When Mazda engineers first planned for the folding hard-top they knew that it had to be light, strong and attractive to keep the Zoom, Zoom spirit of the MX-5 alive with the same light weight and body rigidity that the car is known for.
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Folding hard-tops have existed in various forms since the 1940�s. In exchange for their smoother appearance, tighter sealing, quieter cockpit and increased security, they have historically imposed significant penalties. The roof itself is generally heavier and the motors and mechanisms used to automate its operation increase weight, cost and complexity. Usually, it�s necessary for the driver to secure a partition in the trunk to make sure that luggage doesn�t foul the folded top. But the dearest sacrifice of all is to luggage room: some folding hardtops consume practically all the luggage space in exchange for letting the sun shine in.
To preserve the MX-5�s fun-loving spirit and love of weekend getaways, the new power retractable hard top (PRHT) performs what seems like a magic trick: disappearing on cue when the �open� button is pressed. The MX-5�s trunk provides a just-right 5.3cu.ft. of capacity whether the roof is hard or soft, stowed or overhead.
To achieve this breakthrough in hard-top convertible design, the MX-5 PRHT�s roof consists of three major parts-a front section, a middle section, and the rear window-which hinge and move to nest atop one another in exactly the same space as the soft top.
The two roof sections fold like a clamshell: the window separates from the middle section and moves forward to the in-between space. And, rather than consuming interior or trunk room, the folded roof descends into the same storage well located above the rear axle and the fuel tank where the soft top would have resided. A deck cover mates with the top in the closed mode and shrouds the folded top from view in the open mode.
An easy to open/close center locking handle secures the PRHT to the windshield frame. Two buttons positioned at the top center of the MX-5�s instrument cluster command the opening and closing operations. Opening and closing takes just 12sec. making it one of the fasting power-operated retractable hard-top in the U.S. An indicator lamp and warning beeps advise you when the operation is complete.
To keep the PRHT both light and compact, it�s constructed of advanced high-strength materials. The front and middle section exterior panels are made of sheet molded compound. Interior panels are glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene. The assembled panels are barely 3/4in. thick yet they provide an attractive appearance and do an excellent job of blocking wind and road noise. The rear window is glass imprinted with an electric defroster grid.
To maintain important body rigidity with an opening that�s 1.8in. wider, and 3.2in. longer than the soft-top aperture, material thickness of the body panels surrounding the opening have been increased and two corner-reinforcing brackets have been added. Closed-section reinforcements also extend from the rear deck along the outer edges of the top storage well. The deck lid changes from aluminum in the soft-top model to steel for the PRHT to accommodate contours added for an attractive appearance. Altogether, the net weight increase over the soft-top model is only approximately 80lbs., quite reasonable considering the benefits mentioned above. The body rigidity felt the soft-top model with barely any cowl shake when traveling over poorly paved road surfaces.
Minor suspension adjustments were in order to maintain the quick steering response and predictable handling expected of the MX-5. Dampers are set firmer, rear spring rates are higher for the extra weight carried in the rear and the front anti-roll bar has been increased to 0.87 from 0.83in. in diameter.
Like the soft-top MX-5, the PRHT edition has a wind deflector to block cockpit drafts. A 1.3in. high air guide runs the full width of the deflector to reduce the energy of the back draft impinging the driver and passenger. With the top up, the interior noise level with the PRHT is reduced in comparison with the soft-top MX-5.
Design changes to accommodate the PRHT are slight. To integrate the appearance of the deck cover, an accent crease flows from each door over and around the width of the panel. Longitudinal contours molded into the outer edges of the two roof sections add tension at the top of the car. The rear window is larger than the soft-top�s for a more balanced look. Overall height is only 0.39in. great than the soft-top MX-5.
MX-5 PRHT models wear a fine chrome ring around the grille opening, bright bezels inside the headlamps and a chrome band in each door handle. In the rear is a white-lens high mounted stop lamp.
The all-new Mazda MX-5 PRHT is a more sophisticated two-seat roadster for owners who prize top-down driving fun but also want the poise and security of a hard roof over their heads during inclement weather. It�s the best of both world�s-wind-in-the-hair driving joy plus peace of mind-at the touch of a button and priced at just $26,360.00 for the base grand touring model and $29,135.00 for a nicely loaded edition that I tested and really enjoyed.
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Mazda MX-5 photo
new Mazda MX-5
Mazda MX-5
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