The Brand New Mazda MX-5 RF: A Retractable Fastback with a Touch of Luxury

One of the stars of the 2016 New York International Auto Show is the brand new Mazda MX-5 RF, and it's clear that this car is a head-turner. The "RF" stands for retractable fastback, which refers to the unique roof arrangement on this model. This design actually reminds the presenter of the Ferrari 575 Super America, with its buttresses and sleek lines. While the roof line might be slightly high, it's still a very attractive feature that sets the MX-5 RF apart from other cars in its class.

One of the standout features of the MX-5 RF is its retractable glass screen. This screen can be taken up and down on its own without retracting the full roof, which allows for greater flexibility and convenience. The presenter notes that this feature takes just 12 seconds to operate, and speeds up to 6 mph during the process. Overall, this design element adds a touch of sophistication and practicality to the MX-5 RF.

The price premium for the MX-5 RF in the UK is expected to be around £25,000, which may seem steep at first glance. However, the presenter notes that there will be a weight penalty due to the hard top roof, estimated to be around 50 kilos - equivalent to about 5% of the overall weight of the car. While this may increase the car's mass, it shouldn't have too significant an impact on its performance.

The MX-5 RF also boasts improved steering and suspension, with the electric parist system being retuned for better responsiveness and handling. Additionally, sound dampening has been added to the rear wheel arches in a bid to make the car feel more relaxing to drive. The presenter notes that the ride quality was already excellent on the standard Roadster, so this improvement may not be as noticeable as some would hope. However, it's still a welcome addition for those who value comfort and refinement.

The Mazda MX-5 RF is available in a unique machine gray colorway, which features three layers of paint to create a distinctive look. This color scheme has clearly captured the attention of fans, with many taking notice of its unique appearance. The presenter invites readers to share their thoughts on this feature in the comments box below.

For those interested in learning more about the MX-5 RF, the presenter recommends logging onto evo.co.uk for all the latest details and updates. This will provide a comprehensive overview of the car's features, specifications, and pricing. And as an added bonus, readers can now also choose to have six-speed automatic transmission with their purchase - although it's worth noting that many MX-5 enthusiasts are likely to prefer the manual gearbox.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enone of the stars of the 2016 New York International alar show is this it's the brand new Mazda MX5 RF where RF stands for retractable fast back and that's because it's got this sort of tarer roof Arrangement actually reminds me a bit of the Ferrari 575 super America with these buttresses here it's it's a very good-looking thing possibly the roof line might be just a a little high around there but it's very nice you can take the glass screen up and down on its own without retracting the full roof which is is quite good and the whole thing goes up and down in just 12 seconds and it speeds up to 6 mph it's uh yeah it's a rather lovely looking thing there's going to be a price premium in the UK of probably about £25,000 we're thinking the weight penalty which is obviously one of the things with a hard top roof we're thinking it's going to be around about 50 kilos which shouldn't be too detrimental uh it's probably about 5% of the overall weight of the car yes it's going to be high up but given the last one you really didn't feel that much of an effect anyway they're saying they've retuned the steering the electric parist steering and the suspension and they've also added a bit more uh sound deading in the rear wheel arches just to try and make it a more sort of well relaxing car to drive I suppose um the ride quality they said they've improved which is something we didn't actually sort of think it needed improving to be honest because it's very good on the standard Roadster this is a machine gray colorway which um is special unique to this car three layers of paint and yeah people seem to absolutely love it let us know what you think in the comments box below and you can have a look at the roof going up and down at the launch as well if you like on our Facebook page and any other details I've forgotten log on to evo. co.uk and all the rest of the details will be on there so there we are that's the brand new M oh I nearly forgot nearly forgot you can now get six-speed Auto with it as well which you didn't really want to know because you're going to have the manual aren't you because it's mro x 5 and why wouldn't you have the manual there we are the Mazda MX5 RFone of the stars of the 2016 New York International alar show is this it's the brand new Mazda MX5 RF where RF stands for retractable fast back and that's because it's got this sort of tarer roof Arrangement actually reminds me a bit of the Ferrari 575 super America with these buttresses here it's it's a very good-looking thing possibly the roof line might be just a a little high around there but it's very nice you can take the glass screen up and down on its own without retracting the full roof which is is quite good and the whole thing goes up and down in just 12 seconds and it speeds up to 6 mph it's uh yeah it's a rather lovely looking thing there's going to be a price premium in the UK of probably about £25,000 we're thinking the weight penalty which is obviously one of the things with a hard top roof we're thinking it's going to be around about 50 kilos which shouldn't be too detrimental uh it's probably about 5% of the overall weight of the car yes it's going to be high up but given the last one you really didn't feel that much of an effect anyway they're saying they've retuned the steering the electric parist steering and the suspension and they've also added a bit more uh sound deading in the rear wheel arches just to try and make it a more sort of well relaxing car to drive I suppose um the ride quality they said they've improved which is something we didn't actually sort of think it needed improving to be honest because it's very good on the standard Roadster this is a machine gray colorway which um is special unique to this car three layers of paint and yeah people seem to absolutely love it let us know what you think in the comments box below and you can have a look at the roof going up and down at the launch as well if you like on our Facebook page and any other details I've forgotten log on to evo. co.uk and all the rest of the details will be on there so there we are that's the brand new M oh I nearly forgot nearly forgot you can now get six-speed Auto with it as well which you didn't really want to know because you're going to have the manual aren't you because it's mro x 5 and why wouldn't you have the manual there we are the Mazda MX5 RF\n"