Spring at the wheel of Mazda’s Special Edition MX-5 Miata PRHT
It was in 1955 that Thomas Wolf wrote the music and Frances Landesman the lyrics to “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most”, an ode to lost love and the ennui spring often inspires. It became a jazz standard recorded by everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Stan Getz. As Wolf and Landesman collaborated, British Motor Corporation paired a sleek body designed for racing at the Le Mans with a new production chassis giving rise to the MGA. It became a standard too, the foundation for two seat roadsters in America.
Mazda’s MX-5 Miata owes its roots to the MGA and rarely has there been a car better suited to springtime verve and reflection. Whether putting rubber down on the season’s first track day or remembering that someone who got away while cruising a back road, the Miata hangs you up in way cars costing five times as much often can’t.
That’s likely why Mazda felt no pressure to do anything more than a subtle paint and trim package for the MX-5 Miata Special Edition PRHT (Power Retractable Hard Top). The Special Edition gains chrome trim around the grille and on the interior vents and instrument cluster along with gray door panels and seat surfaces which reflect the sun’s heat well. Two colors, Sparkling Black Mica and Dolphin Gray Mica distinguish the car as do bright 17 inch alloy wheels. Otherwise, it gets all the goodies of the Touring model and Premium Package including Bluetooth, satellite radio, Xenon headlights etc.
Just 750 2011 Special Edition MX-5s will be produced and despite the lack of (or perhaps precisely because of) significant differentiation will no doubt sell out well before the end of the calendar year.
All the MX-5 goodness is there abetted by a power retractable hardtop that functions with the ease of the soft top, increases security, looks good up, takes away almost no trunk space and adds little more than 80 pounds. Ergonomically, the Miata is a pleasure starting with relative seat/ steering wheel/shifter/pedal positioning that suits a track thrash or an extended freeway jaunt. The instrument cluster is one of the more informative and attractive out there with watch-like dials that fit the MX-5’s character. The brake and throttle pedals lend themselves to easy heel-toe work and the shifter action is short and sweet. A soft armrest behind the shifter is much appreciated. Rowing the Miata’s manual gearbox is one of the great automotive pleasures.
That said, I did notice that the clutch in the Special Edition liked more revs from step-off than other Miatas I’ve driven. Clutch engagement was also a bit more fiddly. I was also reminded that those serious about auto-crossing the MX-5 may want to consider aftermarket springs. I was able to drive the car hard in a couple of instances and upon turn-in the MX-5 PRHT SE cross-weights noticeably. The unloaded rear corner lightens and the car seems to put more weight on the outside front corner than past Miatas. You feel it in the steering which remains highly communicative.
At street velocities it’s a trait that doesn’t manifest itself much. In fact, while the Miata delights in mischief, the car never pressures you to drive fast. The 167 horsepower on tap from the MZR 2.0 liter four is quite adequate, boosting the Mazda to 60 mph in a little over six seconds if you whip it. More often than not, I ended up at about 60-65 mph on the highway and enjoyed cornering leisurely. The MX-5 reminds you that moderate speed in a light roadster is as much or more fun than a hair-on-fire charge in a big-bore sports car.
In that respect, the MX-5 PRHT Special Edition is an apropos ride for the gentle days of spring when the pollen flies and your mind wanders. In the penultimate verse of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most” Frances Landesman wrote;
Doctors once prescribed a tonic.
Sulfur and molasses was the dose.
Didn’t help one bit.
My condition must be chronic.
Spring can really hang you up the most.
Warning: The MX-5 will only aggravate this condition…
THE SPECS
Price as tested: $31,720
Engine: 167 hp, 2.0 liter four cylinder with variable valve timing
Curb Weight: 2593 pounds
Fuel Economy: 21 city/28 highway
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