ND Thoughts

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:17 am

Odd wrote:Coupe.....Why?

Mx-3, Mx-6...coupes....been and gone

Mx-5....open sports car....successful for 25 years

History says a coupe is a waste of time and effort

I'd dissagree. The open sport car MX5 has not been successful for the past 5 years. NC is well past it's used by date, and the sales figures show it.

as for coupes. dunno if you are aware, but there has been a few high profile releases recently, and many have sold.

Odd · Postby **Odd** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:04 pm

project.r.racing wrote:
Odd wrote:Coupe.....Why?

Mx-3, Mx-6...coupes....been and gone

Mx-5....open sports car....successful for 25 years

History says a coupe is a waste of time and effort
I'd dissagree. The open sport car MX5 has not been successful for the past 5 years. NC is well past it's used by date, and the sales figures show it.

as for coupes. dunno if you are aware, but there has been a few high profile releases recently, and many have sold.

The success of the Toyota/Subaru product in Australia....is about relatively low price for a RWD vehicle....not that they are tin tops
They have not been as successful against the NC in USA where they are level on price

I wonder how sales would have gone for NC if the on road price in Australia was $35,000....not $55,000...;)

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:10 pm

Mx6 was fwd? I agree. Make a tin top to duke out against the 86. Surely a tintop is cheaper too?

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taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:17 pm

sailaholic wrote:Mx6 was fwd? I agree. Make a tin top to duke out against the 86. Surely a tintop is cheaper too?

Mazda has always resisted 'Dukeing it out' with the other players, why would they start now?
Greg.

Odd · Postby **Odd** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:40 pm

The concept of the MX-5 was a small,light weight open sports car.....following the concept of Lotus Elan, MGB etc

Being open, wind in the hair, sun on the face,hearing the exhaust note is a fundamental part of the concept...."more smiles per mile"
It's designed from the ground up as an open car....and is Best enjoyed as such...IMO
If they make a tin top based on the ND platform....it's not an MX-5....its a MX-???

No doubt designing a tin top from scratch is cheaper....but not if you've already designed an open car

I almost get the folding roof thing....but prefer the NA/NB solution..... a soft top....with a bolt on hard top for those who have missed the point..;)

Odd · Postby **Odd** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:47 pm

Dupain wrote:They released limited editions of the NB in a coupe version. A few still around in Japan & EU and they are worshiped.

Mmmm...Perhaps....not by this Black Duck...

If they were so desired, why did they never take off ???

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:56 pm

Only made in late nb form in stupid low numbers. Last one that came in from japan cost the guy about 30k landed.

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Regie · Postby **Regie** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:08 pm

Dupain wrote:They released limited editions of the NB in a coupe version. A few still around in Japan & EU and they are worshiped.

There happens to be a yellow coupe on your back doorstep

Odd · Postby **Odd** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:15 pm

Here's an idea....

[/QUOTE]

not a Good one

Odd · Postby **Odd** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:48 pm

MX-5 Miata: The fourth generation of the venerable MX-5 Miata debuts at a media event next month before going on sale next summer for the 2016 model year. The redesigned MX-5 is expected to be close to the original Miata in terms of dimensions and the roadster's roughly 2,100-pound curb weight. Under the hood will be a Skyactiv 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Roughly a year after the soft-top goes on sale, Mazda will release a hardtop MX-5 that will have a unique, fastback-style silhouette, Automotive News has been told.

???? Maybe you've been heard

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 4:33 pm

As one of the people who "missed the point" (and continues to miss the point) I thought the 'folding hardtop' was a good solution to covering all the bases.
Sure it wasn't metal but it was at least as good a solution as a detachable plastic HT.
Given the already exorbitant price of the vehicle the folding HT did not need to cost extra.
They needed to find a way to have it disappear completely into the body behind the seats however.
The raised section wasn't good styling-wise.
I would have thought that a folding HT was a much better solution than introducing a Coupe model.
For those that are trapped in the 1950's and need a vinyl roof, they could cover some of the folding HTs in vinyl.

Odd · Postby **Odd** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:00 pm

For those that are trapped in the 1950's and need a vinyl roof, they could cover some of the folding HTs in vinyl.

I don't NEED a vinyl roof.....I DONT WANT A ROOF....
I have another car with a roof(Mazda6 with a sun roof)
but if I one is fitted....for emergency use....then light simple vinyl will do
I don't need or want the weight, cost or maintenance issues of a folding metal roof
I can put the roof up in my NA8 in less than a minute....which I do...when I park the car

I'd be very Happy with an Ariel Atom....space frame, no windscreen, no roof.....that's a sports car

A folding metal roof is for those that really don't want an open car.....in my opinion...It is not true to the vision that created the MX5 in the first place

speed · Postby **speed** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:08 pm

Wouldn't the coupe be lighter and stiffer. I have no problem with that.
Folding hardtops are great but also detract from the original simplicity.

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smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:19 pm

A coupe would have extra pressure on it to be a performance car.
We'll have to wait and see if Mazda want to take the mx5 into a performance market, where it will compete with the 86 and hot hatches.

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:48 pm

smy0003 wrote:A coupe would have extra pressure on it to be a performance car.
We'll have to wait and see if Mazda want to take the mx5 into a performance market, where it will compete with the 86 and hot hatches.

Come again? I dont think the current MX5 is marketed as a commuter or cruiser. It competes with 86s and hot hatches everyday for market share.