Miata Mailing List: March 1996, Message #25
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   From: 
Subject: Does Mazda have a Suggestions Box?
   Date: Fri, 1 Mar 1996 10:21:46 -0500

Hello Miateers.

Spring has sprung in New England. Car covers are coming off and I actually
saw a motorcycle last weekend!

Several times in the past there have been magazine articles (usually
reviews of show cars) where Mazda asked for comments or suggestions
for car designs. Do they maintain an internet address for this purpose?
I'd like to send them a suggestion regarding the Miata.

I think that Mazda is in danger of falling into the same trap with the
Miata that every car manufacturer seems to fall as a model ages. By applying
the motto: "Bigger is better, too much is not enough", cars get
fancier, heavier, fatter, and more expensive as time goes on
until the original concept is replaced by a new model. The original
RX-7 is a great example of this, as are most of the American
"sports cars" that have gradually morphed into "personal luxury cars"
(cf Thunderbird).

My suggestion is that the Miata could be vastly improved by removing some
pork. This would follow the tradition of some 1960's manufacturers (eg ALFA)
that offerred a lightweight version of some of their more popular models.
Here are the specifications for a Miata SL ("super light"):

- Modify current steel doors to use a steel frame with aluminum panels.
- Replace electric winders with simple handles to raise and lower windows.
- Replace 4 side glass windows with plexiglass.
- Aluminum fenders and trunk lid.
- Remove some interior trim, including the ugly and pointless console.
- Replace the very fancy, easy-to-use, weatherproof top with a simpler
  version; emphasis on light weight. (No folding, snaps on screen header.)
- Nuke the radio.
- Move the gear ratios a bit closer together (5th gear is useless as is).
- Tune the engine for higher (but peakier) power.
- 16" wheels reduce tire weight. Keep them skinny, though: Fatness = badness!

Here's what this would get you. The doors are one of the most complicated and
heaviest body components on the car. I don't know exactly how much a
Miata door weighs, but if you could save 20 pounds on each side it would
be a significant savings. The modified window lifts and plastic windows
wouldn't be a negative in a car like this, particularly for those who
keep the top (and thus windows) down much of the time anyway. Glass is heavy.

The interior looks great, I love it, and plastic doesn't weigh that much.
But what is the point, actually, of the center console? Taking out the
radio might be a hard sell, but...

Many people who owned MGBs back in the good old days may not know that there
were two different convertible tops. The early one was a traditional English
roadster top which disassembled and stored in the boot. Later on they
changed over to a more modern folding top, complete with fancy hinges and
a heavy header over the windscreen. It's not likely that anybody's going
to be taking their top off to weigh it, but I bet its in the neighborhood of
100 pounds--much of which could be eliminated if it didn't need to fold
and be so weather-tight. Take a look at an Elan hood some time...

Let's say that you could take 200 pounds off the car altogether. That would
be about 10% of the total weight! Who wouldn't like 10% more horsepower?
Not to mention what could be gained if the current engine setup were
changed to be a bit peaker (which would be ok with a lighter car).


Anyway, that's what I would like to suggest to Mazda as they search for
ways to "improve" the perfect car. I'm afraid they're going to put
a V6 in there and stretch the wheelbase to make it more luxurious...ugh!

So does anybody know if there's a way to get this concept across to the
Mazda decisionmakers? Or at least the M2 team or whatever they call those
in-house show car folks?


Doug.
blue '93 paid for finally!