When early photos of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata showed a return to wheels with just four lugs, the theories among the Miata fan base ranged from "that's some sort of base model" to "it's just for the auto-show displays." Not true, there will be two major variants of the MX-5—one with a 1.5-liter engine that will be Japan's only choice and one with a 2.0 that will be an option in Europe and the sole available engine in the states—and both are four-bolt cars. Hitoshi Takamatsu, the Deputy Program Manager tasked with the chassis and running gear of the 2016 MX-5, is quick to emphasize that the weight savings from doing so amount to more than just a few steel lugs. Virtually every part of the running gear is lighter. The transmission loses about 15 pounds. The differential sheds 22 pounds as part of a comprehensive program of lightweight material choices that accounts for 30 percent of the over 200 pounds the "ND" has managed to lose compared to its predecessor. Even the styling saves weight: the rear corners of the car are "chopped" off to narrow the rear bumper beam and support structure. Masashi Nakayama, the MX-5 designer, is careful to point out that the new standard LED headlamps were chosen because they permit a much more compact front end, which further reduces weight and leads to this surprising fact: this 2016-model MX-5 is shorter than the 1990 original. This new Mazda, therefore, amounts to a master class in how to do what nearly every other manufacturer in the business seems quite unable to accomplish: cut the size and weight of your product while improving crash safety and structural rigidity.
Friday, January 30, 2015
Mazda MX-5 Miata
When early photos of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata showed a return to wheels with just four lugs, the theories among the Miata fan base ranged from "that's some sort of base model" to "it's just for the auto-show displays." Not true, there will be two major variants of the MX-5—one with a 1.5-liter engine that will be Japan's only choice and one with a 2.0 that will be an option in Europe and the sole available engine in the states—and both are four-bolt cars. Hitoshi Takamatsu, the Deputy Program Manager tasked with the chassis and running gear of the 2016 MX-5, is quick to emphasize that the weight savings from doing so amount to more than just a few steel lugs. Virtually every part of the running gear is lighter. The transmission loses about 15 pounds. The differential sheds 22 pounds as part of a comprehensive program of lightweight material choices that accounts for 30 percent of the over 200 pounds the "ND" has managed to lose compared to its predecessor. Even the styling saves weight: the rear corners of the car are "chopped" off to narrow the rear bumper beam and support structure. Masashi Nakayama, the MX-5 designer, is careful to point out that the new standard LED headlamps were chosen because they permit a much more compact front end, which further reduces weight and leads to this surprising fact: this 2016-model MX-5 is shorter than the 1990 original. This new Mazda, therefore, amounts to a master class in how to do what nearly every other manufacturer in the business seems quite unable to accomplish: cut the size and weight of your product while improving crash safety and structural rigidity.
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