2006 Mazda MX-5 Preview

Aside from its more mature appearance, the little roadster has also grown up physically. Did you notice the MX-5's square

Aside from its more mature appearance, the little roadster has also grown up physically. (Photo: Mazda Motor of America)

stance? This confident, road-hugging squat comes from significant growth in all dimensions. Front and rear tracks have increased 3.0 inches and 2.1 inches respectively, while the wheelbase has been increased by 2.6 inches to 91.7 inches, improving the cramped cockpit as well as the vehicle's high speed stability, for a surefooted feeling through the corners.

The new car's exterior dimensions are 157.3 inches long (+ 0.8 inches), 67.7 inches wide (+ 1.6 inches), and 49.0 inches tall (+ 0.8 inches). While growth spurts are generally good, they have negative impacts for sports cars, the biggest one of which is a gain in weight. Fortunately, Mazda's engineers put the MX-5 on a "gram strategy" weight-loss program to whittle away at any unnecessary mass, precariously trimming weight where allowable, and as a result, the new 2.0-liter model weighs in at 2,476 lbs, a mere 22 lbs more than the current, base 1.8-liter model.

As we delve deeper and deeper into the specifics of the new MX-5, Mazda's intention of perfecting their little sports car becomes ever more present. Beneath the

Beneath the evolutionary skin of the new MX-5 is the biggest breakthrough yet - the new chassis. (Photo: Mazda Motor of America)

evolutionary skin is the biggest breakthrough yet - the chassis, a derivative of Mazda's sports car platform first utilized in the RX-8. The upgraded architecture has been heavily modified to suit the needs of the roadster, which include strengthening to compensate for the convertible roof, the use of high-tensile steels, and moving the engine rearwards by 5.3 inches with a 10-degree tilt. These changes make the new model the strongest and safest MX-5 to date, with a torsional rigidity that's 47 percent greater than the previous generation, while still retaining a 50:50 weight distribution and reducing the center of gravity and the yaw moment of inertia for a more responsive drive.