Why the Mazda MX-5 is the best car in the world

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• The Mazda MX-5 is the best car in the world
• Audi and Mercedes against Mazda
• The Japanese are no longer reluctant
• Modern classic for little money
• The cult roadster from Japan remains true to itself
• These are the other winners
• The Mazda dealer with a Porsche twist

The Mazda MX-5 is the best car in the world

Jolly Japanese: Project manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto (left), together with Mazda‘s North America boss Masahiro Moro, are delighted that the MX-5 roadster has been recognized as the World Car of t…hey year. The award was presented at the New York International Auto Show

Source: Stefan Anker

Big surprise in New York: The Mazda MX-5 wins first the design award at the World Car of the Year. And later it makes two big favorites look old when it comes to the main prize. An explanation.

Okay, we’re in America, and journalists are often not as cool and reserved as they are in Europe. But the jubilation is surprising. It is far more than polite applause that accompanies the Mazda MX-5 when it is certain that it has won the design award at the World Car of the Year (WCOTY), even ahead of the extremely handsome Jaguar XE. But this applause was, as it turns out a little later, only a preliminary skirmish.

For several years now, I’ve been a member of the jury that chooses the World Car of the Year every year. We are 73 journalists from 23 countries, and in contrast to the – admittedly – better known and even more catchy title Car of the Year, our award applies not only to Europe, but actually to the whole world. That is why North, Central and South Americans, Chinese, Australians, Japanese, Indians, Koreans and Africans also vote.

In a room of the Javits Center, where the New York International Auto Show is held every year, the three finalists for all five categories of the award are standing, at the top of the stage they are – for that World Car of the Year – Audi A4, Mercedes GLC and Mazda MX-5.

Audi and Mercedes against Mazda

Even these top three would not have been possible for the European Car of the Year, here the common sense of the southern Europeans almost always prevails, whose voting weight often makes bread-and-butter cars come out on top, like the Opel Astra this year.

Group picture with MX-5: Project manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto (front right) holds the big trophy for the main prize, an employee next to him has also won the design trophy… the hand for which head designer Ikuo Maeda (behind Yamamoto) is responsible

Source: Stefan Anker

With us from the WCOTY jury, I suspect Americans and Chinese in particular that they like to vote for cars that represent a little bit more. So I’m not surprised that Audi and Mercedes made it all the way to the top. But the Mazda is an unusual choice, after all, it has the smallest target group of all, and all-rounders usually win at all car prices.

It is shortly after nine thirty in the morning when jury president Peter Lyon opens the decisive envelope. Even he doesn’t know who will win. KPMG’s auditors receive our scores and keep them under lock and key until the decision is announced. Therefore, as a rule, no board members are present at the WCOTY ceremony – it would be too uncomfortable if they had to acknowledge the victory of a competitor with a narrow smile.

The Japanese are no longer reluctant

Peter Lyon pulls the note out of the envelope and actually looks twice. Then he says: "Mazda MX-5". And there is such a jubilation that I have never experienced at such events. So the Mazda MX-5, a two-seater roadster, is the best car in the world. That’s something.

It is also very interesting to watch the Japanese who are present. Mazda has appeared in a fairly decent team, there is the top design chief (in addition to the MX-5, the CX-3 was also nominated for the design award), the project manager of the MX-5, the North America boss. And all of them do something that you rarely see in the otherwise reserved Japanese: They cheer. You’re left out. They shine, laugh, take photos, it’s like a release.

MX-5 project manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto smiles blissfully and holds up the trophy – the roadster for which he is responsible has been named World Car of the Year

Source: Stefan Anker

“We are so proud, we are so surprised!” Shouts Nobuhiro Yamamoto, the chief engineer for the MX-5. And Ikuo Maeda, the head of design, tells me: “We have reshaped the brand with our design. And it has paid off that we also implement the good design in good craftsmanship. "

But what moves them most, the Mazda managers don’t say, they are too polite for that. But it’s clear: at last, at last they showed the big guys. Mazda is almost a medium-sized company among the car brands, in any case no global corporation holds a protective hand over the Japanese.

Modern classic for little money

And of course the victory of the MX-5 is also a statement by the jury. We all report on the trends of the future, on autonomous driving, on assistance systems up to the flag, electric drive and networking. And then there is such a small, light sports car, one without a roof, with rear-wheel drive, a maximum of 160 hp, a modern classic for relatively little money. And we get weak. Collectively, we say: Yes, that’s how it should be, driving a car.

In any case, I suspect that some jurors must have interpreted the specifications of the evaluation sheet, which also deals with engine performance, safety, the environment and space utilization, quite personally in order to enable the Mazda to win. After all: "Emotional Appeal" is also a category, and the MX-5 simply couldn’t be beaten.

The cult roadster from Japan remains true to itself

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Mazda can do roadsters. The Japanese brand has impressively demonstrated this since the MX-5 presented in 1989. More than a million copies of the MX-5 have been sold so far…ft. The fourth generation has been on the market since autumn 2015.

Source: Jakob Hoff

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The curves of the third generation have given way to smooth surfaces and sharp edges.

Source: Jakob Hoff

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Above all, the rear pushes the 3.92 meter long car (so it is ten centimeters shorter than its direct predecessor), the body sits on the at least 16 inches tall…en rear wheels.

Source: Jakob Hoff

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Mazda is offering two engines, both four-cylinder petrol engines, in the new MX-5. The 1.5-liter delivers 131 hp, the two-liter variant has 160 hp. With the latter we had at Al…ltag a consumption of 7.4 liters; Mazda specifies the car with 6.9 liters.

Source: Jakob Hoff

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The fabric roof is cut very tight. It’s easy to throw backwards. The driver or front passenger can unlock the central locking system via the inside mirror and with… With a sweeping movement, put down the convertible top behind the headrests of the seats.

Source: Jakob Hoff

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The touchscreen and navigation system are new in the MX-5 cockpit. Despite the refreshed instrument optics, the latest entertainment technology with USB connections and keyless access…ng and start system, the Roadster is true to its original characteristics.

Source: Jakob Hoff

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Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for a normal glove box on the passenger side. At least there is a compartment between the two seats.

Source: Jakob Hoff

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The trunk behind the two seats is very manageable with 130 liters. But at least you put two water boxes in it.

Source: Jakob Hoff

I don’t know whether the board members of the defeated favorites are only sad or even angry, whether they doubt our competence. I advocate that they take it sporty.

And although I didn’t have the Mazda up front, but the Audi A4, I’m happy that this unconventional car has won. Also because the original MX-5 presented in 1989 was the first car that I wrote a story about. 35 slim lines in "image".

These are the other winners

And in this necessary brevity, the winners of the other categories at a glance: The Toyota Mirai with fuel cell drive was the World Green Car ahead of the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt. For me, the VW Passat GTE won because plug-in hybrid cars have far more CO2 reduction potential than the very few fuel cell vehicles. But VW is of course difficult at the moment.

The Mazda dealer with a Porsche twist

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CJ Wilson (35) is actually a very successful professional baseball player. He plays as a pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. But even though he still has a two-year contract, ar…he is already working on his second career.

Source: Stefan Anker

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He already owns his own racing team, CJ Wilson Racing. He would also love to take part as a driver in racing classics such as the 24-hour races in Daytona or at the Nurburgring…hmen.

Source: Stefan Anker

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Here he is standing in front of the garage in Daytona, where his Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport is being prepared for the race.

Source: Stefan Anker

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However, the car did not take part in the legendary 24-hour race, but instead …

Source: Stefan Anker

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… in the preliminary program at the BMW Performance 200, a run of the Continental Sportscar Challenge.

Source: Stefan Anker

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Nor was Wilson behind the wheel; it’s too dangerous for his baseball club.

Source: Stefan Anker

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Two Cayman GT4 Clubsport belong to his team, CJ Wilson Racing. The second car …

Source: Stefan Anker

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… but was not used, it was just very decorative in the garage.

Source: Stefan Anker

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For CJ Wilson, baseball was really just a means to an end. He started playing sports so that he could afford really good cars.

Source: Stefan Anker

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And really good cars for him are only Porsches. Nevertheless, Wilson has ten Mazda branches in the United States. The reason: In the foreseeable future, no Porsche dealer contract seems to be free…rden.

Source: Stefan Anker

World Design Car: Mazda MX-5 ahead of Jaguar XE and Mazda CX-3. World Luxury Car: BMW 7 Series ahead of Volvo XC90 and Audi Q7. World Sports Car: Audi R8 in front of Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe and Honda Civic Type R..

After the award ceremony, I went to Mazda‘s booth again. The Japanese managers had meanwhile arrived there and continued to take photos of each other – in front of the exhibited MX-5 RF, which looks like a Targa and gives the MX-5 idea a completely new, very attractive twist. Strangely enough, however, the car was there in gray paintwork in front of a black wall, as if the Mazda makers had imposed restraint before the fair. Your only wrong decision about the MX-5.

The trip to New York was supported by Jaguar Land Rover. You can find our standards of transparency and journalistic independence at www.axelspringer.de/unabhaengigkeit

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