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Mazda has announced prices and UK specifications for the facelifted Mazda MX-5. The upgraded roadster goes on sale in April with prices starting at £16,345, £205 cheaper than the outgoing model.

The new Mazda MX-5 gets a new front and rear, and a lightly restyled interior. Power outputs from the four-cylinder engines remain the same at 125bhp for the 1.8-litre and 158bhp for the 2.0-litre. The 2.0-litre cars start at £17,345.

The 2.0-litre has a higher rev limit, raised to 7500rp...Read the full article

Why do facelifts never look as good as the original? I'm not saying this version is ugly, but it doesn't look as good as the previous model.

private:

Why do facelifts never look as good as the original?

It's the old thing of someone new (a stylist in this case, probably) having to prove their worth by making visible changes to justify their existance. They are all frightened that if they were to say "This existing model is so good that I cannot improve it" they would be out of a job. I had one of the ones with pop-up headlights for a couple of years and it was great fun. Now they are going to do an automatic, I'd be tempted to have one of these and a cheap Ford Fiesta and believe that between them they would cover all my motoring needs. I know it's not "PC" on here to say this, but with all the traffic around nowadays I find an automatic really useful and when you are on the open road you don't change gear so much so an auto is OK there as well. A DSG-type gearbox with column paddles is the ideal compromise.

ordinary bloke:

I know it's not "PC" on here to say this, but with all the traffic around nowadays I find an automatic really useful and when you are on the open road you don't change gear so much so an auto is OK there as well. A DSG-type gearbox with column paddles is the ideal compromise

 Don't worry about being PC. The city I live in makes manual cars all but useless anyway. The new breed of autos are so much better than those of even 5 years ago. Driving a sophisicated auto these days is a revalation! I have just driven a new PDK equipped Porche and to say I was astounded by the driving experience would be an understatement. The other thing is that unlike the old days there is almost no difference in acceleration and top speeds between a good auto and a manual.

ordinary bloke:

I know it's not "PC" on here to say this, but with all the traffic around nowadays I find an automatic really useful and when you are on the open road you don't change gear so much so an auto is OK there as well.

I think a good, modern, paddle shift 6-speed auto could suit the character of the car very well.

I also had an early one with pop-up lights, and the ultra-short throw gearbox was brilliant. There was an oft-imported auto version that had a horrific 4-speed slush box which destroyed the accelleration and driving experience. I shudder at the thought of it.

................and then we wonder wht MG is struggling to sell just 500 massively kitted out TFs. As Clarkson suggestd some years ago, the demise of the British Motor industry is typified by the MX5.  ir does everything that a typical British Sportscar should do, it just does it better than anything against which it could be compared.

I think it's the best looking MX5 yet. Perhaps Mazda are also trying to mop up sales from the now defunct Honda S2000 with the 7500 rpm rev limited 2.0 motor. Personally, I'd prefer a torquey 1.8 with 30-40 kw of hybrid assistance. I'd be too embarrassed by the racket the 'look at me, I'm a pr*tt' conrod stretcher would make.

ordinary bloke:

I know it's not "PC" on here to say this, but with all the traffic around nowadays I find an automatic really useful and when you are on the open road you don't change gear so much so an auto is OK there as well. A DSG-type gearbox with column paddles is the ideal compromise.

Don't worry... I wouldn't have anything but a manual for doing what I do most - commute! There is a hard core of nutters who still cling to the idea that stirring a lever is the only way to travel, but for the rest of us it makes no sense in everyday situations (i.e. sat stationary in traffic, endlessly pumping the clutch up and down). Plus many super-modern autos are now faster and more efficient than any manual equivalent.

jelly7961:

Don't worry about being PC

It was written tongue in cheek, I'm not really "PC" in this or any other views - probably because I've never yet heard anyone give a really valid reason for its continued existance.

jelly7961:

The other thing is that unlike the old days there is almost no difference in acceleration and top speeds between a good auto and a manual.

Agree fully with your view on this: I can foresee someday the manual gearbox will die out simply because the computer controlled auto will be the only way of achieving increasingly stringent emmissions regulations whilst still giving good performance and fuel consumption.

the only reason people buy Manuals is because you feel more connected to the car! you're a mechanical part of it by changing gears manually. you could argue that by having an auto or a paddle shift lets you focus more on the driving bit but come on the time it's going to take you to change gear is only important in high end motorsport championships! so yes it might be annoying in heavy stop-start traffic but when the road opens up all that goes away and the satisfaction for the perfect gearchange YOU achieved over rules everything else.. I've owned a Mk1 MX5 for 3 years now and I still get excited everytime I change gear!

 

ThwartedEfforts:

Plus many super-modern autos are now faster and more efficient than any manual equivalent.

 

driving a manual by choice nowadays doesn't mean that you picked it up because it's faster. a faster gearbox will only bearly shine on a track.. and even there it's not as important as driving skill (or weight)