Back again in a Mazda MX-5. This time it's a RF but still with the small 1,5l engine. Better camera angle and sound ! Still loving that small sportscar. It's everything you need to have fun driving.
I love this video. That sound is immense and there's some pretty freaky driving going on, there! I've tried the soft top 1.5 and 2litre in both styles but because I love the ethos of the small sports car with a small but rev loving tuned engine, I bought the RF1.5 in soul red. If I lived in a neighbourhood that didn't resemble Gaza, I'd have gone for the 1.5 soft top but I do live in such a crap hole and I've no off road parking available. I'd give that rag top 20 minutes before being ripped to shreads and probably with me still sat in the thing!. I remember very well how the old Lotus élan, Triumph spitfire, MG and a few other cars felt and those are special memories. The small wheel and larger tyres make for a unique rolling ride but with Mazda tech, it's a safe one. By comparison, the 2 litre 17 inch rims and low profile tyres look better but contributes to a ride that's giving too much road surface information to my poor back and spine. Also, as one of your commentators said, the bigger engine feels like a stock unit and hardly fits the concept of what I believe a nimble sporting car should be. It's a lump that has no real zest for its power and I didn't like the experience. By comparison, the 1.5 with or without the hard top, captures the essence of what real world motoring is and why we love the older sports cars. The figures may not be so impressive but here in the UK, the 1.5 engine is the peach of the Mazda range and has been successfully tuned to cater for both variants. Today, manufacturers and making their vehicles bigger, louder, more brash and tested for track days. The idea that real world road surfaces demands more comfort and compliance along with grip and agility is getting lost. The quest for silly BHP and speed from certain makes is more a selling point to impress gullible buyers into handing over money they could spend elsewhere. I've had fast cars and could have papered them over completely with speeding tickets. Cameras are everywhere along with speed bumps in the UK, and I require a secure and fun car in its natural habitat. If I want a pocket rocket, I'll buy one for the track days I have absolutely no intention of attending. Thanks for the excellent video.
I am enjoying your videos from Japan. I think Mazda MX - 5 is the most wonderful car in Japan. Your feet are doing great work. I am looking forward to your videos.
love the car. you got the best sound from any other review i've seen so far about the mx-5. this car is a delight plus makes us the not so tall people feel special, lol
I wanted to tell you that after months of researching and watching videos online, and listening to the sound in this specific video countless of times, I bought myself an MX-5 RF! Loving my car so far! Thank you for being part of my decision! I can't regret it!
@@ThibauTM Nope, it hasn't. The muffler design has changed a bit, it's a bit closer to the OEM Bastuck muffler available. That's where the slightly deeper note comes from. At least from what I know 🤙🏻
I'm a bit late here as this video is from 2017 but, is it the sound of stock exhaust, or did you modify something ? Great video otherwise, I'd love to have a mx5 :)
En effet@@ThibauTM ! j'ai la mienne depuis peu et m'y exerçant petit à petit je commence a y arriver ;-), le pédalier sport est commandé, j'espère que cela ira encore mieux avec :-)
Great video!! Could you please share how you recorded the audio to get this awesome sound? Preferably also with which hardware ;) Looking forward to your response!!
There is a lavalier microphone next to the exhaust, and plugged in a recorder in which I can set up the intensity at which I want to record the sound. As simple as that. Any lavalier mic with a long cable plugged in a phone with a recording app will do ;)
Yes. I started by plugging the mic into the Gopro, but the Gopro has no control on the sound level. It's automatic so it's crap. Go listen to my first videos with cars that aren't too noisy, you'll understand why ;-)
Smart. I have the 2.0L MX-5 ND with Goodwin Racing Race exhaust and it sounds similar to your video but you can actually hear the sound in the cabin. Makes it more exciting in my opinion.
Colin Leder I have it and no not really with the top up. As long as you are below about 3000 RPM it's not loud in the cabin. If you decide to stomp on the smile pedal it is loud as hell though. Really it all depends on throttle position, as it will be louder at 3500 with your foot on it than at 6000 but with your foot off the gas.
How tall are you? I am thinking to test drive one on Monday but im 186cm tall and I am worried I wont fit in it. So what is your experience so far and is it loud on the motorway?
Sorry to reply so late, I guess you already experienced the testdrive. I'm curious to have your feedback ;) I'm 1,82 and I fit just about right. Would like the steering wheel a bit closer to me, and 2cm more space behind the seat if possible. Yes it's noisy on the motorway, as you would expect such a car to be.
Hi, So, as expected, I barely fit in the car. I have less than a cm to the roof and my head is touching the metal bars on the left (where the support for the roof is). I would also like the seat to be a bit further back. And yes, it is noisy on the highway. Sadly, I just don't fit in the car, which is a shame, because I had loads of fun with it during the test drive.
You can drive the Miata as a daily without any inconfort. This 1,5l engine can be very silent and economical to run on a daily basis. Yet, switch 2 gears down and mash the throttle and you have a lovely sportscar ready to hoon around corners.
An auto Miata is a crime here in Europe. Try to learn how to drive a stick, it'll be more fun on the long run ;) The auto gearbox is frustrating when you know how fun is a manual Miata
Take the time and learn, I drove an automatic ND Miata and I was so happy to get back to my manual NA miata. It isnt rocket science. Once you get the basics you’ll find yourself flatfoot shifting and rowing through the gears
I definitely agree with Mikey, but also the fact that Mazda has somehow created the SMOOTHEST shifting gear box with short throws between gears, it's almost the most perfect vehicle to learn on. Highly recommend it, plus once you get used to rowing through gears, you're gonna hate to drive anything else after lol
Hi, how are you, I'm Spanish and I really like mx5, recommend me buy 1.5 before 2.0? Say 1.5 is much more fun. Does it really sound like the stock exhaust? When you drive so much noise I have seen other 1.5 videos and it does not make so much noise, greetings and I await your response Thank you!
I 've never driven the 2.0l so I can't give you my point on the comparison. However I can tell you that the sound in this video is recorded with the stock exhaust, but with I mic placed outside the boot so it's not exactly how you'll hear it roof closed from the inside. But be reassured, it sounds great !
I've driven both the 2.0 and the 1.5. I prefer the 1.5 : it revs higher, sounds better, has better fuel economy, and I did feel the 40kg difference on the front axle. The shocks are also softer, which actually felt better IMO. I will probably buy a 1.5 this week. (I also test drove the 124 spider, which isn't bad either). Unless you plan on doing trackdays on a regular basis, or you just like having the biggest available stuff, I would advise you get the 1.5 liter version. And honestly, the 2 liter isn't fast anyway. The main benefit is the limited slip diff.
I bought the 1.5 it's a better engine the 2.0 is almost stock mazda 3 the 1.5 is based on the Mazda 2 but with new crank shaft, head and exhaust manifold plus totally re tuned to give you a bomb proof high rev power plant at 13.1 com ratio.
It does not even feel a tiny bit slower. On a mechanic point of view, it's just as good as the soft top to drive. I just find it less special, less convertible. It's more like a coupe with a nice sunroof. I had more fun just sitting in the soft top one (when open), feeling all the elements around. But damn does it looks gorgeous ! And it's also more refined, maybe more daily-able every day of the year. As for the 2.0l, i've never driven one so I won't be useful. I can just say the 1,5 does not feel underpowered (for a Miata)
Thibaut MISERQUE nice. Thanks. I agree with you, i have a subaru brz now. But i miss the go-kart and the open top feeling.. This looks the best mix for a brz/miata :D but i have fear of make downgrade with the 1.5 :(
Coming from a BRZ I would go for a 2.0l (for the rear diff and that little extra power) I think. But to be fair, I can't make my mind between a Miata and a BRZ. And I tried for at least 3 years now ahah
Thibaut MISERQUE ahah :D ok, thanks for the tips. I stay with my brz for now, but next year maybe im gonna look for one of those. Anyway i still love my brz. Great car
I used to have a GT 86 for two years, and I'm taking delivery of my 1.5 RF next week. After test driving it, i'm pretty sure it's the better car. I'll definitely put a LSD in it sooner or later though.
Bonjour, superbe cette petite route entre Lasne et Ottignies, je la prends souvent en moto... et bientôt dans le même véhicule que le tiens qui arrive dans 3 jours... es tu de la région également?
Salut, pourquoi faire des " relances" au lieu de faire le talon pointe ? Je sais que c est inutile sur les modèles récents mais la relance aussi sauf si c pr le fun d entendre la ligne 😁
Pour la même raison que du talon pointe : synchroniser la vitesse de rotation du moteur avec celle de la transmission. Même si les boites récentes ont des synchros, un rev-matching bien fait ça les soulage. Parfois il n'y a pas besoin de freiner, juste de rétrograder. Donc ce n'est pas vraiment du talon-pointe puisqu'on n'utilise pas la pointe pour freiner :D
Bonjour, Est ce que selon toi le 1.5 est suffisant? Est il aussi creux qu'on le dit? Est ce que le surcout est justifié? Désolé mais j'hésite entre les deux et j'ai peur d'être déçu.
Je n'ai jamais roulé avec le 2.0l malheureusement. Mais de ce que je connais du 1,5l, pour moi c'est totalement suffisant. Oui il est pas super plein à bas régime mais en contre partie c'est l'occasion de le tirer haut dans les tours et c'est toujours agréable !
J'ai une RF 1.5, et j'ai testé toutes les variantes de ND et 124 spider : Le 1.5 était un choix. On dit que le 1.5 c'est pour la balade et le 2.0 pour le sport. Moi je pense l'inverse : le 1.5 c'est le moteur à choisir si tu aimes titiller la ligne rouge H24, et le 2.0 est meilleur pour enrouler sur le couple tranquillou. Il n'a plus rien à partir de 5500, là où le 1.5 commence justement à se réveiller. L'avantage du 2.0 c'est le différentiel à glissement limité monté d'origine, mais perso je vais en mettre un de meilleure qualité dans mon 1.5 de toute façon...
Très bien résumé. Je viens juste de rendre un ND 2,0l 160 Edition, et mon constat est qu'on conduit beaucoup plus sur le couple. Et que le moteur n'a pas le même caractère hargneux que le 1,5l. Certes il manque un rien de puissance et surtout d'un différentiel à glissement limité d'origine. Mais à choisir je prendrais un 1,5l sans hésiter. Ou alors je fais préparer le 2,0l pour qu'il ait plus de tempérament moteur haut dans les tours.
J'ai une RF 1.5 et je suis d'accord. Jusqu''à 4000t c'est pour rouler normal tous les jours. Quand tu veux t'amuser, il suffit de monter dans les tours et la voiture est super vive et joueuse, un vrai bonheur.
1,5 is a fun engine, but the 2,0 really is the premises of a sports car. But I'm not fan of it since the 1,5 has more character by having less power at low revs.
Bonjour, quel hasard incroyable, je cherche une vidéo de MX-5 en action et j'en trouve une qui emprunte une route que je connais très très bien ! :-) (suis originaire de Glabais) :-)
@@ThibauTM J'y ai fait l'arsouille bien des fois avec mon AX GT puis une BX GTI... Ca date un peu évidemment mais la route était la même... Que du bonheur.... Mes potes avaient des 205 rallye, Golf 1 gti ou 306 16S... Quelle époque ! Le circuit de Nivelles était encore "ouvert" ;-) de la folie hahaha
