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2002 Mazda Miata Special Edition
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| Special Handling |
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 22:13:41 |
| Rating |
 207 ( -29 -14% ) | | Author | Dan Lyons |
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Description:
Special Handling
2002 Mazda Miata Special Edition
Writer's Notes
Test Vehicle:
2002 Mazda Miata Special Edition
MSRP: $25,755
$28,140 as tested
Showroom appeal:
Sports car benchmark, in dressy, SE trim
Asphalt Rating:
Finely balanced package
Plus:
Handling, stylish SE packages
Minus:
Tiny trunk means keep it simple packing
Miata's double wishbone suspension and stiff chassis make for a car with quick reflexes.
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When Mazda's Miata emerged on the scene in 1989, it jump-started the long-dormant sports car market in this country. While honoring the classic tradition of balanced, open air drivers it also introduced something new for the breed - reliability. Some felt that the early cars were lacking in soul, but like lines in the face, character emerges over time. And what time has revealed is a generation of fun to drive cars whose turn-key, worry-free nature has made sports cars main stream accessible.
Soon after the Miata appeared, Mazda took steps to keep the brand fresh by spinning out limited runs of special edition cars. The process soon became an annual event and for me, a rite of spring - something to look forward to every year, when auto journalists here in the snow belt emerge squinting from our bunkers and shaking off the last of winter's sleet. Fast forward to 2002 and Mazda once again obliges by producing two variations on the special edition theme.
"America's love affair with the Miata heats up once again as Mazda introduces two new Special Edition (SE) models. Both are limited-production versions of the world's most popular sports car and come equipped with a host of features that make these the "raciest" SE models to date."
The 2002 special edition story has two main characters. The first wears a coat of tastefully conservative Titanium Gray Metallic paint, matched with brown, leather-surfaced seating. The other SE is more of an extrovert, painted the aptly named Blazing Yellow Mica. A sharp, metallic shade, it is complemented by a black leather gut. Both SE's wear 16" Enkei alloys, shod with 205/45 series Bridgestone Turanzas, and both are capped by a chrome fuel filler door. My test car was also fitted with an $800 appearance package consisting of front air dam, beefy side sills and flared, rear mud guards. A rear spoiler was added too, though for some reason, this is listed as a separate option (with a separate option price of $295). The body mods flesh out the Miata's frame, giving it a more buffed look. Taken together with the SE cosmetics, it's a handsome update, and the rims set off the profile view nicely.
The above is for the eyes. As to the ears, both SE models have a standard, 200 watt Bose AM/FM/CD sound system with in-dash 6-CD changer and speed-sensing audio volume control. It is a clean sounding unit, and the in-dash changer is a definite plus, though I wish Mazda would bring back the headrest mounted speakers of years gone by.
Elsewhere inside, SE's sport special leather and aluminum trim. A Nardi three spoke wheel, shift knob and handbrake lever are wrapped in the former, while door handles, gauge surrounds, foot pedals and scuff plates are trimmed in the latter. Special trim aside, the Miata's interior is comfortably functional, with arm's length reach to everything essential, from switchgear to short-throw shifter. The Miata's tiny trunk (5.1 cubic feet) is no longer the Mendoza line for sports car cargo capacity - that distinction having been passed along to Toyota's MR2 Spyder. Though it's small, restrained packing on the part of the passengers will allow for a weekend's worth of soft sided luggage.
The Miata motor was bumped to 142 hp last year, courtesy of a re-worked cylinder head. Torque is rated at 125 lb. ft. The DOHC four is a free revver, and the six speed gearbox (standard on SE) keeps the engine nicely on the boil. Gas mileage is rated at 23 city and 28 highway, according to EPA.
Miata's double wishbone suspension and stiff chassis make for a car with quick reflexes. Fine, flat handling is still the Miata's strongest recommendation. The bigger the rim and the shorter the sidewall, the harder any car's ride will be, but the giveback in this case is modest: the SE provides a smooth, small car ride. Braking is via four wheel disc, strong and fade resistant. ABS is surprisingly not standard on the SE, adding $ 550 to the bottom line.
The sports car scene has changed much since the first Miata appeared. Sportsters and convertibles of all kinds now dot the landscape. Over its run, Mazda has kept the Miata relevant in a changing climate by sticking close to its core values, and working refinements into the mix. The best value is still a stripper Miata. But, if your pockets run deep enough to consider it, the two new Special Editions wrap Miata's traditional virtues in a very fresh looking package.
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---Story and photos by Dan Lyons
photos © Dan Lyons 2002 |
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