What's all this about?
It's only Mazda, ready to tinker with its excellent fourth-gen MX-5. And the best news is, we've got more power.
Oh, has Mazda bolted on a super- or turbocharger?
No. But it has revealed that tweaks to both the SkyActiv-G petrol engines of the MX-5 family - designed to ensure the sportsters 'benefit from refined acceleration control to minimise lag between throttle applications and vehicle response' - not only improve combustion and torque, direct learnings from its SkyActiv-X programme, but they also see the bigger 2.0-litre model's output go up a robust 24hp, from 160hp previously to a peak of 184hp now.
How is this achieved?
By letting it rev higher. The limiter has shifted from 6,800- to 7,500rpm, with the 184hp figure coming at 7,000rpm. Torque is also up, from 200- to 205Nm and it's delivered lower down the rev range than before; at 4,000rpm, instead of 4,600rpm previously. All of which should make the already pretty perky MX-5 2.0 even perkier.
Sounds good. What else has changed?
All 2019MY Roadster and RF models, on sale from August 2018, get a wider array of safety features in the i-ActivSense suite of assistance systems (the five new programmes being Advanced Smart City Brake Support with pedestrian detection, Smart City Brake Support - Reverse, Driver Attention Alert, Traffic Sign Recognition System and a Rear-View Camera), while the 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels are painted in a darker colour on all cars. Oh, and the soft-top Roadster versions can now be specified with a brown hood, if you so wish.
Matt Robinson - 25 Jun 2018
