MAZDA MX-5 MIATA: THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR TWO-SEAT CONVERTIBLE SPORTS CAR

Award-winning, segment-saving, world’s best – just a few phrases to describe the legendary MX-5. All-new for 2006, the MX-5 won the prestigious Japan Car of the Year and was also named a Car and Driver “10 Best”. MX-5 also is known as the car that brought the affordable, fun-to-drive, two-seat roadster segment back to life in 1989 and has continued to set sales records since, making it the world’s best-selling two-seat roadster, and cementing Mazda’s place in the annals of sports car manufacturers.

As the ultimate ride for sheer driving and ownership pleasure the 2007 MX-5 Miata adds minor interior features and offers two new exterior colors. In addition, MX-5 adds a new Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT) for 2007 (covered in separate release). Unchanged is the very essence of the “oneness of horse and rider” – the development credo of the original Miata – as elemental and as true as ever.

The heart of the MX-5 remains a highly-responsive MZR-series 2.0-liter, 166-horsepower (at 6,700 rpm) powerplant (163 for A/T models). The 2007 MX-5 has a light and compact engine, featuring chain-driven double overhead camshafts, lightweight fly wheel, variable intake valve timing, electronically controlled port fuel injection and coil-on-plug ignition. Revving smoothly to its 7,000 rpm redline, the 2.0-liter engine delivers 140 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm for driving exhilaration throughout the rev range.

“The MX-5 stands for pure driving exhilaration, as a daily driver and as a near race-ready car,” said Tetsu Nakazawa, MX-5 vehicle line manager. “Whether simply driving up the highway to work or speeding through the turns at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the MX-5 offers loads of sporty driving pleasure and makes an ordinary drive spectacular.”

RACING DNA

Mazda, of course, has a distinguished history of producing great sports cars. The first Mazda sports car to win worldwide recognition and praise was the rotary-powered Cosmo Sport launched in 1967. The RX-7, which followed in 1978, won the hearts of sports car enthusiasts and claimed many important race victories. The original MX-5 Miata, launched in 1989 as a 1990 model, revolutionized the affordable two-seat roadster market. Two years ago, Mazda’s introduction of the RX-8 redefined the boundaries of sports car design by offering spectacular performance and comfortable accommodation for four adults in one innovative sports car package.

All of Mazda’s considerable expertise and passion for designing great sports cars was drawn on for the latest third-generation MX-5.

UNDERPININGS SUITABLE FOR THE TRACK

Too much weight is bad for athletes, and just as bad for sports cars. Weight hurts acceleration, throttle response, handling and agility. It negatively affects braking distances and fuel economy. Mazda engineers worked hard make the MX-5 light-weight – while building a roomy, safe car.

Weight-saving measures include the use of an aluminum hood and trunk lid and many aluminum suspension and braking components. There is widespread use of high-strength and ultra high-strength steel in the unitary construction body, which boosts body strength while simultaneously cutting weight. The 2.0-liter engine has an aluminum block and head, and the intake manifold and cam cover are made from lightweight composite plastic. In the end, MX-5 is very light weight, yet the car is roomy for tall or large adults, and safe for everyone, thanks to its strong body and safety features (including standard side airbags and ABS anti-lock brakes for all versions).

How is this combination possible? By utilizing the ‘gram strategy’. One of the imperatives for Mazda engineers was making every gram count by assessing the weight of the vehicle in the smallest possible increments. Under this ‘gram strategy’ imperative, for example, the design of the rear-view mirror was simplified, thus trimming 84 grams, or 0.19 lbs. While not a surmountable difference on its own, by applying this strategy throughout every nook and cranny of the MX-5’s design, Mazda engineers were quite effective in building a light, roomier, stronger and safer sports car.

Front suspension is by double wishbones, as in the best sports cars and race cars. They provide linear toe, caster, and camber changes as the wheels travel up and down. Anchor points are reinforced to provide the desired lateral stiffness and made from aluminum to reduce weight. No suspension system better relays feedback so accurately to the driver, nor induces such all-round stability. The new multilink rear suspension has long links to help linearity.

Springs are coil all round, and dampers are gas-filled for more accurate wheel control on difficult and taxing roads.

POWERFUL 2.0-LITER FOUR-CYLINDER ENGINE

The sophisticated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine gives strong performance, has an inspiring exhaust note, and most important of all, is brilliantly responsive. It reacts to driver commands with lightning-quick reflexes, and offers progressive power delivery. Such linearity is the key to all of the MX-5’s driving controls. The MZR-series engine is shared with the engine used in MAZDA3, MAZDA5, MAZDA6, CX-7, Tribute and B-Series.

The engine is mounted front mid-ship, for ideal handling balance and nimbleness. It uses an aluminum block and head for lighter weight and structural rigidity, ultimately improving performance and refinement. Chain-driven double-overhead camshafts and 16-valve breathing are used for improved revving and flexibility. Variable intake valve timing improves low-end torque and high-end power.

Maximum power is 166 horsepower at 6,700 rpm (163 horsepower for A/T models). For good tractability and ease-of-driving, at least 90 percent of peak torque (140 lb-ft) is available from 2,500 rpm to the 6,700 rpm redline. (Fuel cut off is at 7,000 rpm.)

Standard equipment is a close-ratio five-speed manual transmission, and a six-speed manual gearbox is available, with gear ratios close-stacked to enhance the joy of sporty driving. Short, quick shift strokes have been achieved by use of triple-cone synchros on the first four gears.

“Miata-like” shift quality quickly became the benchmark for the industry when the first MX-5 launched in 1989. The third generation MX-5 takes performance feel to an entirely new level – think, and the car all-but changes gears on its own.

A Sport A/T automatic transmission adds dimension to the MX-5’s personality. Six ratios are provided to improve acceleration, driving refinement and freeway comfort. Paddles mounted behind the steering wheel command upshifts while buttons positioned on the spokes are used for downshifts. Coordinating engine torque with the shift sequence, results in smooth, seamless, and fast gear changes. The Sport A/T-equipped car is a joy to drive, with gear ratios perfectly matched to the engine’s horsepower and torque output.

STYLISH TWO-SEATER

The design brief also was clear: To convey fun and modern styling but retain the iconic feel of the earlier generation MX-5 Miatas.

MX-5’s design is based on the original, but is new in every way. The first- and second-generation MX-5 Miata exterior design is a rounded shape with a wide footprint, large-radius corners and deep side contours. On the third generation, the Coke-bottle shaped center section is eliminated. Instead, the designers have used an entirely new oval shape in which the seating area is now the widest portion of the car. It makes for a roomier, safer cockpit and yet still expresses the compact look of a lightweight sports car.

Side surfacing is rounded yet taut – like the skin over a muscled body. Door mirrors continue the elliptical theme established by the original MX-5 Miata.

Head and tail lamps are mounted inboard to reinforce compactness, central to the car’s design philosophy. The tail lamps combine the traditional elliptical shape from previous design generations with new, modern materials. The rounded grille opening is similar to the original MX-5 Miata, and is part of the car’s iconic shape. The front bumper is clean and aerodynamically shaped. Seat-back bars add an eye-catching detail to the rear view.

Side skirts, tire-area deflectors and the front spoiler are designed to control airflow under the body and along its sides, minimizing drag.

The soft top provides a sporty, classic appearance with a flatter upper surface and a longer rear contour that flows smoothly into the rear deck. The lowered shape blends smoothly with surrounding body contours so well that no separate ‘tonneau’ cover is needed.

The Z-fold design makes erecting and folding the roof even easier. It uses a simple, central latch handle.

New for 2007 is a Power Retractable Hard Top model (covered in a separate release). This addition to the lineup builds on the soft-top two-seater’s zest for life by enhancing year-round comfort and security. Opening and closing cycles last only 12 seconds, making this the fastest power-operated retractable hard top in the U.S.

In addition, two new exterior colors are available for 2007 – Stormy Blue Metallic and Highland Green.

ENVIRONMENT TO ENJOY DRIVING

The interior design theme balances comfortable snugness below shoulder level with openness above, to give the impression of riding in open air.

The T-shaped instrument panel is consistent with Mazda design-DNA while the center console accentuates the backbone of the car. Strong horizontal and vertical theme lines connote rigidity and sports car capability. The black center stack is as simple and functional as possible. The arched hood over the instrument cluster and four circular vents are part of the MX-5’s cabin identity.

Wind in the hair is one thing, but nobody enjoys cockpit turbulence and buffeting, especially on long drives. Small quarter windows block drafts between the windshield pillars and door mirrors into the cockpit.

An aero board located between the seat back hoops is tall and perforated to slow down reverse-flow air that rushes into the cockpit. Mesh construction helps to reduce weight.

The quality of craftsmanship used in the MX-5 is quite unlike any MX-5 before. From the details of bright-trimmed gauges to the “piano-black” finish on the dash, the MX-5 feels and looks like a far more expensive vehicle than it actually is.

MODELS AND ACCESSORIES

The MX-5 Miata was conceived primarily for the US market, and throughout its 17-year history, America has always been the biggest market for what has become – easily – the world’s most popular two-seat convertible. The newly named-for-2007 Special Value model represents the least expensive way of getting into an MX-5. As with the next step-up MX-5, it gets a five-speed manual gearbox, 16-inch aluminum sports wheels, power-assisted door mirrors, dual exhausts, power windows, cloth upholstery, AM/FM/CD player with four speakers, dual front airbags and side airbags. In addition, the MX-5 gets air conditioning and a leather-covered steering wheel.

The Touring version, in addition, gets fog lamps, cruise control, Advanced Keyless Entry with retractable key and steering wheel-mounted cruise and audio controls, and adds the Convenience Package for 2007.

The six-speed manual gearbox with leather shift knob is standard on the MX-5 Miata Sport, as are bigger 17-inch alloy sports wheels. The Grand Touring gets heated leather seats, faux leather door trim, cloth soft top, and a BOSE ® audio system with seven speakers.

When upgrading to the Grand Touring with Premium Package, the vehicle gets Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry & Start System. The top-range 3 rd Generation Limited adds exclusive Velocity Red paint with Red or Black leather upholstery, chrome grille, windshield trim, headlamp bezels, fog lamps bezels and door handles, chrome rings around the gauges and vents, silver instrument panel finisher, stainless steel scuff plates and unique-design 17-inch wheels with bright finish, among other unique features.

A Portable media (auxiliary) jack is standard on all trims.

All 2007 Mazdas come with a roadside assistance program. With a call to a toll-free number, owners can access roadside assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year throughout the United States and Canada. In addition, a comprehensive three-year/36,000-mile warranty covers every part on the vehicle except those subject to normal wear. Also, all 2007 models receive a five-year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty and a five-year/unlimited-mileage corrosion warranty.

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

2006 Mazda MX-5

Roadster Coupe

1. The Success Story

2-3 The Legend Lives On

2. Why a Second Version?

4-5 365 Days a Year of Fun

3. Design

6-9 Its Own Unique Character

4. Power Retractable Hard Top

10-11 Folding into a Smaller Space

5. Body & Chassis

12-13 Not a Gram too Much

6. Powertrain

14-15 Two Four-cylinder Engines & Rear-wheel Drive

7. Safety & Equipment

16-18 On-road Safety and Comfort

Design –

Its Own Unique Character

3.

• Design based on the third-generation MX-5

• Hard top design is compact, stylish and sophisticated

• More prominently contoured rear fenders and a slightly higher rear deck

The briefing for Mazda designers left no doubt: “Remain true to the basic design principals of the third-generation MX-5, while creating a new roadster coupe with its own, exciting identity.”

The third-generation MX-5 further enhanced the design of Mazda’s roadster icon. For the new Roadster Coupe, this same silhouette with a low, flowing shoulder line, was retain- ed. The same goes for the car’s overall proportions, with slight changes undertaken at the rear of the car. It is precisely here that many coupes with power retractable roofs gain in size, resulting in a massive-seeming rear overhang.

None of this can be seen in the athletic look of the new MX-5 Roadster Coupe. Its overall proportions are as harmonious as the shape of its hard top. This was achieved with a design that emphasizes the MX-5 Roadster Coupe’s open-top character first and foremost. In other words, starting point for the design was the Mazda MX-5 soft top, and not a redesigned coupe. The windshield, the entire front end, the small quarter windows, the beltline and other elements of Roadster Coupe’s front and side panels are carried over from the soft top model.

Only at the back of the new MX-5 Roadster Coupe, where the power retractable hard top is stowed, were slight, but subtle changes necessary in the area of the rear fenders and the rear deck. The front edge of the rear deck lid, for instance, is 40 mm higher than the soft top at this location. In order to realize a flowing, harmonious form at the back, designers raised the trailing edge of the boot lid by about 20 mm. The result: the rear end of the MX-5 Roadster Coupe falls softly, rather than abruptly here. Nonetheless, the overall design seems more tapered and solid-looking compared to the soft top model.

Visual Balance Achieved by More Prominent Wheel Arches

The higher rear end does not diminish MX-5 Roadster Coupe’s low, sports car road stance, because designers employed more prominently contoured rear wheel arches as a kind of visual balance. These contribute to the impression of power and make the Roadster Coupe seem to crouch on the road.

In fact, all of the Roadster Coupe’s panel articulation is highly sophisticated – there are no body lines that are not without purpose. A good example is the ridge of the rear deck lid. Running from fender to fender, this ridge merges on either side with ridges at the tops of the door panels – a visual trick that prevents the rear deck cover from seeming unusually long.

Innovative Plastic Composite Material used for the Hard Top

Using plastic material for the lightweight hard top gave designers a lot of freedom in creating just the right shape. Its glass window with a printed heating element could be made a bit larger than that of the soft top MX-5 to ensure a good rear view. When the top is closed, the MX-5 Roadster Coupe is only 10 mm higher than the soft top model; while width, length, wheelbase and track remain identical.

Another goal of development was to make the hard top as compact and stylish as possible. Its tautly curved shape makes the passenger compartment seem compact. Only the need to stow the hard top behind the seats, and not in the boot, prevented a flatter, more wedged-shaped design here. 16 To prevent the roof from seeming too upright, relatively slim B-pillar designs were employed. Added to this is a contoured edge on both sides of the roof, which optically unifies its front and middle sections.

High-Mount Brake Light with a White instead of Red Lens

A new design accent is created by the MX-5 Roadster Coupe’s high-mount brake light. It is placed further forward than that of the soft top model, is thinner and uses a white lens instead of a red one. The rear combination lights and rear bumper are absolutely identical with those of the soft top version.

The new Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe will be offered with seven exterior colours, including two all-new colours – Stormy Blue Mica and Highland Green Mica (depending on market). These new colours deliver exciting contrasts in different light conditions.

Two Buttons on the Centre Stack Operate the Hard Top

Changes to the interior include the addition of a pair of buttons to open and close the retractable hard top, each located on either side of the hazard-warning button in the upper section of the dashboard centre stack. There is also an indicator lamp that illuminates to warn the driver if, for instance, the roof does not completely lock into place upon closing.

There are also subtle changes made to the area behind and between the seats. The two storage recesses behind the seats are dropped from the Roadster Coupe – valuable inches that were put to good use stowing the retractable roof. Remaining small-storage compartments can be found in the large centre console box. The semi-bucket sport seats, with seatback pockets included, are carryover from the soft top model.

The new Roadster Coupe will be offered with three trim levels (depending on market). Besides black fabric upholstery, there are two leather trim packages – black and saddle-tan (light brown).

Power Retractable Hard Top –

Folding into a Smaller Space

4.

• The hard top opens/closes in only 12 seconds

• Central lock mechanism like the soft top

• Wind noise and sound levels further reduced

Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe’s power retractable hard top is a miracle of packaging ingenuity. It retracts into such a compact space that, with the top down, the 150-litre boot volume of the soft top remains untouched. And it couldn’t be easier to use. Like the soft top MX-5, the driver must first release the centre lock located in the middle of the front roof section. After this is initiated, the driver holds down the open button and the hard top disappears in just 12 seconds (the quickest on the market today). This manoeuvre has to be done while the car is standing still.

The retractable hard top was developed by Mazda with Webasto Japan and consists of three moving sections and the rear deck cover, which is also a moving element.

A total of four electric roof motors – two on each side of the vehicle – facilitate the metamorphosis of the car from coupe to open-top roadster and back again. Before opening or closing the hard top, the windows (if in the up position) are automatically lowered by approximately 100 mm to make sure there is enough room for the roof to fold back unimpeded.

In its efforts to keep additional weight for the hard top version as low as possible, Mazda used two different kinds of materials, sheet moulding compound (SMC) for the outer panels and glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene (GFPP) for the inner panels of the retractable roof.

SMC material is a fibre/plastic composite material with high rigidity and heat resistance and, to the joy of the designers, is easily formable into shapes that would never be possible with steel or aluminium. And SMC’s smooth surface structure gives an excellent paint finish, which contributes to high levels of build quality and craftsmanship. GFPP combines the virtues of low weight and high strength. This material allowed the inner panels to have a dimpled surface, which looks so good it doesn’t need to be painted. For these reasons, Mazda engineers could do without a moulded roof liner – the combination of SMC and GFPP makes the MX-5 Roadster Coupe’s hard top just 20 mm thick as a result.

The Power Retractable Hard Top Weighs just 18 kg more than the Soft Top

These materials also ensure that the hard top structure is light and compact. The roof itself (not including rear deck cover) weighs only 18 kg more than the soft top of the Mazda MX-5. And not only that, owners of the MX-5 Roadster Coupe can also transport a case of 12, 1.5-litre bottles upright in the boot, even with the top down.

Wind management has also been perfected with the new MX-5 Roadster Coupe. Naturally, Mazda roadster fans have the most fun with their car when a warm summer breeze blows through their hair. This would not be the case with cabin turbulence blowing on their neck in the process. To avoid this with the MX-5 Roadster Coupe, whose rear deck is nearly 40 mm taller at its front edge, designers added an air guide made of polypropylene to the standard aero board behind the seats. This air guide runs the entire width of the aero board and forces air flowing forward from the back of the vehicle upwards.

Designers improved drive comfort even further by lowering cabin noise levels on the motorway. At a speed of 120 km/h with the top up, the measured noise level was reduced by 8 dB for the MX-5 Roadster Coupe.

Body & Chassis –

Not a Gram too Much

5.

• Weight increase is only 37 kg

• Additional body shell reinforcements compensate for larger body openings

• Slight modifications to suspension tuning

The soft top version of the Mazda MX-5 owes its unusually agile and linear handling characteristics to a strict gram strategy applied during the development of the third- generation version. One of the main goals in developing the new Roadster Coupe version was to keep the unavoidable gain in weight as low as possible. Only by delivering this, could MX-5’s famous Jinba Ittai driving dynamics be assured for the hard top version as well.

The Roadster Coupe version is just 37 kg heavier than the soft top model. Of this weight, 30.2 kg were needed for the roof itself, the rear deck cover and other small related parts; 3 kg for the steel (rather than aluminium) boot lid, 1.6 kg for the complex wiring harness switches, 0.3 kg for additional material at the aero board and for trim configuration modifications and 1.4 kg for the additional body reinforce- ments and sound insulation features.

Because the Roadster Coupe’s body opening for stowing the hard top is 45 mm wider and 82 mm longer than that of the soft top model’s, local reinforcements had to be employed to compensate for a slight loss in body stiffness. These include:

• A 1.8 mm thick reinforcing bracket at both corners of the rear deck opening,

• Increasing the thickness of the front surface of the rear deck from 0.7 mm of the soft top model to 1.8 mm for the Roadster Coupe model,

• Strengthening the sides of the rear deck opening by inclusion of a closed-section structure that extends through the front surface of the rear deck.

These local reinforcements make body shell stiffness of the MX-5 Roadster Coupe comparable to the soft top model. Here as well, developers kept the weight gain as low as possible, limited to 820 grams.

While body shell stiffness of the soft top model is nearly the same whether the top is open or closed, with the MX-5 Roadster Coupe, body shell stiffness is slightly higher with the top up than when it is down. To compensate for this slight difference, developers attempted to keep the difference in perceived handling feel as minimal as possible.

Larger Front Stabilizers and Optimized rear Springs and Dampers Settings

Because there is slightly more weight at the back of the Roadster Coupe when the hard top is stowed behind the seats, engineers optimally tuned the rear springs and dampers. At the same time, a larger front stabilizer is introduced (increased in diameter from 21 to 22.2 mm) along with new settings for the front dampers.

These features give the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe handling characteristics that provide further refinements compared to the agile and nimble handling characteristics of the soft top. This slight difference is ideally suited to the new model and meets the premium quality demands of its target customer.

Safety & Equipment –

On-road Safety and Comfort

• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) standard on all models (depending on market)

The third-generation Mazda MX-5, both soft top and Roadster Coupe models, are the first Mazda roadsters to have side airbags as standard (depending on market). These are installed in the outer section of the seatbacks and protect the head and thorax. They consist of two chambers. Each chamber is activated at the same time by a common gas generator and a single inflator. This single inflation process delivers a decisive time advantage over conven- tional dual-stage airbag systems, in which both chambers are filled with gas one after the other. Furthermore, the upper and slightly larger chamber (that protects the head) inflates firmer and for a longer time, than the lower chamber. In this way, Mazda achieves a similar effect to vehicles with a permanent hard top equipped with curtain airbags.

Other passive safety features include ISOFIX anchors for securing a child safety seat in the passenger seat, and the front passenger seat airbag can be deactivated with the ignition key. Both the steering wheel column and the brake pedals are designed to reduce the risk of lower body injury to the driver in case of a serious front impact, and both seats have three-point seat belts with pretensioners and load- limiters.

In the extremely unlikely event that the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe could ever roll over, protection is provided to the passengers by bracing bars integrated into the A-pillars made of ultra-high-strength steel (1,500 Mpa), a massive windshield frame and reinforcements behind the seats. Also, large body shell cross members protect passengers in case of side impact.

58 percent of the body shell is made of either ultra-high- strength or high-strength steel, both of which are three times stronger than normal types of steel and allowed for an ideal combination of thin, lightweight material that is extremely strong. The bonnet is made of aluminium and has been optimized for pedestrian protection. Its inner bonnet panel is made of a shock-cone structure that effectively absorbs impact energy applied to the outside of the bonnet from above.

Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe’s active safety package includes ABS with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and DSC with traction control system (TCS). The 2.0-litre version also comes with a super LSD (limited-slip differen- tial) with especially soft functionality.

Standard equipment includes 16-inch wheels with 205/50 tyres, steering wheel height adjustment, aero board, retractable key, heated rear window, remote central locking, electric power windows and a Mazda audio system.

Also available (depending on market) are features like manual air conditioning, climate control, 17-inch aluminium alloy wheels, leather interior with seat heating, metallic paint, Xenon headlights with headlight cleaning system, automatic headlight levelling and fog lights. Also available is the keyless entry and start system “LogIn” and an anti-theft alarm system (depending on market).

An optional BOSE sound system with seven speakers and CD-changer is available as well. It employs electronic frequency control and signal adjustment technology to deliver high levels of musical enjoyment even driving with the top down.

With the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe, an audio system adaptor is introduced for iPod compatibility, a premiere for Mazda in Europe. The system is able to play, for instance, MP3 music files from Apple’s iPod digital music player using the normal audio controls of the car or the steering wheel (latter, depending on market). You can fast-forward, rewind, repeat, and even use the Random Selection function. For installing and charging the iPod, there is a special jack on the passenger side in the glove compartment.

2006 Mazda MX-5

Roadster Coupe

The Success Story –

The Legend Lives On

1.

Why a Second Version? –

365 Days a Year of Fun

2.