Nice side by side shot of both models…
Link to the Auto Express article.
Includes pictures of the internal roof mechanism - looks complicated…
or pretty much the same as the MK3 PRHT, just with added plastic butresses
What a shame that the RF isn’t a coupe instead of an over-complicated slot-top, it has great lines and would be a real winner IMO. In fact I would be tempted to get one to go with my ND.
Quite agree, remove the weight of the roof mechanism, plus extra body rigidity with fixed roof would make an awesome coupe
Not 'arf!!!
Evocative memories spring to mind.
A month to clean horrid alloys right enough…
You’re right, great body lines ruined by “turbine blade” style wheels!
Don’t recognise it Rob, what is it?
Saz here is our resident expert here.
Very basically, it’s a Mk2 tub from which Mazda specially produced around 160-ish coupes.
They did not go into mainstream production.
Looks deceive in a few detail ways insofar the doors would not cross-fit my car for example.
The doors were handcrafted ( lengthened a smidge) to fit the grafted rear wings.
They were beautifly had crafted, painfully rare, and command astronomical wedge if they (ever) come up for sale.
I think mechanically, they are standard.
A few have been race/track modded…not surprising given the generic handling abilities, with the plus of ultimate rigidity.
Go to 4.30 mins. And then go to 7.10 seconds for a ride.
You will need sound cranked up. Lots, and lots, of sound!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLIP0E45Ts
Niiice,
I think I just blew my eardrums in the 'phones at volume.
WOW!! HOLY SHEMOLI!!!
Looking at the RF it looks like the seats are higher compared to the soft top, the soft tops come just below the roll overs where as the RF’s are above.
Just wondering if they have given them higher backs to bring it up to the roof line.
Will we be seeing one at the national rally?
I really do like its looks, should have been a proper coupe instead of a clever (more things to go wrong!) folding slot-top though! Maybe if I ask them nicely they’ll seal the lid shut and remove all the lid shifting gubbins!
but on the basis so far as we can tell its the identical mechanism to the NC coupe then how how often do they go wrong? not often I think is the answer…
There you have the advantage over me Martin, I’ve never owned, driven or know anything about the NC in any shape or form! But surely the NC has a PROPER folding tin-top, not the folding slot-top the RF has, and THAT is what I don’t like!
Yeah, RF is quite an elaborate sun roof.
Now being as I’m not an owner of a mx5(yet) it’s the RF that really caught my eye, enough to have a test drive in the mk4 soft top one,to make sure I could actually get in one, and I’m now hooked, never really bothered before as I’m just over 6ft so thought I’ll never fit.
Well I did, ok with the seat right back and everything where it should be gear lever/wheel etc.
Mazda couldn’t tell me anything more than what I could get off the internet, only that they are taking deposits and there has been a lot of interest in them.
The Mazda dealer I went to said they had two deposits down from MX5 owners already, then again they probably would wouldn’t they
For me, that photo of the ND and RF together emphasises how ugly the back end of RF is, and I don’t particularly like the ND to start with!
That’s the beauty of things, we are all different, I never really looked at mx5’s before to be honest,even though a friends got a mk3, it’s only the rf that got me interested and going to look at the mk4 up close I was taken by how much I liked the styling, even more with the rf, now that may change when I get to see it in the flesh