quite pretty, innit? (ND launch)

[gslender]

So you want a new car with old technology...

No, but I don't want a car that has "awesome curves" as being the only valued element.

Our 2009 Mazda6 has EPAS. It works beautifully and seamlessly for me and I don't recall any negatives from reviewers.
The MX-5 should be even better given the years of experience Mazda have had with such systems.

EPAS on the Mazda6 is not the same as EPS. EPAS is an electric motor driving the hydraulics. EPS is an electric motor instead of hydraulics.

The ND gets the dual pinion EPS solution from Alfa, much better than most other solutions.
http://www.alfaromeo.com/com/technology ... e-steering

Where did you get that confirmed? Just because the Alfa has it, doesn't mean Mazda does. They are not sharing engines. Engine platforms normally include the power steering units. If we are guessing, then it is more likely the ND will have the 2014 Mazda 3 electric power steering. It has been reviewed as good, but when reviewing a FWD 3 I'm unsure if you're head space is the same for a RWD sports car???

[Caffeine]

I'll mention one word that terrifies me ... runflats!

There is a button in the dash for resetting tyre pressure sensors and these are usually on cars with runflats tyres. I understand that the NC came with runflats in some markets and Australia managed to avoid them then. Let's hope that trend continues.

There is a new mandate in the US that all new cars must have tyre pressure sensors after a certain date. Doesn't necessarily mean runflats.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/rulings ... ule.6.html

[JBT]

Our 2009 Mazda6 has EPAS. It works beautifully and seamlessly for me and I don't recall any negatives from reviewers.
The MX-5 should be even better given the years of experience Mazda have had with such systems.

EPAS on the Mazda6 is not the same as EPS. EPAS is an electric motor driving the hydraulics. EPS is an electric motor instead of hydraulics.

Oooo, sorry, slip of the keyboard - yes, it's EPS in our Mazda 6.

The ND gets the dual pinion EPS solution from Alfa, much better than most other solutions.
http://www.alfaromeo.com/com/technology ... e-steering

Where did you get that confirmed? more likely the ND will have the 2014 Mazda 3 electric power steering. It has been reviewed as good, but when reviewing a FWD 3 I'm unsure if you're head space is the same for a RWD sports car???

This guy, Chris Paukert, was at the unveiling..."Mazda previously revealed that this car will make the switch to electric power steering – in this case, a rack-mounted dual-pinion system. The company's engineers have been far more successful tuning for feel than most automakers (see: RX-8, new Mazda3 and Mazda6), but proper calibration will be a make-or-break feature of the MX-5."

[speed]

G, fair enough but it is only early days. I'm not going to complain or worry about a system that I've not experienced myself. I see your concern and am guessing that you will either be surprised or disappointed with the end result. Fingers crossed eh


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[gslender]

Our 2009 Mazda6 has EPAS. It works beautifully and seamlessly for me and I don't recall any negatives from reviewers.
The MX-5 should be even better given the years of experience Mazda have had with such systems.

EPAS on the Mazda6 is not the same as EPS. EPAS is an electric motor driving the hydraulics. EPS is an electric motor instead of hydraulics.

Oooo, sorry, slip of the keyboard - yes, it's EPS in our Mazda 6.

You must of slipped a few times. A 2009 Mazda6 would have EPAS. It would not be the new electric motor dríven EPS being promoted in the new 2014 Mazda 3 or MX5 ND.

This guy, Chris Paukert, was at the unveiling..."Mazda previously revealed that this car will make the switch to electric power steering – in this case, a rack-mounted dual-pinion system. The company's engineers have been far more successful tuning for feel than most automakers (see: RX-8, new Mazda3 and Mazda6), but proper calibration will be a make-or-break feature of the MX-5."

Not sure how that makes it official or confirmed.

End of the day, it is a new system, not thoroughly tested and likely to have software updates to improve the feel and feedback. Not sure that means it will be ok, but agree we won't know until it hits the road.

G

[Nevyn72]

[quote="gslender]Not sure how that makes it official or confirmed.

End of the day, it is a new system, not thoroughly tested and likely to have software updates to improve the feel and feedback. Not sure that means it will be ok, but agree we won't know until it hits the road.

G[/quote]
Well confirmation comes from the fact you can see the bleedin' thing bolted to the front of the chassis reveal!

[speed]

Nice spotting Pete!
Looks like you've had a long day, 3am post and all


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[gslender]

What? A photo of the chassis tells you it came from the Alfa? I must be missing something.


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[JBT]

Our 2009 Mazda6 has EPAS. It works beautifully and seamlessly for me and I don't recall any negatives from reviewers.
The MX-5 should be even better given the years of experience Mazda have had with such systems.

EPAS on the Mazda6 is not the same as EPS. EPAS is an electric motor driving the hydraulics. EPS is an electric motor instead of hydraulics.

Oooo, sorry, slip of the keyboard - yes, it's EPS in our Mazda 6.

You must of slipped a few times. A 2009 Mazda6 would have EPAS. It would not be the new electric motor dríven EPS being promoted in the new 2014 Mazda 3 or MX5 ND.

This guy, Chris Paukert, was at the unveiling..."Mazda previously revealed that this car will make the switch to electric power steering – in this case, a rack-mounted dual-pinion system. The company's engineers have been far more successful tuning for feel than most automakers (see: RX-8, new Mazda3 and Mazda6), but proper calibration will be a make-or-break feature of the MX-5."

Not sure how that makes it official or confirmed.

End of the day, it is a new system, not thoroughly tested and likely to have software updates to improve the feel and feedback. Not sure that means it will be ok, but agree we won't know until it hits the road.

G

Nope, it's fully electric on the GH Mazda6 - no hydraulics.
I have complete faith in the Mazda engineers and that the system will work perfectly on the MX-5.

[Nevyn72]

Nice spotting Pete!
Looks like you've had a long day, 3am post and all

Joys of shift work mate.......

[gslender]

Nope, it's fully electric on the GH Mazda6 - no hydraulics.
I have complete faith in the Mazda engineers and that the system will work perfectly on the MX-5.

I believe you might be wrong. Double check as everywhere I can read including spare parts for the GH range says its electric assist meaning it uses hydraulics. As far as I can tell, the 2014 Mazda 3 is the first true fully electric power steering with zero hydraulics. It was also mentioned as being something that took Mazda a while to get right, and they used the manual steering NA6 as a reference to get right. The driver feedback on all fully electric steering is hard to get right. Even the top end of town struggle with the concept. It is that new and most get fooled with electric assist thinking it's the same. It isn't.

[orx626]

As far as I can tell, the 2014 Mazda 3 is the first true fully electric power steering with zero hydraulics.

Nope, the RX-8 way back in 2003 had fully electric power steering...no hydraulics.

[Mr Morlock]

I don't care what steering mechanism the ND has apart from the obvious that it needs to be what is expected from an MX5. A debate on the merits or otherwise are not going to matter at this stage. The design and implementation systems for cars are major undertakings and it's hard to believe that the big issues have not been agreed on and tooling and prototypes and durability testing has been largely if not already signed off.

[JBT]

Nope, it's fully electric on the GH Mazda6 - no hydraulics.
I have complete faith in the Mazda engineers and that the system will work perfectly on the MX-5.

I believe you might be wrong. Double check as everywhere I can read including spare parts for the GH range says its electric assist meaning it uses hydraulics. As far as I can tell, the 2014 Mazda 3 is the first true fully electric power steering with zero hydraulics. It was also mentioned as being something that took Mazda a while to get right, and they used the manual steering NA6 as a reference to get right. The driver feedback on all fully electric steering is hard to get right. Even the top end of town struggle with the concept. It is that new and most get fooled with electric assist thinking it's the same. It isn't.

Sorry, you are wrong. See clipping from the GH Mazda6 repair manual attached. I have also had a very close up and personal physical check of my car's front suspension and steering. There are no hydraulics and it is a fully electric system and it works just beautifully under all conditions.

[mazmad]

One thing the ND loses out on is the capacity for easy upgrades with a beefier sibling. The rx8 is the source of a number of transmission upgrades for the NC.