ILIV48

Mazda has won the 'Wheels Car OF The Year' award again this time for the new MX5.

That makes it they have won twice for 2 different sports models in the last few years. Pretty impressive!

mikeyr

Stu's 2 4 2 on the COTY scoreboard.

Had any others? P76 perhaps?

ILIV48

What can I say... Stick with Mazda and you cannot go wrong

jormatom

Well done Stu. You get out of one COTY straight into another.

From what I heard, the judges were impressed with the improved performance of the car.

I also heard that it has 4 cup holders? Is that true? If so, pretty strange for a 2 seater.

Greg

mikeyr

Greg....mate...that Stu & his mate with a couple of girls....one one each lap...

Cop's busted a couple for a "moving violation" here last week, country road but guy was actually driving at the time.....thats skill.

timbo

Another COTY. That's cool! Allan Horsley will be a very happy man

Good picking, Stu

AMG

it was done to satisfy the american market, in fact i believe the new 5 was designed in the US.

timbo

...as was the old one, was it not? I seem to recall a lot of talk about a Mazda design studio in California....targeted the market especially to hit the baby boomer demographic (when first introduced)

Actually, body-wise, I kinda liked the original

AMG

yep, the old was is also californian.

Like you timbo, I liked the original one, this third series is based on the original styling, looks much better than the second series.

ILIV48

Actually it has 2 cup holders and 2 bottle holders. The cup holders are a **** if you have the manual as if there is something in them you cannot change gear, great for auto I guess. The bottle holders are briliant and great for long drives.

As for performance it doe's go well. Not much slower than the 8 actually, just no where near as smooth!



Shhh... You'll get me in trouble with the wife

labrat

Timbo has taste. If you go to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, you'll see a MkI Miata on display as part of the exhibition of the best industrial designs of the 20th century. I believe that the latest was designed to return stylistically to the Mk I.

Revolver

We're all on the same page on this issue.

I found the second series dog ugly and wondered how they could have gone from the original to that.

Have to say I find the headlights on the current model a little awkward but like the rest of it. Far more muscular stance and less pissy wavy lines.

I've owned a few COTY's over the years (out of coincidence) and found them all to be good cars in their own way (even the Barina <cough cough> which was a fantastic little city runabout and had pin sharp handling). I think it's one of the few awards that are genuine and not a reflection of advertising revenue.

mikeyr

Shoot me down in flames but this would be an interesting survey, who's had the most "Wheels" COTY's, what were they and which was the best relative to it's purpose.

AMG

I've had/have 3 cars...all COTY

1998RX7
1990 MX5
2003 RX8

all suited their purposes

Revolver

Was checking for something else and found this on the RX8 - not a bad list of gongs.

'specially like the Hungary award.

Total awards: 37
Year Country/Region Award From
2005 U.K. Best Sporting Car Fleet Magazine
2005 U.K. Car of the Year 2005 (Best Coupe) What Car ?
2004 Australia WHEELS Car Of The Year 2003 Wheels Magazine
2004 Hungary Playboy Car of the Year 2004 Playboy
2004 Iceland Car of the year 2004: Sports car category Union of car journalists in Iceland
2004 Japan Golden Clay Trophy - Japan Car Design Award Car Styling
2004 New Zealand Car of the Year Driver Magazine
2004 Singapore Car of the Year 2004/2005 Coupe of the Year Wheels Asia
2004 Singapore Car of the Year 2004/2005 Grand Winner Wheels Asia
2004 U.K. Coupe Car of the Year BBC Top Gear
2004 U.K. Car of the Year 2004 (Best Coupe) What Car ?
2004 U.S.A. All Star, Best Coupe Automobile Magazine
2004 U.S.A. Best Sports Car CNN money
2003 Australia Best Sports Car under $57,000 (Australia's Best Cars Awards) Australia's Best Cars Awards
2003 Australia Queensland Car Of The Year award The Courier-Mail
2003 Canada Best New Sports/Performance Vehicle (Canadian Car of the Year Award) Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC)
2003 Japan Car of The Year Car Top
2003 Japan Japan Automobile Hall of Fame: 2004 Most Excellent Developer Award Committee of Japan Automobile Hall of Fame (JAHFA)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Revolver

Can someone post a list of previous winners of COTY to give this discussion idea of Mikey's a little more context? Had a quick look but couldn't find one.

takahashi

What is the difference between a bottle and cup holder...

Bottle - you mean bottles for Lil Taka?

Gomez

Past Wheels COTY winners.......I've owned three. VH Charger, TM Magna and the RX-8.

1963 Renault 8
1964 Morris 1100
1965 Ford Falcon (XP)
1966 Ford Falcon (XR)
1967 Chrysler Valiant (VE)
1968 Holden Monaro (HK)
1969 Holden Torana (LC)
1970 Renault 12
1971 Chrysler Valiant Charger (VH)
1972 Award withheld
1973 Leyland P76 V8
1974 Volkswagen Passat
1975 Holden Gemini (TX)
1976 Volkswagen Golf
1977 Honda Accord
1978 Holden Commodore (VB)
1979 Award withheld
1980 Mazda 323
1981 Mercedes-Benz 380SE (W126)
1982 Holden Camira (JB)
1983 Ford Telstar and Mazda 626 (joint award)
1984 Mitsubishi Nimbus
1985 Mitsubishi Magna (TM)
1986 Award withheld
1987 Honda Prelude
1988 Holden Commodore (VN)
1989 Mazda MX-5
1990 Lexus LS 400
1991 Honda NSX and Nissan Pulsar
1992 Mazda 626 and Ford Telstar
1993 Holden Commodore (VR)
1994 Subaru Liberty
1995 Honda Odyssey
1996 Mitsubishi Magna/Verada
1997 Holden Commodore (VT)
1998 Subaru Liberty Wagon
1999 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
2000 Subaru Impreza
2001 Holden Barina (XC)
2002 Ford Falcon (BA)
2003 Mazda RX-8
2004 Ford Territory
2005 Mazda MX-5

AMG, I don't see no 1998 RX-7 in there......!

ILIV48

The same as the difference between the black man & the white Man... SIZE

It would certainly hold little Taka's bottle quite well!

jormatom

2 COTYs for me.

The Magna and the 8.

Revolver

Okay, lemme see now.

I've owned and/or borrowed regularly (does borrowing count here Mikey? I'm talking cars I've driven dozens of times). To avoid confusion, I'll indicate which I've owned.

1965 Ford Falcon (XP) - This was an old car when I drove it but the shape was fab and it was very reliable. Later got restored and sold by my mate who owned it. Was THE surf trip car for a few years. Slept in it, ate in it, ahh, you know the rest.

1967 Chrysler Valiant (VE) - My brother owned one of these and drove it 'round Australia - rebuilding most of it along the way for various reasons. I drove it many times before and after the big trip. It was a Regal with all the fruit and had some cool things about it. Great motor.

1968 Holden Monaro (HK) - Another surfing buddy owned one of these. Bloody scary around corners but went like stink (for the time). Still remember the yellow colour and the smell of wax on the seats.

1977 Honda Accord - my folks bought one of these new - a bronze coloured one. Really classy hatchback for its day and I still remember the build quality. Was a bit long in the tooth when I drove it but handled well and did the suburbs runaround with ease. Bit gutless though.

1985 Mitsubishi Magna (TM) - Damn, who didn't own one of these! My wife and I (then girlfriend) shared it in wagon form. A good reliable thing but was an awful grey colour with crappy dark red interior. Paint work was peeling, etc. Got stolen once - I refused to believe her when she told me, accused her of forgetting where she'd parked (we were house-sitting in Glebe at the time) and made her go back out to look for it. Turned up about a week later two streets away. Most insulting thing - the thieves didn't take her music collection.

1988 Holden Commodore (VN) - wife had one of these as a company car. Was reasonable to drive but I preferred the VL we had beforehand. Those who know Commodores will know why - they're still sought after. Fantastic Nissan motor in them.

1990 Lexus LS 400 - my then boss bought one of these and I drove it regularly - blown away by how quiet it was. You fair dinkum had to check the tacho to see if the motor was on at idle. Really made most Mercs at the time look sick.

1997 Holden Commodore (VT) - another marital company car. I didn't think it was all that special but it did the job of getting us about.

2001 Holden Barina (XC) - bought one of these as a cheap second car to run around in while starting a family and buying a house, etc. I found it a fab little car to drive. Gutless sure but once you had it up and running it handled beautifully. Haven't driven a better handling FWD car in fact.

2003 Mazda RX-8 - obviously - but mine's a 2004 model.

timbo

My list:

1976 Volkswagen Golf
1980 Mazda 323
1983 Mazda 626
1992 Mazda 626
2003 Mazda RX-8

AMG

I didn't see a stipulation of who needs to be running the COTY

Motor Trend Import Car of the Year Complete Winners List
The complete list of every import car that has ever won the award

Motor Trend

1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
1998 Lexus GS series
1997 BMW 5-Series
1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
1995 Nissan Maxima
1994 Honda Accord
1993 Mazda RX-7
1992 Lexus SC400
1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
1990 Nissan 300ZX Turbo
1989 Mitsubishi Galant GS
1988 Honda CRX Si
1987 Acura Legend Coupe
1986 Mazda RX-7
1985 Toyota MR2
1984 Honda Civic CRX
1983 Mazda 626
1982 Toyota Celica Supra
1981 Mercedes-Benz 300SD
1980 Honda Civic
1979 Datsun 280ZX
1978 Toyota Celica
1977 Mercedes-Benz 280E
1976 Toyota Celica Liftback
1971- 1975 No award
1970 Porsche 914


maybe not a 1998, but an RX7 nonetheless, at least I can boast of the 3rd Gen RX7 being the porsche beater

RdS

mazda has won wheels car of the year quite a few times, and in recent years, really has become a great company... one with an identity too.