The latest generation of the Mazda Miata is one of the best sports cars ever made. Unlike many other manufacturers which make their cars bigger and heavier, the new MX-5 is nearly 200 pounds lighter than the previous model. Thanks to that, it drives beautifully and it offers good performance for how much power it has. However, the car is quite simplistic and it can’t really be used in some climates due to its soft-top. In order to solve this problem, they released the 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF (Retractable Fastback) back in the start of 2016 as a concept. The production version has been showcased a few weeks back and it will be available in the UK, and most of Europe, starting in March 2017. The price for the base UK model has been set at £22,200. This is slightly over what the usual cabriolet costs.
2017 MAZDA MX-5 RF PRICE AND RELEASE DATE
The US version still hasn’t a release date but it seems that the Canadian model will come a full month earlier than it. Its price is expected to be similar to that of the European model, so roughly $2,000 to $3,000 more than the cabriolet. A special Launch Edition model will be available in the UK where it will cost nearly £29,000. At this price, the car will get quite a few extras on the base model which we are going to discuss next.
LOOKS
The 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF is based on the regular cabriolet but it comes with a hardtop instead of the usual soft-top. However, instead of going on having a rather regular roof, Mazda did something special with the RF, which stands for Retractable Fastback. In order to save as much weight as possible, part of the roof remains visible. The rear B-pillars are also the roof’s mechanism and they are covered in plastic in order to save weight. Because of that, only the top part of the roof will retract in the trunk.
The rear window can also be retracted but the rear pillars will remain which make the car seem like a Targa-top with the only other manufacturer known to do this type of roof being Porsche. Even though there are a lot more moving parts, the roof only adds around 100 pounds which are not all that bad considering that the suspension system has been tweaked accordingly. The Launch Edition will also add BBS wheels, better tires, black mirrors and rear spoiler as well as a two-tone roof.
INTERIOR
Like you would expect from just a version of the same car, the MX-5 RF is identical to the regular MX-5 when it comes to the interior. However, it is worth mentioning that the Launch Edition will get a few extras. For starters, the car gets the optional Safety Pack, the Recaro seats which are a major improvement over the usual ones as well as Alcantara upholstery.
ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION OF 2017 MAZDA MX-5 RF
While in Europe the 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF will be available with both engines, the US model will only get the larger one. The base, in Europe, is going to be the 1.5 liters naturally aspirated mill which offers 129 horsepower and 111 lb-ft of torque. It is worth mentioning that this engine will become available from May 2017 and only in a few select markets. The 2-liter engine will represent the bulk of sales and it will continue to provide 158 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque. Both of them will be available with a six-speed manual or a six speed automatic. The performance will be impacted slightly by the extra weight but the RF should still be capable of a 0 to 60 MPH time of at least 7.5 seconds when equipped with the larger engine.
