I don’t understand why Mazda doesn’t just make a drift-tuned electric car. You could do amazing stuff with software focused on that driving style.
A true electric successor to the RX-7 would capture so much attention.
A true electric successor to the RX-7 would capture so much attention.
First, like most of the Japanese manufacturers, Mazda bet against electric vehicles. They focused R&D on improving engine efficiency and getting their engines to run on hydrogen. If Mazda wants to make electric vehicles now, they have to play catch-up, or license key technologies from other manufacturers.
Second, batteries are heavy. For sedans and mid-size crossovers, this isn't much of a problem. EVs of that class are about the same weight as combustion vehicles. But for a lightweight sports car with decent range, batteries would be a big chunk of the total weight. Tesla's 85kWh battery weighs around 1,200lbs. If your desired weight is 2,500lbs, that only leaves 1,300lbs for the actual car. Yes you can save some weight by making the battery part of the structure, and you don't need an exhaust system, engine block, alternator, intake, etc, but it's still a tough set of constraints to work within.
Why do customers want sports cars to be light? Well all else equal, a lighter vehicle will have better performance. But even when all else isn't equal, vehicle weight can drastically affect driving enjoyment. I have a 4,048lb Model 3 Performance and a 2,182lb Mazda Miata. In terms of specs, the Model 3 is better in every way. It can accelerate, brake, and turn better than the Miata. It even has more range than the Miata. But the Model 3 feels like it's using brute force to beat inertia into submission. (Don't get me wrong, that can be fun.) The Miata is the opposite. Its light weight means that there's very little inertia to overcome, and something about that is extremely satisfying. It's almost like having a street legal go-kart. Until battery technology improves, an electric version just won't have the same appeal.
1. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15141519/1990-mazda-mx...
2. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a36329678/2019-tesla-mo...
3. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a22678665/2019-mazda-mx...
The current ND2 (2019+) Miata regularly pulls ~0.95 stock in magazine tests, almost identical to your model 3 Performance number.
> https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2019-mazda-mx-5-miata-clu...
You can exceed 0.95 and get ~1 on an ND Miata with slightly wider than OEM tires (still on stock rims) and a little more negative camber, which is widely done to the car by the enthusiast community. Similarly, you can get more out of your very own NA (1990) Miata with simple tire/alignment changes, even more with cheap new sway bars or springs etc.
> https://help.flyinmiata.com/align-your-suspension-chakras-By...
The ND2 is a ~1070kg car.
To use a more fitting Lotus example here, the ~900kg Lotus Elise (50% of the weight of the Model 3 Performance) pulls 1g when tested by Car and Driver:
> https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15146116/2007-lotus-el...
My point was simply that even if you know vehicle A is twice as heavy as vehicle B, you don’t know for sure which one is faster in the turns.
It literally means none of this to change a miata as I described - we are talking a single degree of camber here not a race car. An alignment is normal maintenance - no change in price - and tires stay the same price if you go up a single size, so if you do this when getting new tires anyway it costs essentially nothing.
It’s a minor camber change (done at a standard alignment as normal, no extra special bits - just ask tech nicely). The tires will last just as long for your driving style and gas mileage unaffected. Comfort unchanged - no spring, damper or tire pressure changes.
The point this all makes is simple factors beyond weight have a huge bearing on constant lateral load car will sustain, to the point it’s almost pointless to compare weight and max corner load. You will never see car enthusiasts comparing weights of their cars and arguing in favour of more weight, almost ever. This entire comparison is pretty odd. No one who knows what they are talking about is going to question the classic Colin Chapman quote because physics didn’t change since his death - the concept of same car but lighter was faster in the 60s and 70s, and is still faster round a circuit today. It’s why race cars set faster lap times as the fuel tank depletes, which proves the point beyond doubt.
If you haven’t had a good alignment done to your NA recently get it done and don’t be scared of small adjustments, they won’t ruin anything - it does quite the opposite! - and the numbers that work great for all miatas are insanely well documented online. Steering feel will thank you for it. It’s the first thing I will have done to any generation of miata - they all benefit a lot, and usually arrive from factory not very accurately setup at all - you will see this when you have first alignment done and brand new car has initial numbers all over the place.
I’ve owned and maintained multiple examples of all four generations of the car over the last 20 years - a precision alignment with a touch more camber/toe is one of the easiest, best and cheapest (100-150 dollars typically in major US city) things you can do to the car - the miata is all about that steering feel which is easily corrupted.
I’m not sure I want to drive around with a capacitor in the boot, but a huge battery isn’t ideal either.
While it is not a guarantee, the innovations in today's supercars do tend to become much more common with time.
what innovations did the Veyron introduce that the Challenger used?
https://www.motortrend.com/news/2026-mazda-mx-5-miata-electr...
I wish someone would deliver something small, light, aerodynamic, stripped down and without features of marginal utility. Sportiness sort of comes for free.
The only important features for an EV are (excluding safety issues) are change speed and range. I might add a heat pump for the cabin (and battery in cold climes). Skip the screen and just let me use my phone and give me physical controls.
If a car marker thought seriously for a moment and resisted the full techno wank that is inflicted upon us at the moment, they'd make a lot of money.
It's a car, it's not that complicated, get back to basics.
Not only has this not happened, Honda have even stopped selling the ICE version of the Fit in the USA. The closest thing to this concept - the Nissan Leaf - has also been discontinued in the N. American marketplace.
Truly pathetic.
Not entirely sure that would be the case even with a Red Sun label on it.
That's not what the TV commercials from the 70s told me:
"Piston engine goes 'boing, boing, boing, boing'"
"But the Mazda goes 'hmmmmmmm'"
(Oh, of course there's a YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHzeGEHWMjo)