the MX-5 (Eunos) debate...

[J4MES]

i've had a couple of these cheeky little numbers, Dave clearly has one... the question is... are they the best handling car... ever? Autocar magazine thinks so, rating it above, well, everything else (Lambo's, Fezza's, etc. etc.)... so what do you think? clearly, if you've driven one it might help...

[DR]

I think they rock.... and mine is green and super slick round round-a-bouts...

[5lab]

i strongly doubt it is - i mean if it was that good surely mazda would use the same chassis for the rx8, or build some faster cars based on it. im not denying they handle well = but best handleing? depends what you mean i guess.. technically best handleing should surely mean it holds the road better than any other car - which probably isnt true. best fun to drive maybe (i've not driven one)..

[J4MES]

there ain't no 'chassis' as such (unlike older convertibles) just strong 'unitary construction' and as such couldn't be used for other cars... it has been good enough to last relatively un-changed since it's release in 1989 though! it's not got the most power, the most grip, but it has amazing balance on the limit - predictable, progressive and bags of fun, especially for the money

[Moby-Dick]

The Autocar tests where not just opinion, they did a series of tests at the Rockingham Handling circuit.

[J4MES]

go on...?

[Moby-Dick]

The MX-5 did very well - I'll try and find a link to it

[Moby-Dick]

http://www.autocarmag.com/RoadTest_S....asp?RT=204202

http://www.japmobiles.com/news/news_detail.asp?ID=140

Mazda wins handling award
The Mazda MX-5 beat the Porsche 911 GT3, BMW Z4, and Noble M12 GTO 3-R, proving the Mazda MX-5's driving dynamics still offer tremendous driving pleasure.

Thirty two of Britain's best-handling cars were tested at Rockingham Motor Speedway by two F1 drivers, Justin Wilson and Takuma Sato, two BTCC drivers, Phil Bennett and Michael Bentwood, Tiff Needell, Lotus chassis chief Martin Anderson plus the regular Autocar testers. The initial 32 were soon reduced to seven and then a final three.

"The Mazda MX-5 offers as much pleasure as a Porsche 911 GT3

[J4MES]

that'll do for me...

[DR]

</smug mode>

[3Dfx]

I always get MX-5's confused with MG-F's .... god knows why...

MX-5 is HELLA better than an MG-F

[DR]

Not hard A Metro with steroids is an MGF

[5lab]

its still... most driving pleasure as voted by a few people who really know how to drive. granted thats a decent award but its still just opinion.. the other thing is that it talks about driving the car on the limit - ie (probably) powersliding/skidding round corners. which very few drivers ever do. it happens occasionally to me, cos my cars got cheap tyres and no grip.. but i doubt most people do it...

note im not dissing the handleing of the car (just incase mx5 owners are like the bloody golf owners) im just saying its probably not noticable by most people..

[J4MES]

Originally posted by 5lab
note im not dissing the handleing of the car (just incase mx5 owners are like the bloody golf owners)

this one ain't (i know it's a hairdressers car really etc.)

im just saying its probably not noticable by most people..

you mighta thought so... but... drive one!!! really, and i guarantee, nay, PROMISE, you'll have a big fat grin from ear to ear because you'll know you're driving something special

/gets goat

[5lab]

cant afford to. im another broke student.

[J4MES]

drive someone elses then!!!!