Mazda to launch Roadster RF sports car

A hard top iteration like previous models. Expect less luggage space?

under the JC08 test mode

As a consumer, I'll be much more reassured when fuel economy/km per charge is assessed by independent third party specialists like TÜV.

When is a Mazda not a Mazda? When it is a Fiat! Or an Alfa!

This item from the Top Gear website http://www.topgear.com/car-news/first-look/meet-fiats-124-spider-italys-mx-5-based-answer-mx-5 tells a bit more of the story, such as an Italian version of the Mazda having 140 bhp rather than 116bhp.

inkochi

The article you referenced quotes the Mazda engine outputs as follows, "a 129bhp 1.5-litre and 158bhp 2.0-litre " not the 116bhp which you mention.

The Abarth version of the Spyder could be interesting when it arrives though there is no guarantee that it will come here.

The writer is not wrong and he quoted 116 kw for the 2 litre engine. 116 kw is equal to 155.559 bhp.????

TWWong

".....and he quoted 116 kw for the 2 litre engine."

No he didn't, power output in kw was not quoted by either the Top Gear article or by inkochi.

The argument is moot, the article referenced in the comments here is the previous model Roadster. This article is about the Roadster RF, which Mazda themselves list it at 158hp (and 116kW, which this article correctly states).

116kw/158hp seriously thats far from being a sports car, my moded EVO 7 makes more than double the power and torque from the same size engine. for the same money you can buy a new WRX with around 280hp / AWD. Factory Roadsters are just hairdresser vehicles

I wasn't criticising the article, 116bhp is not mentioned in any article, nothing moot about that.

@Harry, yeah I think the others were confused somehow.

@wtf, it depends what you consider a sports car. Evo/WRX are really more rally cars than typical sports cars. And don't forget the Roadster is still the highest selling 2 seat sports car of all time, have you ever actually driven one?. I've driven an NC Roadster, Evos up to the X and WRXs including 22B/S204, and I have to say they are all fun cars. In Japan though I would take a Roadster every time, just so much fun on Japanese roads/highway. And btw, comparing a turbo to an NA is a bit weird mate, of course the power will be less lol

wtfjapan

Roadster will not have enough structural rigidity to withstand the power and torque that EVO 7 and/or WRX engines will generate. Basically to gain enough rigidity, you'll need to beef up the front and rear cross beam adding considerable amount of weight losing the light footed nimbleness of the Roadster that makes it interesting to drive.

Looks beautiful to me.

When I first retired from the military, I worked in a Mazda dealership. While going through corporate training, I learned that the original "Mazda" company manufactured cork. And the name of the company was originally "Matsuda", but it was changed to "Mazda" because Americans had difficulty saying "Matsuda"

WTF

Factory Roadsters are just hairdresser vehicles

That's funny my hairdresser just bought a new red one. If ever a car needed a turbo or a rotary it was this. Even my hairdresser says this roadster has no power.

Wow, mildly tempted! I've owned four "Roadstars" and love them, tho I switched to BMW.

Still underpowered - needs another 20 or 30 bhp.....

@Mlodinow the problem isnt the Roadster, its the pathetic engine they put in them. Ive driven a modded NA Roaster on the track, had a 340hp turbo engine in it, it was seriously fast, what I hate is when Mazda charges up to 3.8million yen for a car with 156hp!!. Ive owned two FD RX7, three R32 & R33 Skylines , three turbo Silvias, an EVO 7 , and two WRX STI. lowest powered car around was 300hp. On go on track days every couple of months and nothing touches the EVOs and WRX except maybe a few 600hp R32 GTR or even a 800hp R35 GTR. Only every seen driven one seriously quick Roadster

@wtf Yeah fair comment on the price. I only bought my Roadster coz I was in the car business, it was well optioned & I got it super cheap to replace my SZ-R Supra (shaken expired). You can see why Mazda do it though, people who want power will never buy one in the first place, they'll go for a larger car, so their upgrades are aimed at comfort rather than speed. Track day performance depends on how much risk you want to put in really, and I could believe Evos & WRXs would handle most regular cars out there. Unless you're really thrashing a RWD car around the corners it's tricky to beat a 4WD, and most people don't really want to treat their regular ride that way of course.

Basically a 4WD may be faster round the corners but an RWD is more fun, and a Roadster is fun. I would say it has enough power to be fun without getting an inexperienced driver into trouble too easily. Give it 300 bhp and it would be a handful for many people.

it's tricky to beat a 4WD, and most people don't really want to treat their regular ride that way of course. im in the car business so get my cars pretty cheap, my EVO is an almost everyday driver and can be used on track days, can drive it normally like any other car but have plenty of power there should I want it. Definaetly easier to get the power on earlier coming out of the corners in a AWD car. Roadsters tend to be tail end happy when you push them through the corners hard and anything over about 250hp definitely need some rear aero to keep the car planted or in can bite you in the butt.

I loved this model when it first came out in the early 90s. I wish they could have kept the clean lines, simplicity and 60s attitude in later models.

It needs a bigger engine. Mazda should install lighweight CX-9 V6 250hp engine in RF sportscar. Should be a perfect fit to compete in serious high performance sports car category. The weight and power will be similar to Lotus Exige at a fraction of the cost. Lotus Exige has a dependable V6 Toyota V6 3.5 engine.

Wankel!

turbotsatNOV. 21, 2016 - 01:40PM JST Wankel!

Problem with wankel (rotary) is that it eats too much gas.

I thought it also had a problem with seals wearing out. But if someone's buying a sports car, why care about seals or gas?

No the biggest problem with rotary engine is it's emission and mileage. It's neither clear or cheap.