The New York Auto Show is imminent (I’M WALKIN’ HERE! I’M WALKIN’ HERE!) and rumors are that Mazda is going to spring on us a MX-5 Miata coupe to replace the last-gen hardtop convertible. That one, in my mind, was always a questionable choice over the standard droptop.
Mazda has teased us with Miata coupes in the past, and there have even been aftermarket mods that have made the open-top two-seater into a closed casket, but there was never one that you could just walk into a dealer and buy. That may all be changing. The ‘Shop’ above is an indication of what such a beast may look like, although probably not with rear windows pulled from the Porsche 911.
What do you think about that? Part of the Miata’s attraction is its addiction to the open-air. If Mazda turns it into an enclosed sardine can, would it still engender such passion? Or, will it be compared—perhaps unfavorably—to the Subie/Toyota 86 twins? What do you think about the prospect of a Miata Coupe, yay, or nay?
Image: Imgur
Hooniverse Asks: Miata Coupe- Should They or Shouldn't They?
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Why not? More options means more variety on the road. If it looks 75% as good as the shopped shot, it will sell. Good for Miata for building it.
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They teased us not only with the NA coupe concept, but with an actual production NB coupe, which just never made it out of Japan. Such a beautiful little car.
http://www.miata.net/news/images/MiataCoupe2.jpg-
The new reality is quite good. http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2016/03/mazda-mx-5-miata-hardtop-convertible-revealed.html
http://autoguide.com.vsassets.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-live-photos/mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-hardtop-03.jpg
http://autoguide.com.vsassets.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-live-photos/mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-press-photo-02.jpg
http://autoguide.com.vsassets.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-live-photos/mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-hardtop-01.jpg
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No.
It should be a shooting brake.-
I regret that I only have 1^ to give.
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I see nothing wrong with the coupe as long as it’s not at the expense of the convertible. However, as theskitter suggests, a shooting brake would be nice. Apparently Car and Driver even came up with an illustration of one.
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I’ve always loved the MGB GT and almost bought a Z3 Coupe (Not an M, the better looking one).
This, I’d buy. -
I think both of the coupés above, posted by Robert and even more so the one by Smalley, are gorgeous. With a shooting brake though, it is important to give the rear window some breathing space – so as to not make a clown shoe:
http://st.automobilemag.com/uploads/sites/11/2016/02/Volvo-1800-ES-side-profile.jpg
With the existing shape of the Miata, there’s basically just one way to achieve that: a steep rear end.
http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studios/1968_Frua_Volvo_P1800_ES_Rocket_03.jpg -
New M Coupe!!
As stated below, giving the rear window some breathing room would be neat, but I just can’t find a way that looks at all good.-
Long wheelbase Miata!
/I’ll see myself out.-
Honestly, taking the Miata platform and stretching it about 3 feet for a sedan could give us a pretty amazing spiritual successor to the E30, which you could probably only come up with the slimmest of business cases for.
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Well, everybody’s hunting niches…can’t be too expensive. And the Chinese are hungry for any car with the extra letter “L” on the lid. A chauffeured Miata – that would be a novelty. Probably more of a LeMons theme.
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The 2-Series is already the spiritual successor of the E30.
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Okay, here’s my proposition. It still needs a longer wheelbase or more of a cab forward design – which undermines the point of “simple family growth”.
http://s26.postimg.org/oir37rmcp/MX5sb.jpg-
Of the 3 renderings I like this the best, although they could all work. Perhaps it’s because this one invokes the spirit of the 1800ES most for me.
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I think the ND folding hardtop was actually pretty perfect for the Miata – it didn’t add much weight, and given that plenty of the people who buy them new are … More mature, and benefit from something more civilized. They still offered their brilliant soft top, there was still the Club Sport version, but they expanded the model in a way that made sense, and didn’t compromise its worth.
Also, the RX8 was roughly an ND coupe, and I love the RX8. Really, just more Miata variants of any kind would be great. -
While I appreciate the styling of certain convertibles I would never want to own one. Hence, the only way Mazda is getting my money is if the MX-5 comes with a fixed hardtop. Shooting brake, fastback (with buttresses ala Jag XJ-S!), or kammback versions would all be acceptable to me.
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Well, you got your buttresses, but not your fixed roof.
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It is progress, however, and from here it is a very short jump to making the retractable sheet metal one piece that becomes permanently attached. The car would gain rigidity, lose weight, and perhaps even have more trunk space. I am encouraged and I remain hopeful for a Mazda MX-5 Miata FHC edition.
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“Our apologies, Per BMWCCA Driving Events Operations Manual we cannot accommodate convertibles (soft or retractable hardtop), targa, or T-top vehicles.”
Many clubs, tracks, and sanctioning bodies have this limitation. So I say yes. Bring it on. You don’t have to drop your top to have fun.-
Didn’t even think about that angle…not sure it helps the business case for Mazda much, since it will probably become a more-important factor once the hardtops start hitting the used market, but ya never know.
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Yeah, it doesn’t make sense from a business perspective. The only way I can see them making a coupe for racing reasons is if they have to for homologation.
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How to pwn the Toyotaru twins in the market:
1) build Miata coupe.
Oh, I guess that’s it. -
I would like to see a Miata coupe with the option of a sunroof, probably a large fabric one to minimize headroom loss. Same for the FR-S/BRZ; I think they’re missing out on quite a few sales due to absence of a sunroof option.
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Yes, please. Lack of the coupe only version is the only reason not to buy a miata.
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Silver one up top looks great.
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You can make your own hard top Miata and it doesn’t have to look like a Miata when you’re finished.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bPf2j9uN-vw/VLNZAmOvQYI/AAAAAAACHVg/lawCKC8-2Tw/s1600/fddd-770535.jpg
http://miatakitcar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Simpson-Design-Italia-Miata-Kit-Car-744×496.jpg
http://www.miatakitcar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Tribute-Automotive-MX250-Miata-Kit-Car-Silver.jpg
http://www.miatakitcar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/IMG_0649-1-744×441.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cz8uP7UILEw/VLNZBpJREeI/AAAAAAACHVs/_jryCmTzZz0/s1600/ewfe-775623.jpg
http://www.simpsondesign.net/images/Italia2GTCPromo/italia2_GTC_635X267.jpg -
They should do a shooting brake a la volvo 1800es, it would sell like crazy. The new redo on the mustang should consider the same thing.
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They definitely should! I want to buy a 1.5 liter MX5 Coupe so bad. I love lightweight sports cars but hate convertibles and there aren’t any cheap small sports cars in my country (the Toyota GT86 is too expensive because of taxes on the 2.0 liter engine).
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