The 2015 Mazda MX-5 has been priced from $31,990 +ORC) and will go on-sale in Australia from mid-August.

MAZDA HAS RELEASED pricing for the 2015 Mazda MX-5 saying it’s been “priced for fun”. When the original MX-5 launched here in 1989 it was listed from $29,990 (+ORC) which, says Mazda, if you take inflation etc into account, is the equivalent of around $59k in today’s money.  As a comparison, what looks to be the MX-5’s closest rival is Toyota 86 which starts from $29,990 plus onroads.

According to Mazda this new pricing “makes the ND (2015 model) the best-value MX-5 ever considering the NA (first-gen model) lacked Bluetooth, power steering, air conditioning, Anti-Lock Braking System, Traction Control, Cruise Control and SBS airbags – all of which are now standard features”.

Mazda Australia managing director Martin Benders said: “For those that know, love or own an MX-5, the arrival of an all-new model is always cause for excitement. 

“We believe that the sharp entry pricing for the new ND will inspire a new generation of younger MX-5 buyers to experience the freedom and enjoyment of open-top motoring.”

In production now, the Australian-spec entry-level Roadster and top-spec Roadster GT will be available in Australia with1.5 litre SKYACTIV-G petrol engine and with a choice of either a SKYACTIV-Drive 6-speed automatic or SKYACTIV-MT 6-speed manual transmission. The engine boasts 96kW and 150Nm of torque, the new MX-5 weighs from 1009kg, a reduction of 91kg over the outgoing 2.0-litre car and close to the 950kg weight of the NA. About 30% of that is out of the chassis and powertrain, 40% due to “structure innovation” and 30% due additional lightweight materials throughout the vehicle.  A 2.0 litre powered model will join the All-New MX-5 range late this year.

The ND is the shortest MX-5 ever built, measuring 3,915mm long, 1,730mm wide, 1,235mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,315mm, and front and rear overhang reduced to 760mm and 840mm respectively. 

The MX-5 has long been known for delivering pure sportscar thrills as opposed to a car that is merely fast, and this new model looks set to further burnish that reputation.  This weight reduction is a welcome development as cars have been getting steadily heavier and bigger over the years, in part because we the consumers demand electro-gadgets but also because of increasingly stringent safety standards.  Car performance has however improved in spite of weight gains due to increasingly powerful engines, better chassis dynamics, better tyres and these days, electronic aids to augment car and driver capabilities.
 
But no amount of engineering can compare to the purity of a lightweight car (especially a rear drive), so good on Mazda for putting the already light MX-5 on a diet.  Put it this way – however much power you have you quickly get used to it and want more, whereas sharp handling never gets old.

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