish N/A Four with DI) * 6MT and 6sp slushbox options * PRHT and Standard Ragtop (powered) * 23-25 city / 30-33 Highway * Gigantic wheels (17-19") * New Mazda 3 type grill/front end * High shoulders/beltline * longer (by a few inches) than the NC * electronical wizardry packages available * heated leather available * slightly better quarter mile/0-60 times, less overall "feel"
Pretty close to my vision. The question is how well it all flows together for a driving experience.
The other thing that the Miata has to maintain is the bulletproof reliability that surrounds lit like a halo. The FRS/BRZ due dropped that ball right out of the gate and might yet be the death knell for the model.
On the subject of the Miata always being called a "Girls" car; it could be a good thing. The Twins certainly don't have that stigma, but it shows up as a lack of sales to the female buyer; not something that will endear the model to the beancounters who run the companies.
NOHOME wrote:Autolex wrote: I'd love to see an uber lightweight, high-hp monster but in reality I think it's going to look more like this: * ~2600lb (+-50lb) * 175-190hp (either small turbo four or 2.0L ish N/A Four with DI) * 6MT and 6sp slushbox options * PRHT and Standard Ragtop (powered) * 23-25 city / 30-33 Highway * Gigantic wheels (17-19") * New Mazda 3 type grill/front end * High shoulders/beltline * longer (by a few inches) than the NC * electronical wizardry packages available * heated leather available * slightly better quarter mile/0-60 times, less overall "feel"Pretty close to my vision. What I really want is a vehicle I can cut into pieces easily to plop a Volvo on top of
Fixed!
Advan046 wrote: Sad that Mazda is struggling to make ends meet. I hope whatever the Miata is, that it sells like hot cakes and they make a healthy 15% profit on each one of the things. Otherwise they may get bought by who knows who. Mitsubishi Mazda Motors
Didn't Mazda make RECORD profits last quarter? Or was it last year?
Mazda is on the upswing.
I am waiting to see Alfa's version assuming they are still planning on that.
Hopefully Italian styling and sound and Japanese reliability.
In reply to 93EXCivic:
This combined with the Frisbee twins worries me. Though those 2 forces may lead to the development of the fastback coupe to generate the combined target sales volume, it worries me that the competition will get stiffer and that Mazda may cave to the calls for more space and more power. I'm fearful that Mazda will do a fastback version and that it will end up a 2+2.
93EXCivic wrote: I am waiting to see Alfa's version assuming they are still planning on that. Hopefully Italian styling and sound and Japanese reliability.
I have read both on the Miata.net and Alfabb.com that there probably will not be an Alfa version. which sucks, as that's the car I was ready to buy next.
With a "1750" version of the Multi-Aire, it would have been a great car.
(and what the Spider should have developed into over it's 30 year life span)
jsquared wrote: And the reason the turbo Miata didn't sell well is because it wasn't that good compared to the aftermarket turbo Miatas. Too small intercooler, not enough power, etc.
And some seriously awful tuning on the factory ECU. We found on the MSPNP Pro testing that you could make them drive a lot more smoothly even on a dead stock example with different engine management.
Adrian_Thompson wrote: I think it's Jag who already have an Auto in the XK and F type that acts more like a DSG in that the torque convertor is basically locked when moving so you have a direct link from engine RPM to wheel speed without the slip. The torque convertor will just slip for starting and stopping similar to a clutch lock up. Add in blip downshifts and it will sound, feel and act like an automated manual box.
If a car has to have an automatic transmission, that's the way it should work!
tuna55 wrote:NOHOME wrote:Fixed!Autolex wrote: I'd love to see an uber lightweight, high-hp monster but in reality I think it's going to look more like this: * ~2600lb (+-50lb) * 175-190hp (either small turbo four or 2.0L ish N/A Four with DI) * 6MT and 6sp slushbox options * PRHT and Standard Ragtop (powered) * 23-25 city / 30-33 Highway * Gigantic wheels (17-19") * New Mazda 3 type grill/front end * High shoulders/beltline * longer (by a few inches) than the NC * electronical wizardry packages available * heated leather available * slightly better quarter mile/0-60 times, less overall "feel"Pretty close to my vision. What I really want is a vehicle I can cut into pieces easily to plop a Volvo on top of
93EXCivic wrote: I am waiting to see Alfa's version assuming they are still planning on that. Hopefully Italian styling and sound and Japanese reliability.
Well, that worked out real good the last time they did that.
BoxheadTim wrote:93EXCivic wrote: I am waiting to see Alfa's version assuming they are still planning on that. Hopefully Italian styling and sound and Japanese reliability.Well, that worked out real good the last time they did that.
You have that backwards- it was 70's Japanese styling and Italian reliability.
(although I actually have met people who like them, and race them... 
)
alfadriver wrote: I have read both on the Miata.net and Alfabb.com that there probably will not be an Alfa version.
Oh, man! That stinks.
You'll need to log in to post.
