3rd Generation

When Mazda decided to totally redesign the MX-5, they took on a huge responsibility and risk!
" It would be like trying to redevelop the wheel, how do you improve on perfection "
Jinba-Ittai
The original Japanese concept of the MX-5 sports car had always been "Jinba-Ittai" -- rider and horse as one. That slogan has been brought forward again by Takao Kijima, the program director in Hiroshima, Japan, for the third-generation Mazda roadster. It has become the mantra of everyone involved with the MX-5 program. Yasushi Nakamuta, of Mazda's design division, said the intention all along was to maintain the MX-5's heritage of being "simple, user friendly and fun to drive."
Design
So his designers set about creating a roadster that offered more comfort for riders and only keeping the side indicators from the original design! Much work went into establishing a larger cabin and the "perfect" driving position. The spread of the A-pillar now gives best-in-class forward vision, a taller windshield provides less wind intrusion into the cockpit with the top down, steering is more precise than on the previous generation and much work went into the tuned intake and exhaust systems to achieve just the right sporty sound.
An adjustable steering wheel and more seat travel have been added to cure the one common complaint of taller drivers: "I love the car, but I just don't fit !"
		As you can see from the photos on the left Mazda built the new car to closely resemble the designers sketch, all to often are production models very different to the concepts originally laid down.
Weight
	Engineers knew light weight would be critical so they established a strategy by which each component of the existing car was studied so it could be seen how to reduce weight gram by gram, literarily with a gram-by-gram strategy, a revised rear view mirror design trimmed 84 grams for instance. It all adds up and the result, a kerb weight for the six-speed manual with A/C of 1090kg, an increase of a mere 4kg over the original model, despite a fantastic 47% increase in tensional rigidity.
This meant making the car as compact and light as possible without compromising global safety requirements. The centre of gravity was reduced by lowering the engine and fuel tank and by slanting the radiator. This helps provide the ideal sports car dynamic -- a stable rear end and a lively front.
Layout
Keeping the original car's basic layout of a front-midship rear drive configuration was a no-brainer, so the engine is positioned ahead of the driver but behind the front axle for ideal 50:50 weight distribution, this meant hollowing the bulkhead to allow the engine to move towards the rear.
Suspension
	A double-wishbone front suspension setup complements a multi-link rear suspension system for optimized handling and chassis stability. Stretching the front track by 3.0 inches, rear track by 2.1 inches and overall wheelbase by 2.6 inches while moving the engine back in the chassis by 5.3 inches also helped improve the new MX-5’s handling and balance characteristics.

The advanced anti-dive and anti-squat geometry integrated into the suspension controls unwanted steering and pitch motion during acceleration and braking for a predictable driving experience. The end result of the numerous efforts made by Mazda engineers is a chassis that promotes driver-vehicle oneness while offering excellent road feel, predictable handling and a 50:50 weight distribution. The new MX-5’s power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is tuned to be precise and responsive with only 2.6 turns lock-to-lock, giving the car a keen sense of agility.
Engine
Equipped with a newly developed 2.0-liter MZR engine in all markets, models with a 1.8-liter engine are available for the European market.

Throughout the engine development, work focused on what engineer's call "response", "expansion feel" and "pleasant engine sound." A lighter flywheel and a stiffer drive shaft contributed to realizing the responsive, direct feel of the new MX-5. Also, a 57 percent reduction in intake restriction was achieved. Pressure loss in the exhaust system was reduced 40 percent to keep the engine torque curve nearly level at high rpm. Furthermore, the intake manifold and the intake and exhaust system were tuned, and the engine sound that resulted is one of the pleasant appeals of the new MX-5.
The MZR 2.0-litre engine produces a maximum of 160 ps of power at 6,700 rpm and generates maximum torque of 188 Nm at 5,000 rpm. Even more important, between 2,500 and 6,700 rpm, a minimum of 90 per cent of engine torque is always available. The Mazda MX-5 with a 2.0-litre engine has a top speed of 130 mph. The 2.0i achieves 36.7 mpg on the combined cycle (up from 32.5 mpg for the outgoing 1.8i) and records a CO2 figure of 183 g/km (down from 210 g/km).
The MZR 1.8-litre engine produces a maximum of 126 ps of power at 6,500 rpm and 167 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm. This entry-level model has a top speed of 122 mph. The new 1.8-litre engine is 16ps up on the previous 1.6-litre engine and with fuel efficiency gains of 2.5 mpg - the vehicle returns 38.7 mpg on the combined cycle - and only emits 174 g/km compared with the 210 g/km of the outgoing 1.8i engine.
Gears
	The newly developed 6-speed manual transmission is available in all markets. Shifting gears is a breeze--seems like just a flick of the wrist--when using the triple-cone synchronizers for the first four gears. The gearshift lever can also manually control five-speed manual and advanced six-speed automatic transmissions.
Gear ratios in the newly engineered six-speed manual transmission are purposely close to enhance the joy of sporty driving. As a convenience, reverse is located adjacent to first gear. Accidental engagement is prevented by the need to press down on the shift lever in order to select reverse gear. Improvements have also been made to steering, suspension, and braking systems.
Interior
MX-5 designers sought to create a higher quality feel, as well as combining new materials. The 5's solid quality finish is achieved by using decorative piano black (or silver on the limited edition) embellishments and quality detailing on features such as the driving instruments, whose needles seem to twitch in anticipation of the driving enjoyment to come, when the car's ignition is switched on. The Z folding roof can now be raised and lowered from the driving seat with just one centre latch to secure the roof in place.
	The ventilation system uses additional air vents on the centre stack and in the foot well, to extend Mazda MX-5's open-air driving season considerably. Now you can drive the new Mazda MX-5 comfortably in air temperatures from 10 to 30° C (Although thousands of die hard fans myself included regularly have the top down in very cold conditions) Quarter windows placed at the bottoms of the A-pillars, along with a new, more efficient aero board wind‑blocker, make driving with the top down even more comfortable.
Mazda also went to great lengths designing the in car audio system for the new MX-5. For the 'top of the range' sound system as found in the 3rd generation limited sound experts Bose were called in. They tailored the sound in the new car to there exacting standards, which includes a power amp and seven speakers ! When the roof is lowered a switch is activated and the sound processor alters the sound to suit top down motoring.
Safety
For braking performance, Mazda engineers selected 11.4-inch ventilated discs in front and 11.0-inch solid discs in back to deliver rapid, controlled stopping. Because the new MX-5 was developed to "feel" right, caliper stiffness was increased by 25 percent, brake hoses are now less resilient and the power booster is one-inch larger than before.Other safety features include ABS, passenger and drivers air bag and for the first time ever on a MX-5 side air bags. This consists of a two-volume side-impact airbag positioned inside each seat backrest, a single inflator simultaneously expands the torso portion of the airbag and the larger-volume head-protection airbag.
	Dynamic Stability Control or DSC for short responds to a swerving tendency and stabilizes the car within milliseconds. Rear-wheel drive is without a doubt seriously fun in the summer, but less so in the full grip of winter. It compares the driver's intended direction in steering and braking inputs, to the vehicle's response, via lateral acceleration, rotation and individual wheel speeds. It then brakes individual front or rear wheels and/or reduces excess engine power as needed to help correct. It of course can be turned off for a more spirited drive in good weather.

Production
While designing the new RX-8 sports car Mazda developed the world's first direct spot joining technology to join steel and aluminium. Mazda decided that they could put this new technology to great use in helping reduce the overall weight of the new MX-5.For example it is used on the boot lid to join the trunk lid and bolt retainers indicated by the circles in the photo opposite.
The process has contributed greatly to Mazda's vehicle weight reduction efforts during the development of the Mazda MX-5 sports car, where each gram was counted, as well as lowering costs. It has proven so successful in fact that Mazda has applied for over 20 patents related to this technology.
	One of the very first 3rd generations to be finished at the Mazda factory. A 3rd generation limited, you can clearly see in the photo that the chrome windscreen surround still has to be fitted. Who know if you own one of these cars this could actually be yours now !