Mazda MX-5 ARCTIC SPECIAL EDITION
Want To Reward Yourself With An Affordable Roadster But Need To Be Able To Use The Car All The Year Round? Mazdas MX-5 Arctic Could Be A Sensible Choice. Jonathan Crouch Reports
"Life," wrote one wise man, "is uncertain. Eat dessert first." For most enthusiastic drivers with budgets rooted in the real world, there's little doubt about what that means. Warmed-up shopping superminis may be the starter and sporting saloons the main course, but for something to leave a long, satisfying aftertaste on the motoring palate, there's nothing to beat an affordable roadster.
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That such a thing exists at all is due mainly to
Mazda, whose charming little MX-5 found over 430,000 buyers world-wide in its original form, launched here in 1990. The car provoked a scramble amongst the mainstream makers to copy what had previously been a forgotten concept, leading to a host of imitations. Cars like
Rover Group's MGF,
Fiat's Barchetta and
BMW's Z3 (to name but three) all sought to steal Mazda's market share - but MX-5 sales just kept on growing. A hard act for the latest version to follow but, as the last couple of years have shown, by no means an impossible one. Sales have been strong ever since the 1998 launch, aided by a continual series of special editions, the latest of which is the Arctic model featured here. The Arctic is Mazdas response to buyers who fancy the idea of a roadster but keep in mind the realities of the changeable British summer.
So you not only get air conditioning to keep you cool in the heat but also blue heated leather seats to keep you snug when the whether is decidedly off colour. The importers have also chucked in a few of the most popular extras to this model, items like the useful wind blocker with two additional built-in speakers for the CD player (which features two additional tweeters). Theres also remote control central locking and deadlocking.
"It's still the kind of car you find excuses to drive. The kind of car that makes the weekends worthwhile...
"
Some of the finishing touches are nice too. The chrome scuff plates and side window garnishes for example. The black leather-trimmed steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake lever. The blue leather seats and blue door trim.
And the colour-matched blue soft-top cover. MX-5 Arctic buyers get a choice of three exterior colours Titanium Grey, Sunlight Silver and, new for this model, Razor Blue metallic. They also have the opportunity to purchase an ice-cool accessories pack which includes a rear style bar, a sound board, a chrome filler cap, chrome outer door finish and chrome for the door mirror finish. Arctic buyers will get this pack for £500, a saving of some £375 over the usual options list price.
Talking of price, exactly how much are we talking for this car? The answer, taking into account current special offers, is £16,500 for the 1.6i version and £17,000 for the 1.8i variant, an increase of £1,500 over the standard fee in both cases. If youre more familiar with the original-shape MX-5, theres little on the latest version to upset you, save for the absence of those trademark pop-up headlamps, ditched in favour of more practical faired-in units.
You might also notice the deletion of the delightful finger-sized door handles (women apparently kept breaking their fingernails on them), discarded in favour of larger body-coloured items. The tauter set-up has made the current MX-5 an even more entertaining back road companion. Thanks to the 50/50-weight distribution, this version is much more stable than its predecessor, though it isn't foolproof. Care continues to be required in tight cornering, particularly on damp surfaces, if you're not to end up facing the way you came. Nevertheless, it's still the kind of car you find excuses to drive. The kind of car that makes the weekends worthwhile. And whereas the charms of the original version would tire after a while, this one keeps you coming back for more. Some of the credit for this is due to the superbly weighted power steering.
The more absorbent ride helps too, as does the reduction of body lean through the corners. Of course, if you're to drive like this, you'll probably want to do so with the hood down - an easy operation that requires the release of two levers and a quick push. Would that the awkward tonneau cover with its fiddly poppers was so easy to use; I fancy most owners will leave it in the boot. At least Mazda have replaced the zippered plastic rear window (a major security flaw) with a proper heated glass affair;
MG and Fiat take note. All of which is probably enough to keep MX-5 sales buoyant in the affordable roadster category.
If you have to use it as an everyday car, all-year round, the Arctic models well chosen extras make it just about possible to do so. But better by far to buy something else more sensible and keep the little Mazda for dessert. Swift, sweet and not at all fattening. Who could ask for more?
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Mazda MX-5 Arctic special edition
PRICES: £16,500-£17,000 on the road [inc. special offer]
INSURANCE GROUP: 11E-12A CO2 [g/km] / EMISSIONS BAND: 188/210g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.8] Max Speed 127mph / 0-60mph 8.0s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.8] 33mpg (combined)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 3975/1680/1225mm
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