Hello Steemers!
So once again, I have been exploring the wonderful Corsican Island this summer. I came across an incredible opportunity that I could not pass. I was invited to drive a very special car, my favorite car, the Mazda MX-5 Miata, more specifically, the RF!
Now in Corsica I'm based in Bastia, the northern "capital", so I had to drive about two and a half hours down to Ajaccio. Of course I was eager to get there and tear up the road with the little Japanese roadster.
The looks
Now this version is a bit more special than the standard RF, it's the First Edition. So what's different on this version?
The most obvious difference is the wheels. This Miata comes equipped with 17" BBS rims. Next come the black side mirrors. For the next differences we've got go inside.
The dashboard is finished in Alcantara as well as the Recaro sport seats, and before you ask, yes, they are very stiff. The last interior detail is the First Edition plaque on the right, this one is number 81 out of 150.
The feeling
We've all heard it: "Miata is always the answer". I've never had the chance to properly drive the Miata, so this was my chance to see if all the stories we're truthful. The First Edition sports the 2.0L, 160hp engine of course, so I was in for a treat.
I must admit, it was a tight fit. I'm not a skinny guy though, however, at 1.75cm (5'75") I think anyone taller than me would be pretty uncomfortable in the ND. And the Recaro seats were very hard, not suitable for daily driving.
Anyway, this was the moment I was waiting for, I finally started the engine and drove off. The first thing I noticed was how easy the car was to drive. It usually takes me a few hours to get used to a different car but in the Miata it took mere minutes. The visibility was good and I instantly knew how to place the car on the road.
The Miata definitely inspires confidence, It just flows through every turn. I never felt like I was going too fast, but the sensation of speed was there. It really felt like I could take every corner with my foot to the floor. The ride was very stiff, probably more than the standard version as the First Edition has Bilstein suspention and a strut bar. The engine was surprisingly torquey, even at low rpm in 4th or 5th, the car kept on going.
The main thing about the Miata though is that it keeps you smiling. Both in the bends or stopped in traffic, I just kept on smiling. And I definitely got quite a few looks, although that could have just been people looking at the grinning Italian idiot in a hairdresser's car.
That's about it! I think the Miata RF is a great little week-end car, or even a nice daily if you get softer seats and suspension. I'll definitely think about for my next car.
After this awesome experience, it was time to head back to Bastia in my rental Peugeot 308, an okay but weird baguette-mobile.
Stay tuned as I will soon post a review on that!
As always, see you in the next post and stay cool ;)
