Mazda Motor Corporation will use the 2006 British International Motor Show for its global reveal of the new Mazda MX-5 with a power retractable hard top roof. The car will be offered in addition to, rather than replacing, the soft top version.
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The power retractable hard top roof is an all-new addition to the third-generation Mazda MX-5.
A spokeswoman for Mazda in the UK told just-auto that she believed the retractable hard top would initially account for around 20% of all UK MX-5 sales, settling at around 15% later on. No indication of pricing on the retractable hard top is available at this stage.
In Europe, the retractable hard top version will be known as the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe.
In a press release Mazda said that the ‘new Mazda MX-5 model provides a unified sense of driving exhilaration, ready to spread the fun of lightweight sports cars in diverse and distinct new ways’.
The release went on: ‘“Jinba Ittai” – or ‘rider and horse as one’ is the essence of Mazda MX-5, the expression reflecting the emotional connection between a horse and rider.’
However, some European Mazda dealers and industry observers have questioned the need for a retractable hard top MX-5, noting that the soft top has been doing well and has a potentially larger share of its segment with the loss of rivals such as the MG-TF and Toyota MR2.
Dealers say that the arrival of other retractable hard tops in the market has had little impact on MX-5 sales.
Mazda will also reveal its new one-ton truck, the Mazda BT-50, equipped with a new 2.5-litre Direct Injection Turbo Diesel engine. The British International Motor Show marks the European premiere of this diesel engine, which made its world debut at the Bangkok Motor Show last March.
Along with these models, the Mazda Sassou and Mazda Kabura concept vehicles will also be exhibited by Mazda.
