According to Mr MX-5

Nobuhiro Yamamoto is just about as Mazda as it gets.

A 40-year-plus veteran of the company, Yamamoto helped engineer the development of the MX-5 through three generations and 21 years. Before that he worked on the brand’s iconic rotary engines and even had a hand in the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hour winning 787B.

He’s Mazda’s ‘Mr MX-5’; an ambassador for the world’s most popular roadster and the person who knows the car, quite literally, inside-out.

As program manager he was responsible for bringing the NB, NC and ND series to life, and is passionate about the model’s continued development. Speaking to motoring.com.au at a recent multi-generational drive event of the MX-5, Yamamoto-san spoke of where the MX-5 is headed, including his deep regard for enthusiast owners, the use of lightweight materials in future models, Mazda’s tie-up with Fiat/Abarth, and the upcoming Retractable Fastback.

It’s obvious to most of us that the MX-5 is more than A to B transport. Of course, it’s a car that you can live with day-to-day, but it’s also a weekend car that allows its owner the opportunity of enjoying their time at the wheel.

With a 23-year hiatus between what Yamamoto-san refers to as the ‘classic lightweight roadster’ and the arrival of the MX-5 in 1989, Mazda’s two-seat roadster redefined the philosophy behind models that include the Lotus Elan, Austin Healey Sprite, MG B and Alfa Romeo Spider. This was an affordable, lightweight, front-engined/rear-drive two-seater that sought to make driving fun again.

“It’s true, we always think about the next MX-5 concept as staying true to our original aspirations,” Yamamoto-san explained.

“With the MX-5, the owner of the current model is always excited about the next-generation car, and of course they want to buy it. But we would say ‘you don’t necessarily have to’, because each MX-5 is a significant car for us, and we want the owner to care for it for as long as possible, that’s the ideal scenario.

“What we would ask, if they really want to, is to buy the newest one as a second car,” he smiled, referencing the affordable nature of the MX-5.

Italian manufacturer Fiat’s interpretation of the MX-5 is now on sale locally. The Abarth 124 Spider reimagines the iconic 1960s nameplate, in much the same way the original MX-5 recaptured Yamaoto-san’s ‘classic lightweight roadster’ of the same era.

Built in Mazda’s factory in Hiroshima, Japan, the European-styled 124 Spider shares much of its DNA with the MX-5. The chassis and underbody are essentially identical. The Abarth is differentiated by new sheetmetal front and rear, a 1.4-litre turbocharged MultiAir engine and a range of cosmetic tweaks inside and out.

Yet in spite of the cars’ similarities Abarth and Mazda are determined to forge their own identity and the respective parent companies are posing strict sanctions on what can and can’t be discussed.

“We have a restriction on talking about Fiat [and Abarth]. It’s part of the contract that we are prohibited from talking about their product,” Yamamoto-san said by way of disclaimer.

In spite of the veto, Yamamoto-san said he believed the Fiat-Mazda collaboration was a good thing for enthusiast drivers. Overall he’s a fan of the models’ co-development.

“Obviously I am always keen to expand the market for the lightweight sportscar, so for a competitor to revive that market again, it is good. It’s good for me. It makes me happy,” he emphasised.

On the Retractable Fastback
Slated for release Down Under in early 2017, the MX-5 RF picks up where the NC Roadster Coupe left off. Yamamoto-san said he hopes the addition of a mechanical folding hard-top will broaden the appeal of the MX-5 range, and hopefully draw an audience attracted to the versatility of the model, as well as its price.

“As you know with the NA we’ve used the [bolt-on] hard-top, and with the NC we used the powered retractable hard-top,” he reiterated.

“It’s important we have different styles and different functions, and ND at the moment has one single choice. However, the customer would like to have it [a retractable hard-top] and we think it’s important the customer have a choice, therefore, we’re excited the RF will offer that option to the customer.”

Given the popularity of the powered retractable hard-top offered in the previous NC-series, we asked Yamamoto-san if he believed the upcoming RF could become the go-to option for MX-5 buyers.

“I don’t think it will become more popular [than the soft-top], but it will certainly expand the customer’s lifestyle – and the customer’s value perception of the car,” he enthused.

“For example, with wine, there’s red wine and a white wine. Having the white wine only your life is there, but it’s not as wonderful as knowing both.”

Perhaps that Italian connection has paid off!

On the future
Mazda’s previous-generation MX-5 (NC-series) was criticised for its weight and size. Safety regulations had taken their toll on the ‘classic lightweight roadster’, the structure required to meet crash testing standards and the additional passive safety equipment adding heft to a once-lean formula.

The arrival of the latest ND-series MX-5 employed new technologies that worked to revive the model’s wiry image while simultaneously meeting stricter regulations. This was a car that met its safety and environmental obligations head-on. Yamamoto says the balance between customer demands and ever-tougher regulatory mandates are a key part of the MX-5 design process.

“Our motto is that we have to be respected by society, and if society requires us to improve the safety or environmental credentials of the MX-5, then we have to develop the technology that adapts to these requirements,” he explained.

“In building the ND we had certain challenges in that regard. However, we never gave up; it’s just something we had to overcome.

“We focussed on coming back to those original aspirations, we focussed on making the car lighter, and we will continue challenging ourselves to adapt new technologies to find better materials, better technology better way to build the car because we want to keep MX-5 as part of our future line-up,” Yamamoto-san insisted.

When asked if carbon-fibre would play a role in the next-generation of MX-5, Yamamoto-san intimated that it was a possibility.

“I believe it’s important for us to find what the future holds with our customers, and I believe everybody in Mazda is looking in the same direction with respect to what we’re looking at achieving in the future.

“We have an idea on how the car is going to progress, [but] one of the biggest elements at play is affordability to our customers. At this stage carbon-fibre is very expensive; however, if the technology progresses and we can make it available to our customer [at a reasonable price], then yes… we would like to use that option,” he said.

As the world’s most popular roadster, the Mazda MX-5 has sold more than a million examples since its instruction. It has won 283 awards in its 27-year production run. The latest ND-series scoring 73 awards in its first year alone.

With the RF on the way, and the Abarth 124 Spider offering even more choice, it’s proof positive the ‘classic lightweight roadster’ has a strong future ahead.

#longlivetheroadster

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