The first production units of the new Mazda MX-5 RF have rolled off the factory floor at the Japanese marque’s Ujina plant, near Hiroshima. These pioneer batch of vehicles are bound for European and North American markets.
The RF moniker is shorthand for Retractable Fastback, of course, which means that instead of the regular MX-5’s manual fabric roof, this metal version folds away neatly at the push of a button and is operable at speeds of up to 10km/h and without compromising boot space either, offering the same capacity as the soft-top at 130-litres.
When deployed or retracted, the MX-5 RF’s roofline slopes neatly down to the rear of the car, bringing a cohesive coupe-like proportion to the Mazda roadster. And as we can see, the Machine Grey exterior colour of the initial examples - which match the one that premiered at the Tokyo Motor Show - does wonders to accentuate the its muscular haunches.
Of course, there will be a weight penalty to the the metal roof an electrical framework to execute the origami work. However, Mazda assures that the 40kg that it weighs over the standard 1050kg MX-5 does not effect the car’s effervescent handling.
In other markets, Mazda will be offering the MX-5 RF with the same choice of engines as the soft top. However, when it arrives in Australia (in Q1 2017) only the SkyActiv-G 2.0 petrol four-cylinder will be offered, generating 118kW and 200Nm. Given it’s heavier weight, it’s expected the RF will be marginally slower in its sprint to 100km/h than the soft top’s 7.3-seconds.
The RF is also tuned slightly differently, with Mazda focusing on the suspension and steering to deliver a more composed and comfortable ride for a more relaxed, less frenetic character. This is echoed in the car fitment of extra sound insulation.
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