With the optional Nippon ABS, the new brakes can erase 70 mph in a mere 169 feet. For 1994, all rotor diameters increase by 0.8 inch, and the front rotors are thicker by 0.2 inch. The previous Miata's brakes had superb feel but were prone to fade. We have no nits to pick with Mazda's brake upgrade. The new seatbelt-anchor brace, although neatly sheathed in grained plastic, clutters up the tonneau area, detracting from the otherwise tidy-looking cockpit. Our 1994 pre-production test car, in fact, felt slightly less rigid than the 1993 production car we had along for comparison. We didn't notice the ten-percent improvement in torsional rigidity that Mazda claims. Two new steel support rods have been added underneath the car, and there's a new brace that runs between the seatbelt-anchor mounting points in the cockpit. Mazda says it tightened up the body, too. Money, however, shouldn't be too great a problem, despite an eight-percent increase in the Miata's price. Despite a decrease in the final-drive ratio from 4.30 to 4.10, fuel economy on the new Miata falls by three notches on both EPA cycles: it's now 22 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. There is a price to pay at the gas pumps, of course. In a drag race between the '93 and '94 Miatas, the new car pulls away cleanly only after third gear the new engine also feels peppier in the lower revs. The new Miata will reach 60 mph in 8.8 seconds, a half-second ahead of most Miatas we've tested. The horsepower increase is barely apparent from behind the wheel. The redline is unchanged, at 7000 rpm.ġ997 Mazda MX-5 Miata M Edition model shown. Mazda has also enlarged the clutch, output shaft, and ring gear that transfer the power. The new powerplant is good for 128 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 110 pound-feet of torque at 5000 revs. Mazda's DOHC 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 116 horsepower has been replaced by a DOHC 1.8-liter four-cylinder from the Protegé. While outright speed has never been high on the Miata's priority list, the most significant change for all Miatas-call it the "deficit-reduction package"-is a bigger engine. The R will have a short list of options and no power steering. The bespoilered "Aerokit" package, as well as a stiffer suspension, will be standard on a new R model due in January-a holiday gift to autocross and showroom-stock racers. In its place is a new C option package (to go with the familiar A and B packages), which includes a leather interior and a tan-colored top. Unlike Washington, the Miata faces change with an advantage. Like the federal government, the new Miata has been subjected to subtle improvements. įor 1994, Mazda calls its perky Miata "all-new beneath the skin." We beg to differ. From the November 1993 issue of Car and Driver.
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