2017 Mazda MX-5 RF Debuts in Fresh York With a Power Targa Roof – Motor Trend
two thousand seventeen Mazda MX-5 RF Debuts in Fresh York With a Power Targa Roof
Iconic roadster gains a power retractable hardtop fastback variant
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On the eve of the two thousand sixteen Fresh York auto showcase, Mazda exposed the two thousand seventeen MX-5 RF, the long-awaited hardtop variant of the MX-5 Miata. Unlike the previous-generation Miata Power Retractable Hardtop, the MX-5 RF features a fastback roofline that slopes down to the car’s rear.
Unlike the model it substitutes, the only parts that retract in the MX-5 RF are the roof and the back window while the C-pillars stay in place, similar to a Targa top. The roof can be opened or closed in twelve seconds at speeds up to six mph, and stows compactly like the soft top. Trunk space on the MX-5 RF is the same as in the standard soft top at Four.6 cubic feet. The last hardtop suggested in the two thousand fifteen model year cost an extra $1,700. However, the RF has other upgrades such as Nappa leather unique to the model, so the premium could be more when pricing is released closer to the fall sale date.
In North America, the two thousand seventeen MX-5 RF will come standard with the Skyactiv-G Two.0-liter I-4, which produces one hundred fifty five hp and one hundred forty eight lb-ft of torque in the soft-top variant. The Skyactiv-G 1.5-liter I-4 will be the standard engine in global markets such as Europe and Asia. Expect the MX-5 RF to come standard with a six-speed manual transmission while a six-speed automatic should be an option. Mazda hasn’t exposed exactly how much the MX-5 RF’s fancy retractable hardtop weighs, but we’re told it weighs more than the one hundred seventy pounds of the last-gen hard top due to a more sophisticated folding operation, but less than two hundred pounds. The soft-top Miata weighs in at Two,332 pounds with the six-speed manual and Two,381 pounds with the optional automatic. The car’s designer would not say how much weight was added but said the target was keeping the 50:50 ratio.
Mazda says that the two thousand seventeen MX-5 RF has a unique suspension and electrified power steering tuning that’s been calibrated to produce the same fun-to-drive nature as one would expect from a Miata along with a more loosening and refined rail. Extra sound deadening materials have also been added on the front and middle roof panels, and the rear wheel housings for a quieter cabin with the roof in place.
At the press conference, we learned that the “RF” designation stands for retractable fastback. The Japanese automaker determined that the car looked different enough from the standard MX-5 that it deserved a fresh name. An interdepartmental team with representatives from design to PR mulled over one hundred names before choosing RF over a month ago. And while it will be known as the MX-5 Miata RF, there will be no badging with the RF letters. Mazda gave no projections on sales expectations for the RF, but did say that the previous hardtop was outselling the soft top near the end of the last generation.
Alisa Priddle contributed to this post.
