The Mazda's MX-5 open two-seater is probably the closest the Japanese have come to building a small sports car that radiates the nostalgia of a front-engined, rear-driven British sports car.
A week with the MX5 makes it easy to understand why the well-built body, reliable and eager-revving 118kW/188Nm two-litre engine, six-speed gearbox and easy-to-operate flip-up soft-top makes it the world's best-selling open two-seater.
For my money I'd take it anytime before a front-wheel-drive. This purist's delight rekindles the past of rear-driven open seaters such as small MGs and Triumphs with your seat centimetres from the road, the eager responses and sporty if notchy handling.
The R241 990 MX-5 takes a snappy eight seconds from 0-100km/h, tops 200km/h and consumes between nine litres/100km on the open road and 11 in city driving from the 50-litre tank but this two-litre two-seater is not about out-and-out performance but rather open-top driving with the rush of the wind through your hair and an adrenelin-pumping blast from the exhaust.
It also has an automatic air-con with a vent-waist mode that allows cool air to be directed at the upper body and also towards the thighs, to allow the occupants to keep cool with the roof down on hot, muggy days, while the heatable seats can be put to good use on chilly upcountry winter mornings, greatly extending the top-down season.
The Bose 6 CD shuttle with seven speakers allows equalisation to be tailored to open or closed-top by operating a switch that informs the head unit of the car's current configuration.
The MX-5 is far safer and user-friendly than earlier small ragtops and has a little racing-style steering wheel with three thick, metal-accented spokes and a compact, doughnut-shaped crash bag in the centre - there are four in total and an automatic headlights leveller.
Comprehensive luxury and convenience equipment includes power steering, air-con, remote-controlled central locking, one-push power windows and mirrors and a CD radio.
Mazda says the design brief was to convey fun and modern styling while retaining the iconic feel of the MX-5's predecessors. The styling of the third-generation MX-5 is undeniably based on the original model yet is new in nearly every way.
In a sports car, the impression of athletic muscularity comes more from the movement and expression of body contours than from its character lines.
The soft-top design has been re-engineered to provide a sportier, more classical appearance with a flatter upper surface and a longer rear contour that flows smoothly into the rear deck.
Z-shaped design
The lowered shape blends smoothly with surrounding body contours so well that no tonneau cover is needed.
The new Z-shaped design makes erecting and folding the roof even easier. It now uses a simple, central latch rather than the previous model's double latch.
High-speed vibration of the top is prevented by a reinforcement at the top of the rigid glass rear window. The top is available in tan or black and a detachable hard top is optional. Front bumper guards are injection-moulded using compact glass-reinforced plastic and the new MX-5 is longer, wider and taller to give more head and legroom.
The T-shaped instrument panel is consistent with Mazda DNA while the centre console accentuates the backbone of the car.
The black centre stack is simple and functional while the arched hood over the instrument cluster and four circular vents give the MX-5 interior its unique identity.
Lockable boxes
Amber gauge illumination sets the tone for interior illumination. Audio and air-con controls, steering wheel-mounted switches and the power window switches are all illuminated the same colour and intensity while the wind deflector reduces turbulence at speed.
The glove box and rear centre console can be locked, there's a recess at the bottom of the centre stack and a small box for sunglasses or a cell phone on the driver's side at the bottom of the instrument panel.
Each door pocket is shaped to a half-litre beverage container and two more storage compartments are behind the seats. The cabin also has a net storage pocket and a back pocket in the passenger seat. The boot contains a puncture repair kit in place of a spare wheel.