OCR Text |
Show -r AX- - FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2007 Ovor 1,000 great deals on cars insido! RHoafta: tffii-- 5 V ;r : . (depending on trim levels), quite reasonable Considering By Daniel Souza Adding a new dimension to a best seller without dimin ishing its driving joy is no mean feat road- But Mazda has pulled it off. The icon of two-seWith retractable hard is sters now available I power top. The Japanese maker has been vigilant for opportunities to extend the reach of the car that sets the zoom-zooHence the new MX-- 5 kid on the block, with a hard hat on. : To preserve the Miatak spirit and love of weekend getaways, the new hard top performs what seems like a magic trick; disappearing on cue when the open ; trunk provides a just-rigbutton is pressed. The MX-5- k 5,3 cubic feet of capacity (think comfortable put away golf bag) whether the roof is hard or soft, stowed or over head. The two roof sections fold like a clamshell; the window separates from the middle section and moves forward to the space. And, rather than consuming interior or trunk room, the folded roof descends into the same storage well located above the rear axle and the fuel tank where die soft top would have resided. A deck cover mates with the top iri the Hosed mode and shrouds the folded top from view in the open mode. Opening and closing cycles last only 1 2 seconds, makretractable hard top in. ing this die fastest power-operatthe US. An indicator lamp and warning beeps advise the To maintain driver when the operation is complete. 1 with wider and an opening thatk body rigidity soft-to- p the material k aperture, longer than thicknesses of the body panels surrounding the opening brack- have been increased and two ets have been added. Altogether, the net weight increase model is only approximately 80 pounds over the soft-to-p at fun-lovi- ng ht ed 3.2-inch- es corner-reinforci- ng . the benefits delivered1. MZR-seri- es Drivers will stilt enjoy the 1 2.0-litwith making.the Miata a convenient truth to sports cars lovers. The sophisticated highly-responsi- ve cr engine gives strong performance! has an inspiring exhaust note, and most important of all, is brilliantly responsive. It reacts to driver commands with lightning-quic- k reflexes, and offers progressive power four-cylind- er ; delivery. : Truly a fun car to drive, Mazdak MX-- 5 also shines on MX-- 5 Miata extelooks. The first- - arid second-generatirior design is a rounded shape with a wide footprint, large-radicorners and deep side contours. On the third generCoke-bottthe ation, shaped center section js eliminated. have the used an entirely new oval shape Instead, designers is in which the seating area now the widest portion of the car. It makes for a roomier, safer cockpit and yet still expresses the compact look of a lightweight sports car. If you have been thinking about getting one of these, let me help you: Get itl.The little car is as fun as it will get with comfort and style. But its selling point for Utah drivers comes with .its hard top. No longer a problem during winter months. So go ahead, now you have a reason tor have a mid-lif- e crisis. 21 Expect mpgcity arid 26 mpghighway.-- ' us le . . Base Price - $24,400 Price as tested - $27,620 .. . . v Daniel Souza can be reached at sixthigear. heraldgmail.com. A I c r j ' - |