BTW, the pictures of the red RF and the two roadsters are from Automobile Magazine. They took a bunch of gorgeous shots of the cars as well as others at Laguna Seca. Good wallpaper.
https://www.automobilemag.com/news/flyin-miata-mx-5-rf-turbo-review-first-drive/
In reply to Keith Tanner :
I believe part of the reason some have asked for a Miata Coupe is to address the car's lack of storage space. Something I became acutely aware of recently. I needed to borrow a friend's NA for a weekend tour when my 3rd LBC crapped out at the last minute. While I had packed for R53 MINI cargo space, I didn't really pack any different than I would have for my Spitfire. We struggled to get weekend luggage for two (in soft bags) into the Miata.
My ex- has often commented how cargo capacity in her ND is essentially non-existent. I'm not sure how the RF effectively fixes this (while still retaining open-air capability - so the top-well doesn't count).
That said, I recognize taking a convertible and converting it to a coupe doesn't always increase the cargo space as much as one might expect - my own '72 GT6 and Spitfire can attest to that. There is more room, but not a ton. But one big difference: I can fit a bike into the back of my GT6. No way a normal bike will fit into the trunk of a Spitfire.
And yes - I want a convertible with weather protection. Personally, I don't think the NC PRHT looks all that bad. At least not vs. a regular NC, which is not exactly an attractive car to begin with. But I can accept the appearance hit for the functionality of the PRHT. I'm also OK with just a removable hardtop, but I would want it a little less race-oriented. I wonder if the standard ND soft-top glass could be used, with enough of a defroster lead to connect to the factory harness.
The RF doesn't add any storage space, nor does it take any away. If you put in the FM roll bar, we give you the ability to use the top well as bag storage so you get a gain in capacity there. You can do that with a normal RF as well as long as you don't forget about it. Actually, it's pretty easy to unplug one sensor on the RF top in order to disable the center section, which makes the top well a legitimate temporary trunk. Personally, I've driven across the country with two people in an NA and FM staff have done many 1000 mile trips with NBs, NCs and NDs. The trick is not to pack the bags and put them in the trunk, but to pack the trunk.
Packaging the fuel tank for a coupe would be a challenge, as there's not a lot of empty space kicking around back there. The MG got away with it because the tank is flat and hanging out the back, but it also had a live axle on leafs instead of a complex multi-link. I'd hate to see a coupe version that had to go to a strut rear to get the under-hatch space, as has happened with some wagon conversions.
I think most of the requests for a Miata coupe are simply justifications for purchase avoidance, honestly.
The ND soft top glass is basically a flat sheet, which can be had in any dimensions you want from your friendly local glass shop. It's just that a flat plane of glass looks really weird in a swoopy hardtop - see the NA/NB fastbacks as an example.
Keith Tanner said:I think most of the requests for a Miata coupe are simply justifications for purchase avoidance, honestly.
I never........
Keith Tanner said:BTW, the pictures of the red RF and the two roadsters are from Automobile Magazine. They took a bunch of gorgeous shots of the cars as well as others at Laguna Seca. Good wallpaper.
https://www.automobilemag.com/news/flyin-miata-mx-5-rf-turbo-review-first-drive/
What's this about messing with a boost control knob under the hood? Can't be using a manual boost controller can it?
Why not? It's only an issue if you take a car from 5000' down to sea level and forget to adjust it...
Just seems like something I'd want to be controlled by a computer: manage spikes, different boost for different gears/engine temp/load conditions/system voltage/etc, as well as handle altitude changes for journalists easily. Basically I want computer regulated boost for the same reason I want EFI...
It's not like computer controlled boost is way out there. Been in factory turbo cars for 25 years?
You'd be amazed at how well a good manual boost controller works. The problem with trying to intergrate EBC into a production car that uses the stock ECU is that there are no spare I/Os. We can do it if we take out the EGR, but that's not something we can do and pass emissions. It's that stock ECU thing that's the limiting factor. We had it in our aftermarket ECU Miatas two decades ago.
And yes, yes, there a whole bunch of alphabet soup doohickeys that will do it for you, but they weren't on our R&D prototype when Automobile borrowed it. The car was working just fine when I passed it off to Nelson at 2000', but his drop to sea level was just enough to hit the limiter.
We will be introducing an electronic boost control module for the ND (and other cars) as soon as the part number paperwork is done. You are also free to add as many alphabet soup doohickeys as you'd like if you have a favorite.
Different boost for different load conditions is basically automatic, you do that with your right foot. I don't see why you'd alter boost for an alternator problem. If we limited boost for any other reason the Miata guys would be sharpening the torches and lighting the pitchforks. Remember how they reacted when it was revealed you couldn't run to 7500 rpm in sixth gear (180+ mph) on the dyno?
In reply to Keith Tanner :
An example of what happens when you take a modern convertible and turn it into a coupe is the Z3. Yep - the packaging constraints to build a convertible floor pan resulted in an awkward coupe interior behind the seats.
I tried to buy a Miata almost 6 years ago when Thinkker was selling his '99 and I needed/wanted a back-up DD. Unfortunately, that didn't work out and bought a minivan instead and then the following year I bought Doc Brown's Spitfire. So while I would still like to have a Miata, it's become a matter of space and the lack thereof.
Keith Tanner said:The 124 does not have a fun engine. The styling is subjective, but the engine behavior and the 100 lbs hanging off the nose are hard to miss.
For a street car I think the Fiat 124 gets a bad rap. I don't think the engine is that much worse than the ND1's. 100lbs in a 124 isn't that much different than the extra 100lbs you don't mind in a RF. ;) All sorts of things can make sense adjusted for cost. The 124 has all the basic goodness of the ND, with the GT top which makes highway driving viable and offers a nicer interior. A 124 classica can undercut the price of a ND Sport (which barely exists) by a bunch. The art of buying a car is sometimes finding value where other people have failed to look. I've warmed up to the looks of th 124, but I agree the ND looks nicer. 124s need help from Flyin' Miata too. :)
They can't seem to give this car away. $25k CDN=$19k USD. I'm sure someone can beat them up further.
I was wondering if anyone would call me out on that 100 lbs :)
That's based on FM owning a 124 Classica for at least a year, so I've got some extended experience with it. I've driven it on the street and the track. That 100 lbs on the nose makes it less nimble on track - and the engine's characteristics made it harder to throttle steer. We had to alter the chassis setup when compared to the Miata to get it to go around corners on our test track, and it was still slower despite the advantage of boost to overcome the power loss due to altitude. You couldn't shift the weight around with the throttle in the same way. It just wasn't as happy when pushed.
Having the extra weight on the back of the RF doesn't compromise the dynamics in the same way. I've cornerweighted them all, and that extra weight is 100% on the front wheels in the Fiat and 100% on the rear wheels in the RF.
The 124 does make a decent highway cruiser - squeeze that throttle and the boost gets to work with a nice satisfying shove. But at our altitude, the boost was laggy like my 1988 GTX. When you're off boost, you're left with a little 1.4 that has very little ignition advance. The interior is basically exactly the same as the ND with a change in font and some different door panels, although it did get the Recaro option before the Miata did.
You can get a screaming deal on one, no question there. I've seen an ad from a Canadian dealer that offered a two year free lease on a 124 if you bought a Dodge 1500! FM sold theirs after we had trouble extracting any meaningful power from it and seeing the sales numbers (about 40% of the Miata numbers in 2017). We still offer chassis parts for it, but we won't be working on the drivetrain.
It's been said before - the biggest problem with the Fiat 124 is the existence of the ND Miata.
There is a really extensive and ongoing thread on miata.net with almost daily updates on arrivals of the 2019 MX5's
Like most things on miata.net, for better or worse, it boarders on obsession.
https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=670978&page=87
Mazda finally has the 2019 configurator for the roadster online.
For those still wondering, a few are trickling in. My manual order Club RF arrived this weekend. Placed the order late August, got the VIN number Oct 16. Oct 22 it was on the ship, arrived in the Jacksonville port November 20. Finally transported to the dealership on Friday.
Awesome! Turbo CX-5 are starting to show up too. A fun time at the Mazda dealership...
kabel said:For those still wondering, a few are trickling in. My manual order Club RF arrived this weekend. Placed the order late August, got the VIN number Oct 16. Oct 22 it was on the ship, arrived in the Jacksonville port November 20. Finally transported to the dealership on Friday.
And I get to see it tonight. 
Keith Tanner said:Instead of saying "it's silly", say "I'm glad there are options that benefit all of us".
Except an actual hard top coupe. 
Brett_Murphy said:Keith Tanner said:Instead of saying "it's silly", say "I'm glad there are options that benefit all of us".
Except an actual hard top coupe.
Coming to our catalog soon: the RF Coupe conversion kit.
Edit - just read back through this thread, and either Brett didn't read it or he's just being a troll.
Also, I was apparently playing the long game taunting Seth with the red RF.
I agree with Keith. Go buy a Cayman if you want a small two seater coupe. They won’t sell any MX-5 coupes with the RF out there, because the RF is what non crazy people want. It’s the perfect compromise between the coupe and convertible and it looks terrific.
I saw Kabel and his new MX-5 tonight. It's a totally perfect pairing.
Harvey said:I agree with Keith. Go buy a Cayman if you want a small two seater coupe. They won’t sell any MX-5 coupes with the RF out there, because the RF is what non crazy people want. It’s the perfect compromise between the coupe and convertible and it looks terrific.
Comparing a $30k car to a $60k isn't really a valid comparison.
Nor is comparing a NEW $30k car to a USED, 10-year old $30k car.
The real answer for a "2 seater" coupe would be one of the Twins, since the back is essentially worthless anyway.
z31maniac said:Harvey said:I agree with Keith. Go buy a Cayman if you want a small two seater coupe. They won’t sell any MX-5 coupes with the RF out there, because the RF is what non crazy people want. It’s the perfect compromise between the coupe and convertible and it looks terrific.
Comparing a $30k car to a $60k isn't really a valid comparison.
Nor is comparing a NEW $30k car to a USED, 10-year old $30k car.
The real answer for a "2 seater" coupe would be one of the Twins, since the back is essentially worthless anyway.
When did we start addressing reality in this thread? Was that before or after the thread became about how there is a desperate need for a coupe version of the MX5?
In reply to Keith Tanner :
That.....was not cool man. I'm just about to be two Miatas deep in my quest to prove that soft tops suck and Miatas are only good with proper roofs and by extension would be EVEN BETTER with a proper roof.
And as much as I like the frisbee cars, they're not the same. Look at an RX8 and then look at and NC Miata and then look at a FRS and squint and imagine how much better it could be with six less inches between the wheels and the resulting weight loss from all that metal and glass and seats. The CRX was better than the Civic for the same reasons.
Pretty sure the ideal GRM fantasy car is an Ariel Atom Coupe with a turbo 4 cylinder making 500hp.
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