This article originally appeared in the July 1996 issue of Road & Track.

With the announcement that its venerable sports car, the RX-7, will no longer be available to U.S. buyers, Mazda must now look for a new symbol to carry the company's sports-car torch if it intends to retain its image as a builder of enthusiast cars.

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But what will take the RX-7's place? Still being considered is the dynamic RX-01 concept car, a Wankel-powered two-plus-two road rocket that wowed the automotive world at last year's Tokyo auto show. However, estimated production costs, coupled with the disappearing high-end sports-car market in the U.S., make the RX-01 a significant gamble. And Mazda, fully realizing this, pulled an ace from its sleeve at the New York auto show this past April, where it unveiled the Miata M Coupe, an enclosed version of the phenomenally successful roadster.

After learning of its existence, I had to see the car for myself ... and possibly get behind its steering wheel for driving impressions and photos. I promptly called the folks at Mazda and asked if I could take it for a spin.

"Um, we'll get back to you" was the initial response. But to my surprise, they did. A few days later, I found myself in Phoenix, Arizona, with the coupe's ignition key in my hand.

Take one look at the Miata M Coupe and its lineage to the RX-7 is clear—from its subtle double-bubble roof to its dynamic swooping door line. For added aggressiveness, Mazda designers also gave the car low-profile 205/55R-16 tires wrapped around 16-inch, five-spoke alloy wheels and slimmer headlights. But Tom Matano, executive vice president of Mazda R&D of North America, insists that the M Coupe was never intended to fill the void left by the RX-7.

"The Miata M Coupe was purely meant as a styling exercise. In the spirit of past sports cars that began life as convertibles and then were later changed to coupes—cars such as the Triumph GT-6—we wanted to see how the Miata design would lend itself to this new format," Matano explained. "And then we considered the marketing potential of the car. And to us, it made great sense because we would virtually be creating a new model without the costs of creating an all-new car."

Matano added that the M Coupe serves as a tool to keep the Miata image fresh—something that many feel is necessary, because the car has hardly seen any change since its introduction more than six years ago. That said, some company executives feel that the time for a more drastic move is rapidly approaching.

Now to the driving. Impossible to ignore is the car's exhaust note. With every blip of the throttle, the carbon-fiber-tipped Remus exhaust system roared and resonated, providing the sensation of being on the starting grid at Le Mans. Although the aftermarket system will not likely make it to production, one can assume that engine and exhaust noise will be louder in the coupe than in the convertible, mainly because the roof acts like a lid that traps noise. On the other hand, wind noise is significantly reduced. Only when the car reached speeds of more than 65 mph did a slight whistling creep through the door seals.

Under the M Coupe's hood is the same 1.8-liter inline-four found in the current roadster. It produces 133 hp at 6500 rpm and 114 lb-ft of torque at 5500. Although one would expect the coupe to outrun its droptop counterpart, my stopwatch revealed similar 0-to-60-mph times: about 9.0 seconds. The reason?

Weight. The Miata M Coupe is currently a concept car, whose roof is composed of a thick piece of hand-laid fiberglass that weighs significantly more than a conventional steel top (Mazda maintains that the top will be steel if the car ever sees production). And, although engineers could have saved pounds by tampering with the car's body structure, they opted not to.

Still, I felt that more pop in the low- and mid-rpm ranges would have been welcome in the new car. Al­though Mazda officials usually squirm at the suggestion of more power in the Miata, I, for one, would love to see the small V-6 from the now-defunct MX-3 or even a rotary engine placed under the car's hood.

The new coupe uses the same dou­ble-wishbone suspension as the current MX-5; thus, it retains all the original's tossable handling nature. The difference is felt during turn-in, where the coupe chassis exhibits remarkable rigidity, making the car sensitive to the slightest steering inputs. Also, body roll is virtually unnoticeable. However, enter a tight corner too hot or stomp the throttle in mid-turn, and you'll find that oversteer continues to be part of the Miata's dynamic repertoire.

Unfortunately, the M Coupe's nim­ble nature comes at the expense of ride quality. Those with sensitive backs may find a long drive in the new Mazda a tiresome experience; the blame here goes to the car's diminutive wheelbase of 89.2 inches and its low-profile Dunlop SP Sport 8000 tires. Despite the firm ride, I feel that the coupe is a better weekend tourer than the current MX-5, primarily because of its increased luggage capacity.

Trunk space in the M Coupe has been significantly increased by moving the space-saver spare to underneath the body. The battery, which is still in the trunk, now sits tucked away beneath the rear decklid. The result is approxi­mately one cubic foot more space. The only setback here is that, because of the design of the rear glass, the trunk opening is significantly smaller than that of the convertible—down from about five square feet to three. But what doesn't fit in the trunk can neatly be stowed on the luggage shelf behind the seats.

Engineering Editor Dennis Simanaitis was in the area for the annual Copperstate 1000 vintage-automobile rally. Knowing that he is the proud owner of a Miata MX-5, I wondered what he would say about the new coupe.

"The Miata M Coupe reminds me of the Alfa Romeo Giuliettas of the Fifties, most notably the Spider con­vertible and Veloce Sprint coupe; each was a legitimate shape, yet most definitely a Giulietta. I found the M Coupe to be a really handsome car with RX-7 tautness replacing some of the Miata's cuteness. I like it."

So, the big question is: Will Mazda build it? Company officials say that judging by the public's reaction so far, it's a strong possibility. I think it would be a gamble worth taking, especially because the Miata M Coupe is an equally stunning, more practical version of the MX-5 roadster. What's more, it'll probably come with a lower price tag. And in U.S. automotive market, where practi­cality and affordability spell success, the Miata M Coupe may be the ideal can­didate to light Mazda's way ahead.

Styling Analysis

The most critical aspect of the new Mazda Miata M coupe is its styling. Therefore, we turned to someone who knows a thing or two about transforming convertibles into coupes. He is Peter Brock, the chief designer of the Cobra Daytona Coupe and author of the book Daytona Cobra Coupes. Peter provides us with an in-depth analysis of the new Mazda's design.

Modifying any icon of design, like the Mazda Miata, is difficult because the public's preconceived ideas about what the car is supposed to be become set over time. Thus, any radical change might be construed as a violation of what the design should continue to be.

The recent fastback continuum on the Miata's theme is case in point. Anyone viewing this new Mazda prototype does so with an even more critical eye than that reserved for other cars on the road simply because someone has dared to tamper with an established standard.

The most obvious change to the Miata's chassis is it stance; the slightly increased track (more offset in each wheel) and larger-diameter rims give the whole car a far more powerful look than the stock roadster. If the coupe had been built on stock 14-inch wheels and tires, the car would have certainly looked top-heavy.

The fastback's widened track has caused an esthetic compromise in the door area that isn't entirely successful. Although the coupe was fabricated on a stock roadster body, Mazda elected to enhance the top of the rocker panel by creating a wider lip. The emphasized horizontal line would give some added visual length to match the widened track. A rising line from the bottom of the door sweeps into the RX-7's curving signature door shape. One wonders if this was done to create a transition from the expiring RX-7 to a new-age Miata intended to take its place. I hope not. The converging arcs created but he rear edge of he door shape and the wider rear-quarter panel die out halfway up the doorline, leaving the viewer to ponder the real intent.

If Mazdas in general suffer from any design trait, it is too much subtlety. For example, not the coupe's barely perceptible double-bubble roof. However, at the risk of seeming inconsistent, I have to mention the door-mounted mirrors. They are too large and offensive to the eye because they interrupt the successful flowing lines from the front fenders through the door an on to the rear.

Good design always establishes new standards; classics aren't classics because they're timid. They are recognized as icons because the designers were bold enough to establish visual criteria that were seldom surpassed. The Miata roadster's great design and proven success in the marketplace have heeled keep Mazda afloat through perilous times. This new coupe easily carries on that tradition.

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