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Lap Time: 3:17.2

Class: LL2 | Base: $37,935 | As-Tested: $38,660

Power and Weight: 181 hp • 2433 lb • 13.4 lb/hp

Tires: Bridgestone Potenza S001, 205/45R-17 84W

Trundling down the lengthy straights at VIR in Mazda's little fish leaves a lot of time for thinking. Why am I out here in this sea of sharks? How long before that Area 51–spec McLaren appears in my mirrors again? The answer to that last one: not long. By the time the Senna crosses the start/finish, the MX-5 is about a mile behind.

And yet, compared with the last production Miata we brought here, the amount of time the driver has to ponder these questions is reduced by 3.6 seconds thanks to the new 181-hp 2.0-liter four. With 26 more ponies on tap than before, the MX-5 reaches 117.6 mph on the front straight, a whopping 7.4 mph faster than that 2016 model could manage.

View Photos Michael Simari Car and Driver

The higher redline of this updated engine means fewer shifts, too. Wring it out and hold on tight in the last right-hander of the uphill esses as the tires struggle to find adhesion at 93.0 mph and 0.85 g. After a stint in the RF, deputy testing director K.C. Colwell declared it "very loose." But he was spoiled by laps in the Senna, which amounts to driving a street-legal prototype.

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A comical amount of body roll remains. Lean on the Miata in any tight corner and the side-view mirror threatens to eat asphalt. But it's fun. Taking advantage of the RF's modest grip and balanced handling means using gas to rotate the rear or breathing off the accelerator to tuck it in. There's no power to hide your mistakes. A fast lap is all about maintaining speed and perfectly hitting the apexes and exits.

The Miata remains an excellent learning tool. It's a lot of fun, but among this year's contenders, it's not the most fun.

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