To celebrate the launch of the new MX-5 RF in the UK, Mazda held VIP preview events in Manchester and London. These were an invitation only opportunity to be among the first to see an RF up close with an exclusive look at the special RF Launch Edition, and a chance to hear Mazda's thoughts on the new model.
I was invited along to the Manchester event which was held on Friday night at Victoria Warehouse in Salford Quays, close to the MediaCityUK complex. After a 40 minute drive, we parked at the Lowry and headed for the venue. I spotted a transporter truck with the Jota logo parked up in the street which gave a clue as to what we'd find inside.
In front of the warehouse there were two soft top models, one in Reflex Blue and the other in Soul Red with some accessory options fitted. They were nicely lit and had the Mazda logo projected behind on the side of the old warehouse above the entrance. After hanging around outside for a short while the doors to the venue were opened and we were allowed inside.
We were greeted with a drinks reception and the Jota GT4 MX-5 on display as a talking point. The car has been retired for a while after competing in one season of racing and is now used by Mazda UK for promotion. It was pretty cool to get up close and see the interior and all the carbon parts.
A short while later we were led into the main event space. Here we found four notable cars on display. There was a 10th Anniversary NB, a 25th Anniversary NC3, a Le Mans special edition NA with the Renown inspired livery, and a beautiful white Cosmo.
I'd never seen a Cosmo before in person so was really impressed with the styling, it must have looked so futuristic when it launched back in the late 60s. I asked nicely and was allowed to sit inside which was the highlight of the evening for me. It's not everyday you get an opportunity like that, and what a car!
You may be wondering why Mazda's original rotary powered Cosmo was on show. Well this was explained in a short presentation about Mazda's philosophy of the Hiroshima challenger spirit, never giving up, and making a success of something others had abandoned, ie. the rotary engine. The same was said about the British roadster market which was revived by the introduction of the MX-5.
After the presentation, the curtains were drawn back to reveal the prototype of the Launch Edition MX-5 RF. This was a left hand drive pre-production model likely being shown across Europe. It was fitted with the gloss black BBS alloys, black rear spoiler, black mirrors, and the black roof centre panels which is a feature exclusive for this model in the UK.
The audience soon swarmed all round the car making it difficult to get any clean photos but I suppose that's to be expected. The car did look amazing under the lighting, the Soul Red and piano black combination working nicely. I managed to get some time sitting in the car and was able to operate the retractable roof which everyone agreed was very cleverly designed, and seemed to fascinate people each time it was in action.
The Alcantara interior trim pieces which will be included with the Launch Edition really lifts the interior and gives that premium feel. The Recaro seats were very comfortable, I definitely prefer them to the standard car's leather. I did notice the new LCD screen built into the instrument cluster which shows graphics of the roof as it opens and closes, a pretty neat feature.
There was also a numbered badge on the centre console between the seats, showing as number 0 of 500 as it was a pre-production model. Standing next to the car as the roof was in motion I was able to get a look at the inner workings. The mechanism appears very similar to the NC folding roof with several exposed gears and hinges. In motion it's very smooth and elegant, taking around 13 seconds to complete the sequence.
On our way out we were handed an RF brochure leaflet in a black sleeve which gave some specification details and a price list for the range of RF models what will be on sale soon.
Overall this was another great event organised by Mazda UK, a really smart location, plenty of food and drink on offer, live music entertainment including a string quartet, and an interesting presentation. I'm already looking forward to seeing more of the RF in the near future.
