Photo: Mazda UK
The Brits, in their own way, are proper gearheads. That trifling piece of rock located on the Eastern side of the Atlantic is the country from where men driving convertibles in the pouring rain originate. Now, however, Mazda suggests that driving a ragtop in the snow is the next big thing for the British sports car enthusiast.
Ergo, cue the MX-5 Arctic. “The what?” The 2017 Mazda MX-5 Arctic, a special edition named after very cold weather conditions. Am I missing the point here or is that the most bonkers thing to do? So anyway, the MX-5 Arctic. Just 400 units will be made in right-hand drive, at £20,995 a pop. To put that price into comparison, the most basic of MX-5s starts from £18,495.
The question is, what does £20,995 buy you?
I’m afraid that’s a yes, it goes on “free-of-charge Blue Reflex Metallic paint and contrasting bright silver design cues.” Don’t you love it how car manufacturers arbitrarily limit the availability of a paint finish, then call it a special edition? Based on the SE-L Nav (£20,195), the MX-5 Arctic is available in only one engine-tranny combo: 1.5-liter SkyActiv-G, 6-speed manual.
Pardon me, but wasn’t the second-generation MX-5 in Arctic attire available with both the entry-level 1.6 and the bigger 1.8? Offering a special edition MX-5 exclusively with the least powerful mill is, from my point of view, rather odd. The £800 on top of the SE-L Nav also buys you 16-inch silver-painted alloy wheels, a silver windscreen surround (Audi A5 much?), and silver headrest hoops. Once you hop inside the driver's seat, the silver theme is carried on by a pair of cup holder rings (made of plastic) and scuff plates.
Beyond what comes as standard on any other SE-L Nav-specification car, the MX-5 Arctic adds heated leather seats, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, as well as rear parking sensors, all from the get-go. It’s not much, but then again, that doesn’t really matter in a car as magnificent as the MX-5.
What does matter, however, is the way it drives and the way it makes the driver chuckle each and every time he turns the steering wheel. At that, the 2017 Mazda MX-5 gets a well-deserved thumbs up, even in Arctic flavor.
The question is, what does £20,995 buy you?
I’m afraid that’s a yes, it goes on “free-of-charge Blue Reflex Metallic paint and contrasting bright silver design cues.” Don’t you love it how car manufacturers arbitrarily limit the availability of a paint finish, then call it a special edition? Based on the SE-L Nav (£20,195), the MX-5 Arctic is available in only one engine-tranny combo: 1.5-liter SkyActiv-G, 6-speed manual.
Pardon me, but wasn’t the second-generation MX-5 in Arctic attire available with both the entry-level 1.6 and the bigger 1.8? Offering a special edition MX-5 exclusively with the least powerful mill is, from my point of view, rather odd. The £800 on top of the SE-L Nav also buys you 16-inch silver-painted alloy wheels, a silver windscreen surround (Audi A5 much?), and silver headrest hoops. Once you hop inside the driver's seat, the silver theme is carried on by a pair of cup holder rings (made of plastic) and scuff plates.
Beyond what comes as standard on any other SE-L Nav-specification car, the MX-5 Arctic adds heated leather seats, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, as well as rear parking sensors, all from the get-go. It’s not much, but then again, that doesn’t really matter in a car as magnificent as the MX-5.
What does matter, however, is the way it drives and the way it makes the driver chuckle each and every time he turns the steering wheel. At that, the 2017 Mazda MX-5 gets a well-deserved thumbs up, even in Arctic flavor.
Google News