MX-5 OC Forum

Some smart detective work by an Australian owner, after being told by his dealer he couldn't get his new MX5 because the factory has stopped making it in preparation for the facelifted car in July, found new parts in the Mazda EPC. Mk3.75/ NC3 will be using CX5 parts, and taking on a different look.

Present:

New parts:

New wheel design (left is the present 17" design):

The new wheels can be glimpsed here, on the NC Spyder sketchboard, top left, showing a green (new shade of green??) NC with a new wheel design, which the Spyder designers used for their render:

The new bumper will sort of looklike the Spyder concept (some differences though, the grill will still be "Smilie" shaped)

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=465451

I'm not sure how that roof will work. I find it odd that the MX5 GT* does not have this face lift, still nothing to say it won't look like this if/when it goes into production. 

*:  Which was sounding louder than Audi R8s off the line at goodwood.

Bikini roofs are already available in the aftermarket; basically they take the front part of the roof frame, fit on a bit of cloth, and then hook it to the frankenstein bolts on the rear deck. In between, you must have a rollbar. Getting to be popular in the sunny parts of the US (Porsche did something like this on a Boxter special edition).

The GT is just a local kit that Mazda UK has put together for very little; all the parts are already available for sale. The only thing that they had to pay to be developed was the ECU map, so less than the cost of an ad on Pick TV.

Ditto for the German Yusho concept; everything they fitted on that was TUV approved aftermarket. Probably cost Mazda Germany even less to develop.

These are both local projects done for not much money. They won't ever sell many (how many £30,000 MX5s is Mazda UK going to sell with a ECU held in place by sticky tape?), but enough to create a little buzz in the showroom, and shift metal. The GT package can easily be applied to the NC3, except maybe the spoiler, since there are going to be no mechanical changes.

Mazda North America (with a much bigger marketing budget) spent a bit more money on the SEMA Spyder and Super20, but both are quite cheap. The Bikini top is easy enough that people have been making their own. The Spyder has no mechanical changes. The Super20 uses a FM-Cosworth off-the-shelf supercharger. Again, MNAO didn't actually have to break much sweat on that. US specials with mechanical changes are pretty much impossible without CARB certification (without which, no sales in California), so they might have to be happy with a $500 Bikini top and a spyder cover, and pay more for less. I don't see anything unusual that Mazda UK haven't used the upcoming model; if they did, it will be kind of pointless them taking the Kuro sticker edition to Goodwood.

The images I have linked to are from the official Mazda global parts catalogue, and have just been added. The NC2 is due a facelift, because its been around for 4 years now. (NA6; 1989-93, NA8; 93-97, NB; 98-2001, NBFL; 2001-2005, NC1; 2005-2008, NC2; 2008-)

The face lift is official. Snaps taken in Japan from a dealership catalogue (already!)

Major change is that the bonnet is now a pop-up design.

Pop-up bonnet (DHS) details;

Better

More (but maybe/probably some fakery);

we got there first but the news is spreading...

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/07/facelifted-2013-mazda-mx-5-nc3-revealed.html

No, we didn't get there first. Some chaps on Minkara happened on it, then coincidently an Australian dealer let slip to a miataforum member that production of the NC2 had already stopped. Which he shouldn't have done, considering Mazda now want to shift Kuro special editions. Then my Google-fu was strong.

Official Mazda statement:

2012.07.05

- An aggressive new look and even more fun to drive -

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation has upgraded the Mazda Roadster (known overseas as the Mazda MX-5) for the Japanese market. The refreshed two-seater open-top sports car goes on sale today at all Mazda and Mazda Anfini dealerships throughout Japan.

The design of the upgraded Roadster distinguishes between the sporty character of the soft top and the refined character of the power retractable hard top (RHT) through the use of coordinated black and silver features respectively. The front face of both versions has been redesigned to present a more aggressive look. For the interior, a new luxury tan color is available for the genuine leather seats. In addition, revised characteristics of the throttle and brake booster (power braking device) have improved control of the accelerator in the manual transmission models and the brakes in all models. The enhancements add polish to the pure driving pleasure which has made the Roadster (MX-5) famous.

In addition, the updated Roadster features an Active Bonnet (pedestrian protection system) which raises the rear end of the bonnet in the event of an accident to reduce impact to the head.

Main features of the upgraded Mazda Roadster

A distinct character for the RHT and Soft-top version

• The keywords guiding the design of the soft top were "tight sports". Coordinated black features express sportiness
• The keywords guiding the design of the RHT were "premium sports." Coordinated silver features denote refined, high quality driving performance

• Front face has a sense of depth with a larger front grille opening
• Newly designed front fog lamp bezel
• New front chin spoiler
• New body color, Dolphin Gray Mica now available (Total seven body colors are available. Metropolitan Gray Mica is no longer available).

• A lustrous and expressive new color, Glossy Dark Gray is used for the decoration panel and steering wheel bezel. (The color is an option for the Soft Top version of the S model grade.)
• Addition of a new tan color for the genuine leather seat covers. Black on the seat sides creates a stylish two-tone design. Fabric (black), leather (tan and black) and a combination of Alcantara^® and black leather seat cover materials are available.

Sports car driving pleasure taken to the next level

• Enhanced acceleration control (manual transmission models)
  Fine adjustments to the throttle management program make it more responsive when accelerating out of corners. This creates a linear and nimble feel.
• Enhanced braking control
  Changes to the characteristics of the brake booster (power braking device) make it easier to control the front and rear load distribution, increasing the feel of mastery over the vehicle.

Newly developed active bonnet for all model grades

• Active bonnet
  At certain vehicle speeds, when sensors detect an impact exceeding a defined level, the rear end of the bonnet is raised. This creates a space between the bonnet and the engine which acts to absorb the energy of impact and reduces the severity of head injuries in collisions involving pedestrians.

Cutting weight one gram at a time

• In order to keep weight down, uncompromising attention was paid to weight reduction in the design of new parts including the re-designed front bumper, the active bonnet, the new 17-inch aluminum wheels and the internal wiring.

Mazda Roadster RS Soft Top	Mazda Roadster RS Power Retractable Hard Top