The Canadian Champion Friday April 18, 2008 - C7 Mazda's MX-5 Miata is powerlul and fun Metroland Media Group Summer jîlsi wouldn't lie ~ummer without a Mazda Miata. For more than 15 years. getting my hands on a Miata îs somethîng I look forward w with anticipanon. Properly callcd the Mazda MX-5 these days, wben the Miata bowed it was inexpensive 10 operate as well as drive and proved an instant hit. Manv of you will îemember wben the term "sports car' was synonyrnous with British makes like MG, Tnumph and Auson Healev Sornewbere along the une, the Lnglisb lost the concept of quality ancl. with cmîssions laws, iheit hegemonv simply' pctercd oui. Then Mazda came op with the Miata, and lis as carly as 1990, iî was well on lis v~av w becoming the nîost popular anel largcst selling sportscar in histors Wisely, Mazda has not strayed far from ibe cure oncept but bas constant h kepi relintng and upgî aclîng, tucicli as Pot scbc ba~ donc witlî the 011. Bot noss Mazda has taken the MX-5 Miata to a 'bard placc' ss'tîli an opitoital powet retractablc mctal top ibai goes Up anci clown in a mdc 13 seconds. And wbtle power bardtop/cons cri- ihlcs aie sîaî ting to becoitte more pres a cnt cite Miata version takes cip zero tiuîtk space and is ofleîed on ail thice i nodels for au e\tia $2 193 oser ltst. Vs hais also arnaztng s tbc rear clecls tutu 20 rnm tallet iban tlw soit tops .tnd ibe barcîtoli asscinbli acîcîs lttst 30 kg n osci ail wetght ibtîs lias ing a neg lîgîble el[ec t on pct lortnancc Central to the Miata pîtilosophu îs a concept called "Jinlia Ittai" or "Rider ancl Horse as Gise" h contes front the lapanese svhere an archer goîng mb battle titi bis horse requtred boîh to function as one, wîth the aicher cou- trollîng lits steecl so ibe ,irrow ss'ocild bit the target oit ibe ittose. Thai was ibe cotîcepi used in ibe original design and îî bas not been changed es'en though îbeie is îîo part carried over [rom the last generation Miata (in 2005) n the current tlîîrd generation of the car. At the sanie time, Mazda engineers used a "gram sîrategx"' to keep the Miata as lîglit as possible. An example tIse rcarview mirror tîtat was redtîccd iii weîght lis 84 gratos. TItis grant straîegv was applîed to es'ery' part tn ibe car. The concept and exceution of tbc Miata was, and is, sîînplc Lse a central spitie/chassis, place ilie etîgitte in Iront, uic cîrise iii the rear attul two seats iii between ancl keep ibe ishole package as liglît as possilile or sharp bandling. Tue shape of uic Miata lias not been tri- fled witlî in the 2007 generaîtoit Ibe Miata is su11 a os ici drîs e ancl s as poititable as es er. flic liont atîcl teai îracks ltowes'er are ss dci iltait tue 2005 ancl ibat trtitslates mb uticteasecl suabul uts i lic bocîs sîîllîîcss s uttupios ccl lis 47 îîei ccitt .încî ibat itteans lie suspetusuon Lis o do tIse ssci k is tic b s oit us ant tii i otclster E 1~~îrt~, pouset isalOlitre DCI Il.... uic1 140 lb/lt tiI itircîtte on îireuiituitt gasoliîîc' I ou 2008 tt tii liotces sttcî ss tilt a lise sîiecch nt.tttcial irtnstittssîsîti oit utc base CX titocîci pi icecl ai 528195. Tlîe 531,3î0 C/s îs utc itîclie sporîîng s'ersion ishile the 534,500 CT is tîsore luxcirs eqciupped Botît the c/s si\ slicccl atiuoiîtttuc is tilt secluteittual ittode. Il you opt for the autobox in the GT it couses wîîb paddles for ibe up/down sbil~s. Botb the CS and CT bave 17-incli wbeels, the CX being \13'î ts iîuisv suatîclai d oit tII tîttîclels si ici c the GS bas a rear lîmited slip dîlleîeîîîîal atîcl performance Bilstein sbocks witb sbcîck tctwer stress bar. Air conditioning aîîd a detachable Os coitticti ,tttcî tîte IttitticcI slip ttc iii t cil utc Perluiiinance Package. rIte Ci seats are lîeatecl leaiher aîîd a prernium Bcîse suîu.înd svsiem is see RETRACTABLE on page Cli ANDGET~ULIL/t1&~!I i WORTIE 0F NO EXTRA 1!ITflfl CIIOOSE FRGM OVER 50 GENIJINE CHARGE ACCESSORIES* F0 RD ACCESSORIES COME MAKE YOUR TRUCK YOUR OWN AT ON AIL 08 RANGER F 150 ANO MOST SUPER DUTY TRUCKS Lii 'Wl GALLINGER FORD LINCOIN <n. j