Test Drive magazine have announced in its February issue that the all new Mazda MX5 is worthy of its “Best Roadster 2006″ award.
Being the first award presented in 2006, the MX5 was given a run out across the Welsh hills in cloudy and windy weather. Not exactly California dreams but open-top motoring has always been popular in the UK whatever the weather.
The magazine were also impressed by the roadsters evolution which sticks to the principal design of the old model: “The MX-5′s manual hood can be lowered in seconds. Simplicity is the watchword. The temptation to tweak, to tamper, to temper and to tame has been resisted.
“This car can trace more than its name back to the first model in 1989; its purity and its simplicity remain intact. So drop the hood. Don’t woory about the rain when it comes. If it can’t catch you, it can’t soak you. Go fast enough and the wind will be your roof.” said the reporter who test drove the car.
Not just satisfied with the design and balance of the car, Test Drive thought they would test out the performance too. So out came a £22,750 BMW 2.0i Z4 to see how the £18,900 MX-5 2.0i Sport would cope.
So how did it cope? Well so impressed with the outcome of the test the reporter went on to say: The Mazda didn’t just win this award on a value-for-money footing. It won it on the twisting, rain soaked mountain roads. It won on the mile straight of the proving ground. It won on the fast, sweeping corners of the Rockingham racing circuit.
The Mazda is quicker than the BMW, its steering is sharper and its six-speed gearbox sweeter. But you don’t need a satellite-linked data recorder to tell you all that. The grin on your face will do just fine. Downgrade to the slower, five-speed 1.8-liter version and the experience may be a little less intense, but the smile will still be there.” High praise indeed.
This is the second award the all new Mazda MX5 has won since its launch following the Top Gear Roadster of the Year 2005 award in December. We have a feeling it won’t be the last.