MX-5 CC to be launched at London show
19 April 2006

Mazda's folding metal-roofed MX-5 could look something like this
• Mazda to exhibit folding metal-roof MX-5
• Car could cost around £17,000
• Will be shown at London motor show

Mazda is tipped to unveil a folding tin-top version of its brilliant new MX-5 at this summer's British Motor Show in London.

more here

http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=219556

While I think a retractable hardtop is a great decision $ wise, I hope it looks better than the cgi version in that article. The car already has problems in the looks dept. You'd be looking at a $30k Mx-5 though.

I love the new mx-5, the way it looks and handles, I just dont feel comfortable in one, maybe its time for a diet?

I saw the car for the 1st time on the road, yes... sigh.. well i saw it at dealership tho, but it looks better moving lol, i think it looks very very good. if i were to get one i'd still get the convertible, i can always drop the detachable hardtop on it anytime i want.

I sat in one at the auto show, i thought it was quite roomy, i m 5"10 tho lol

But this shows that Mazda can keep their secrets really well man.
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I don't like it. At all.

It just doesn't feel like it belongs on a Miata, excuse me, MX-5. I really dislike the new ones as it is. They perform great but they look...well...better luck next time Mazda. :)

I would hope a turbo would be included in that package as well, since unless they are making it out of Titanium or Unobtanium the roof mechanism would be a lot heavier than the standard fabric top. I thought I saw a post earlier today that talked about a possible MX-5R for rotary powered, maybe they would put a renesis in the Miata hard top... Maybe it is just 4:20 and I am seeing things again, crap it is 4:20 :eek:

With the mazdaspeed body kit and the hard top it be awesome
http://www.mazda.co.jp/mazdaspeed/

more here

http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=219556


Old news. I posted about it about two months ago...

I notice there has been a lot of this going on lately... I'm feeling ignored... :mad:

I saw NB with mazdaspeed body kit today, the rear was nice! i almost crashed into the highway offramp starring at the car which is still on the highway!
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Is there really that big of a market for a convertible hardtop? Alongside a softtop version (which has an available hardtop anyhow)?

What they need to work on is a fixed hardtop Miata. Something that's actually cheaper than the droptop. Plus the Mazdaspeed body kit standard, and a rotary! That would be pretty hot.

^ Although... I'd buy a retractable hardtop, but I'd never buy a regular convertible. Mazda is building a less expensive coupe... the Kabura based car. I just wonder what the point of a heavier hardtop car is without more power...

logical move there... hardtop convertible is the future of convertibles... hope theres a power increase but i doubt it.. its not that fast to begin with, so what if its a little slower with the extra weight?

^ then it will killed by not only the GXP/Redline versions of the GM Kappa car, but also the NA versions as well. Handling dynamics will be affected as well. Trunk space too. The only reason to get the MX-5 will really just come down to styling/brand loyalty and such...

^ Although... I'd buy a retractable hardtop, but I'd never buy a regular convertible. Mazda is building a less expensive coupe... the Kabura based car. I just wonder what the point of a heavier hardtop car is without more power...

Yeah, it's strange, mazda seemed to work really hard to get the miata "just so"...they tilted the damn engine for christ sake.

What is the point of this new one...it seems to spit in the face of the hard work that went into the soft top...unless they did the same for this, including power bump?!?!

Seems unlikely tho.

I feel like it's BS

Old news. I posted about it about two months ago...



really?! link please?

Yeah, it's strange, mazda seemed to work really hard to get the miata "just so"...they tilted the damn engine for christ sake.

What is the point of this new one...it seems to spit in the face of the hard work that went into the soft top

Not to be captain obvious, but if you want to buy that Miata that was built "just so," just buy the soft top. If you want a comfortable and stylish GT Miata buy the retractable hard top. Why does that sound so weird to everybody??? Now if Mazda got rid of the Miata soft top and replaced it with the hard top convertible, I'd get pissed. But they're not. They're making an additional car with a very attractive feature that is not available in this price segment. Makes complete sense. The hardtop convertible gives the Miata a huge leg up on the Sky and Solstice because there's a large number of people who love hardtop convertibles. Why do you think people buy Mercedes SLKs instead of Porsche Boxsters?

really?! link please?

Here you go Zoom...

http://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php?p=1231888&postcount=19

from this thread... http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=82321&highlight=mx-5+retractable+hardtop

enjoy! :mdrmed:

Not to be captain obvious, but if you want to buy that Miata that was built "just so," just buy the soft top. If you want a comfortable and stylish GT Miata buy the retractable hard top. Why does that sound so weird to everybody??? Now if Mazda got rid of the Miata soft top and replaced it with the hard top convertible, I'd get pissed. But they're not. They're making an additional car with a very attractive feature that is not available in this price segment. Makes complete sense. The hardtop convertible gives the Miata a huge leg up on the Sky and Solstice because there's a large number of people who love hardtop convertibles. Why do you think people buy Mercedes SLKs instead of Porsche Boxsters?


Your point works...but the example you give is two DIFFERENT cars.

The SLK is for the style crowd, the boxter is for the driving mechanics crowd...two cars, two companies.

The miata was designed to stand for something...to convey an image...to make a point...using the name brand for something that defies that seems lame to me.

This summer's event should be the best British Motor Show in decades, because along with the Mazda it will feature world debuts of the next-generation Land Rover Freelander and Vauxhall Corsa.

-- this makes me laugh

maybe freelander makes the news in london .. but it's not like we dont have enough suvs .. and a corsa .. ewww whoo .. 3 cylinder ghetto train .. and to top it off lets stick a can on the miata

I understand the point of having the retractable hardtop. That option makes the MX-5 more appealing to me. However, IMO and I think the opinion of most others is that MX-5 sales would benefit more from having more hp, especially with the new GXP and RedLine. HP is not the answer to everything, but with the GM cars costing less and performing nearly identical, Mazda really only has 2 options to boost sales. One is to make the car look better. Two is to give the base model a little bit better suspension and more hp and then produce a Mazdaspeed version that out-shines the GM cars.

Maybe Mazda is just trying to place the car in a separate market than the Solstice and Sky because they don’t think they can compete head on…

...then produce a Mazdaspeed version that out-shines the GM cars.
That can only happen if it has a 2.3 DIT under the hood :fingersx: I don't see why not. The MS3 gets it, MS6, has it, the CX-7 gets it, so spread the love ;)

I'd like to see a fixed roof miata. A true coup would be awesome. Didn't they do a concept several years ago?

I'd like to see a fixed roof miata. A true coup would be awesome. Didn't they do a concept several years ago?

Sold in Japan, limited production. Gorgeous.

Maybe Mazda is just trying to place the car in a separate market than the Solstice and Sky because they don’t think they can compete head on…

The MX-5 can most definitely compete with the Solsky. I'm sure Mazda is quite aware of this.

A hardtop convertible may attract a whole new audience that the soft top could not.

Sold in Japan, limited production. Gorgeous.I love that car. I'd take the 2nd gen coupe (or rag top) over the 3rd gen any day.

http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=75255
http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=75256

those pictures are .. damn ugly

MMMmm

This is quite old news Zoom, its been talked about in the MX-5Club.com Forums 2 weeks after the latest NC Model came out in the UK earlier this year...

I think its ALL rumour..

Where is Mazda going to store it, there would be NO boot/trunk space....
What about the EXTRA 30 (55lbs) odd Kilo's in weight, what would happen to the perfect 50/50 weight distribution that the MX-5 now enjoys?

YES, as far as I know Mazda Japan did look at it initially and went No further for the reasons I mentioned....BUT, I could be wrong?...

I just think it would STUFF up a perfectly balanced roadster..
Go BUY the removable hardtop if the need is there...

I think its all talk by What car....

There is though a rumour that an independent car optioner in the UK was going to manufacture an after market bolt on....not made by Mazda...perhaps this is the scoop?

^^^ those pics are of the NB MX-5 and are of fixed Coupe models, they were available with 3 different variations (nose jobs) and only Japan Domestic, no longer made of course.

NONE were CC Convertible hardtops..

^^^ those pics are of the NB MX-5 and are of fixed Coupe models, they were available with 3 different variations (nose jobs) and only Japan Domestic, no longer made of course. Yep. I happen to like the front end style of the yellow one the best. Here are the other two styles. The silver one is normal trim I suppose, the red car's nose looks a little RX8-ish.

http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=75273
http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=75274

I think its ALL rumour..

Perhaps, but let's have fun and speculate anyway.

Where is Mazda going to store it, there would be NO boot/trunk space....

Mazda has been quite clever about some innovations in other cars. While a hardtop almost definitely would take up more space than a softtop, I could entirely see Mazda having a design that minimizes the space taken by a folded hardtop. A "flat fold", that takes up minimal space across the top of the trunk? A Z-folding/3 fold top that tucks neatly and succintly into the trunk?

What about the EXTRA 30 (55lbs) odd Kilo's in weight, what would happen to the perfect 50/50 weight distribution that the MX-5 now enjoys?

A hardtop 'vert is targeted to a different market. Those who want the lightweight pure roadster will go for the softop. Those who are willing to sacrifice a bit of weight for the security and "cushiness" of a hardtop will be intrigued by the alternative. The hardtop may draw people in who previously dismissed the softop due to those reasons.

Go BUY the removable hardtop if the need is there...

A removable hard top is meant to be put on for extended periods, such as through the winter. It is a compliemen t for a softtop. I reiterate the target markets.

I also think it's just a rumour that was taken too seriously by What Car, and repeating by some other smaller websites. The pictures of the red Tin Top MX5 illustrating the article is a photoshop made by a German guy. Can't find the original website anymore.
I don't know of any car manufacturer stupid enough to develop and market both a folded hardtop and softop on exactly the same model.
We'll see.

I always found this concept pretty cool looking http://www.mazda.co.jp/customize/roadstercoupe/

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/alfy27/MiataCoupe2.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/alfy27/mazdarscoupe.jpg