In the company of IanH, and Drumtochty, I drove some NDs at a Mazda VIP day.
I felt than the front of a 2ltr was a bit disconcerting with intitial bite and turn-in, but the rear felt Superglued…so oI adapted as the miles reeled in.
I put it down to (perhaps) tyres that had been caned senseless before me. I did note a bit of outer-sipe scrubbing on a few…but that was what they were for.
At the end of the day, I took the tiller of our perfectly set up Mk2.5 Sport ( new rubber, Progripped with fast road settings, and everything factory tight) which we have had for ten years.
What a shocker. It felt, by comparision, heavy & (relatively) agricultural for the first few miles until I re-acclimatised to it.
I left that day full of admiration for all the examples I drove, as I felt that Mazda had re-couped the Mk1 Chapman experience in a 21st century car on several levels.
I feel, as time passes, there will be a very helpfull after-market menu of fine-tuning at hand, just as there has always been with earlier marques.
Sorry, went with the job I’m afraid. Many decades in business that required CAREFUL word usage in documentation. Failure to do so could result in expensive problems, loop-holes, litigation etc., etc., and I find it hard to change the habit of a lifetime. Old dogs, new tricks I’m afraid!
Just got back from 4 days away in the NC3 and I must say I like it again was thinking of selling it and even looking at an ND, I have hardly used the NC3 in the last 12 months as I purchased a 25 year old Eunos and must say that this car just makes me smile everywhere but as I was going to be doing loads of miles I took the New NC3.
It turned out to be a very good choice as the top has been off for four days and have loved driving it around the fast straight roads with bends in them so much so that it is now being kept and not replaced with the ND.
Both cars are very good fun cars but each has their own character, and if you spotted a blue Sport Venture waving around the Chedder Gorge / Weston Super-mare/ Bristol and the Cotswold’s areas it was probably us as I did wave and got quite a few waves back.
I have sent an apology to Adam for my rude, accusatory, contentious post by PM which he graciously accepted. I would also like to apologise to anyone else I may have offended. Sorry all!
The relevance of this however is that we videoed the driving including a couple of passenger laps at the end of the day. So this is the handling on the MK4, which is standard and I drove it down from Sheffield and back again on cruse control in air conditioned comfort. it is unedited, literally off the camera.
Lap one is with the stability control on, and the second lap with it off. We were talking, the camera just hasn’t picked it up.
Good post Adam (Do I denote a bit of a dig?). Unfortunately in helping others (see profile) some of us find time for driving very minimal and then only when essential, consequently although I’ve had my ND since 27/8/2015 I’ve only covered 1270 miles.
As standard I found the front end a little light and the car felt inconsistent in roll, seeming to nibble at corners and never really settling. If you make any mid corner steering adjustments on the standard car it seemed to affect the roll differently front to rear and result in big changes in grip and balance.
With the BBR springs the car feels balanced and predictable and more settled. The ride is maybe 10% firmer but not uncomfortable (my wife didn’t notice). If you make a steering change mid corner now the car just tightens or relaxes its line - pitch and roll angles don’t seem to change much. The dampers work well and lumps and bumps seem well damped regardless of speed. Speed humps are fine and expansion joints equally so.
There is still body roll with the new springs but it is substantially reduced and much less wobbly “in” corner.
My wife has just picked up a little 595 Abarth. I went for a short drive last night and it made me realise just how excellent the MX5 really is - leagues ahead to drive in terms of balance and response if not quite as flamboyant and raucous. The handling of the 595 was interesting… soft and squidgy and loose and almost too quick for its own good. Loads of grip under power but not great under braking.
We had one years ago and that described it very accurately - not my cup of tea but my wife loved it. This one is different in that it has suspension but I wouldn’t say its better handling. Again my wife loves it so I’m happy. Its a fun little car that makes a lot of noise and looks nice and is reasonably rapid for what it is. Happy wife, happy life!
The point here was that the MX5 is great - how great is personal taste but they are very competent and fun little things compared to what else is in the market at a similar price.