New Miata looks like a z3 to me...

[2002Z3]

Sorry if this topic has already been brought up, but I got a new Motor Trend and its rear cover has an add for the new Miata. In addition, there is a a spot inside of one. The lines are ever so similar. Sure the center brake light is at the front instead of the back of the trunk... the grill is very different, etc... but the overall lines are so familiar. I really like what they did. Pity though that is is so underpowered. Give it 250 HP and I would be happy.

Oh, and as for Motor Trend... my wife got a mystery free subscription from our local auto dealer association. I’ll take a free 1 year subscription. I have not read MT for decades. It is not all that bad really. It is far better than the snarky information-less C&D.

[Scarceas]

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...the-2016-Miata

I especially enjoyed post #6.

[jrkoupe]

a bit......perhaps more z 4 ish....


overall I think its ugly.........z3 looks better

[gmushial]

Sorry if this topic has already been brought up, but I got a new Motor Trend and its rear cover has an add for the new Miata. In addition, there is a a spot inside of one. The lines are ever so similar. Sure the center brake light is at the front instead of the back of the trunk... the grill is very different, etc... but the overall lines are so familiar. I really like what they did. Pity though that is is so underpowered. Give it 250 HP and I would be happy.

Oh, and as for Motor Trend... my wife got a mystery free subscription from our local auto dealer association. I’ll take a free 1 year subscription. I have not read MT for decades. It is not all that bad really. It is far better than the snarky information-less C&D.

I don't think it's a bad looking car... but in many ways that doesn't matter, since I'd rather be driving, and from behind the steering wheel, I don't really care what it looks like... but performance-wise, it's an interesting car: feels like a 2.8 or 3.0 Z3, though doesn't have the bottom end grunt. A little too much in the way of "electronics"... but then again, not a bad car. An yes, since bimmer kind of humped the pooch with first their hinting at a Z3 replacement, then swapping that to a FWD re-badged Mini Z2... so that market is entirely open, and Mazda has simply walked in and taken it. .. at this point to non-Z3 owners, the Z3 is probably irrelevant: too old, the ones out there generally have too many miles on them, and even at the lower prices the non-///Ms fetch, there are too many other cars out there of interest. And with the cartel types crowing about how much each and every one has sold for: to joe driver, paying $50k for a 15 year old coupe: all the more reason to look elsewhere.

[BimmerBreaker]

I don't see any resemblance between the two beyond the fact that they are both roadsters and have "hips" which most roadsters have anyways. Z3 is long, low, sleek, slender, muscular... Miata is much more compact, taller, bulbous... I think the proportions and design of the Z3 are way better than any Miata, but I like Miata's for what they are and to me the "miata look" is part of that.

[Wojtek79]

Don't see the Z3, but I do see a Nissan 370z front end with a first gen Z4 rear

[2002Z3]

The flat fender skirts - how the fenders are flared, yet flattened... That is VERY Z3. The little lights past the front wheels... There are so may similarities.

I like this new Mazda. The very first car I drove was a 1974 Mazda RX4. I bought my Z3 12 years ago. It is about to cross the 50K mileage boundary... I think it might be time to sell it. However, this is the most absolute perfect car I have even owned. Yes, it has had some tiny inexpensive issues, but nothing to make me hate the beast. The fact I drive it so little is a factor in its longevity, but it has not had the same “rot factor” that othey cars of similar age and mileage have suffered. If this were an Italian “fun car” it would have already cost me $20K+ in maintenance. Best car I have ever had. 2002 3.0i Z3. Best car ever have ever owned. Can you just sense to conflict? It is actually quite painful. Thankfully I have my motorcycle to take my mind off of such matters. Giving up my Z3 is similar to a divorce to me.

[JWin]

We'll not see another car that looks as good as the z3 until we get away from the Chris Bangle / KIA wild lines and headlights and louvering/venting.

The Miata almost looks great, though.

[E36ic4Me]

I have both and don't see much similarity at all. The Miata drives amazingly well and though I hate to say it, is more fun to drive then the Z. It out handles it, out features it (is that even a term?!?) and the performance is actually quite good. That all being said, for some odd reason I prefer my Z3s. Logic and reason are taking a holiday.

[gmushial]

The flat fender skirts - how the fenders are flared, yet flattened... That is VERY Z3. The little lights past the front wheels... There are so may similarities.

I like this new Mazda. The very first car I drove was a 1974 Mazda RX4. I bought my Z3 12 years ago. It is about to cross the 50K mileage boundary... I think it might be time to sell it. However, this is the most absolute perfect car I have even owned. Yes, it has had some tiny inexpensive issues, but nothing to make me hate the beast. The fact I drive it so little is a factor in its longevity, but it has not had the same “rot factor” that othey cars of similar age and mileage have suffered. If this were an Italian “fun car” it would have already cost me $20K+ in maintenance. Best car I have ever had. 2002 3.0i Z3. Best car ever have ever owned. Can you just sense to conflict? It is actually quite painful. Thankfully I have my motorcycle to take my mind off of such matters. Giving up my Z3 is similar to a divorce to me.

The fact that the mx5 "evolved" so much btwn 3rd and 4th gen, and so much toward what the Z3 represented/represents: I'm almost certain that some of the designers read through this forum to see what we liked about the Z3... especially given what had to have been a strongly educated guess that bimmer was going to hump the pooch and not deliver, leaving a huge hole in the marketplace... previously it sure seemed that they kept their (design) distance from the Z3 so as to distinguish themselves, but at the same time wished they could move more toward the classic Italian lines... and then with the hole being left in the marketplace, it didn't take them a second to decide to take advantage of it. Whoever in bimmer marketing that decided that they could instead of providing an updated Z3 could use a rebadged FWD Mini "and save money": whoever that bozo was, they really cost the company a lot, or simply gave away a piece of their turf.

- - - Updated - - -

I have both and don't see much similarity at all. The Miata drives amazingly well and though I hate to say it, is more fun to drive then the Z. It out handles it, out features it (is that even a term?!?) and the performance is actually quite good. That all being said, for some odd reason I prefer my Z3s. Logic and reason are taking a holiday.

My guess is that with one more generation of the mx5, it will have become the Z3 replacement. To me the mx5, gen 4, although it picked up some visual mass it still didn't make all the way to the Z3... but in one more evolutionary step, it'll be there. In terms of performance, I found it quite impressive, but I'm coming from a 2.5L Z3.

[jrkoupe]

Id say its looks are pure love child of z3 and z4..

and I would say its waaay more fun to drive than our beloved z3's...as the older orig miata was even waaay more fun...lol.....but I love my z....the miata is an uber sorted car....the z3?....not sorted at all out of factory...

[kabel]

Hmm. I never made the connection beyond them being roadsters… I have one of each (M Coupe anyway).
I should line them up side-by-side and shoot a few photos for comparison sake.

[gmushial]

Id say its looks are pure love child of z3 and z4..

and I would say its waaay more fun to drive than our beloved z3's...as the older orig miata was even waaay more fun...lol.....but I love my z....the miata is an uber sorted car....the z3?....not sorted at all out of factory...

Well said on both points - hadn't considered the first, but yes...

W/re the 2nd: when it comes to driving and tossing the mx5, yes, no question. ... but touring in the Z: yes it has its glitches. And no I haven't done a 5k road trip in the mx5, but to me it feels more like an engineer's car, but one that was afraid to put the top down and get their hair messed up etc.. feels like corolla that's been refined to the nth degree... but it doesn't have that TR4a kind of weirdness of the Z. ... but having said that: will my next roadster be a mx5? Or a used Z3 with weirdnesses that need fixing... that's a tough question. With the previous gen mx5, there was no question; but with the new one... ??

[2002Z3]

Love child of a Z3 and Z4... Just about right on that count. I really like the new Miata, but wish they would give it a little more oomph! Maybe that is what the new RX9(?) will be about.

A couple of days ago, a 2009+ Z4 pulled up along side me at a light. It was an S drive 3.5 (I think... I do not pay that much attention to post 2002 BMWs). I can see myself in one of those though. I always thought they were sort of porky, but right next to my Z3, it looked proportionally correct to me. I also like the idea of the drop top hard top. I am one of those wankers that almost never puts down my top, for fear of messing up the plastic. But when I do drop the top, I fall in love with the car all over again. I think I'll go out for a spin now with the top down - even though it looks like rain...

[gmushial]

Love child of a Z3 and Z4... Just about right on that count. I really like the new Miata, but wish they would give it a little more oomph! Maybe that is what the new RX9(?) will be about.

A couple of days ago, a 2009+ Z4 pulled up along side me at a light. It was an S drive 3.5 (I think... I do not pay that much attention to post 2002 BMWs). I can see myself in one of those though. I always thought they were sort of porky, but right next to my Z3, it looked proportionally correct to me. I also like the idea of the drop top hard top. I am one of those wankers that almost never puts down my top, for fear of messing up the plastic. But when I do drop the top, I fall in love with the car all over again. I think I'll go out for a spin now with the top down - even though it looks like rain...

... if you drive fast enough in the rain, it goes right over the top... it's only when one slows down that one gets wet... ;-) from experience :-)

W/re the Z4: I fear the electronics... the Japanese seem to be able to build electronics that don't go bad... bimmer: the Z3 already has too much in the way of electronics to be reliable... he says, waiting for a replacement abs controller to show up, and having been through enough other flaky electronic problems.

[rboehl]

I love my MRoady but I also like the new Miata. I see myself getting one someday. I to wish it had a little bit more power but that would probably upset the overall handling and then that would need to be addressed

[2002Z3]

I have been super lucky in the electronic department. Wild codes thrown from time to time due to single bad battery cell and low volts. The first time sort of freaked me out. The second time (due actually to a loose negative cable) was a no sweat. I've had the car since 2004 and have been through the original and then 2 batteries. I replaced the original with an AutoZone Duralast and they fit nearly perfectly; however, the negative terminal is just ever so less in diameter than stock. I small lead shim fixes that issue.

I did have a problem with my yaw sensor getting fried due to me stupidly using a steam cleaner on the carpet on the driver's side. I got the sensor wet. Tiny little nit picky things have happened too. Still, the absolute best car I have ever owned. It is now at 49931 miles. Still drives the same as it always did. Went from OC to San Diego (about 100 miles each way) in the rain a couple weeks ago. No worries. Purred along just fine. I change oil once a year, flush the brakes every 2 years or so, and do other basic maintenance as needed. But... I am now worried about overall age of the parts. All the plastic parts I cannot get to easily. The small hoses, etc. Age is age and low miles or not, it is still a 14 year old car.

My friends that have newer BMWs have huge issues after 3 years, so I get your point about the Z4. I am thankful the 2002 was sort of a sweet spot in BMW history. A history usually spotted with turmoil. Z3s, with obvious exceptions, are not anywhere as prone to the typical BMW bug-a-boos. A great car that should get more respect than it does. Oh well.

[kabel]

more power in a miata never upsets the overall handling, it just makes things happen quicker ;-)

I'm diggin the new ND MX5 Miata. It is my new daily driver. The styling is cool, it has a peppy motor, good torque (relatively speaking, it is a miata). The OEM suspension is a bit wallowy with a lot of suspension travel. I've already rectified that with a coil over set.

[2002Z3]

Although being the luddite I am, I am pretty sure that I would love a drive in the new Miata. It would be so much better than the go-kart ride of my Z3. However, I come from the land of Porsches and Corvettes.... having had, and driven many examples of both. Torque and raw power are sort of key to me. I tend to gravitate to the Corvette then, but the Porsche handling is also fun. I find my 3.0 Z3 is a good balance of these desires. Sort of a compromise. As if I locked myself into 1990 and will not look forward... I just wish the 911 style lift-throttle-steer was not there. It is not anywhere as dangerous, but I tend to drive in pussy mode more than not due to the unpredictable nature... at least to me. Others are probably masters and would laugh at my attempts.

[Dakar Ole]

When I pass by them sitting by the road's edge at the dealership, which is frequently, I can't ignore the huge gaps in the wheels to fenders I see. Put a new suspension on a car off the showroom floor? Not today.

[E36ic4Me]

A couple of days ago, a 2009+ Z4 pulled up along side me at a light. It was an S drive 3.5 (I think... I do not pay that much attention to post 2002 BMWs). I can see myself in one of those though. I also like the idea of the drop top hard top.

I had an E89 Z4 (09-16). I've owned 30+ BMWs and that was the only one that ever put me through total hell. Body trim repeatedly fell off while driving, interior plastics fell off regularly, the seats faded within a year, the hardtop broke about ten times (yes ten, not a misprint) and various other things. I was beyond thrilled when I ditched it. I actually got rid of it to buy my 2016 Miata. Never look back, that Z4 was a total piece of crap. I have basically drawn my BMW line at E46 era and older being the best eras for me!

[gmushial]

When I pass by them sitting by the road's edge at the dealership, which is frequently, I can't ignore the huge gaps in the wheels to fenders I see. Put a new suspension on a car off the showroom floor? Not today.

I think the slammed look is only a recent fashion statement... if you look at the classic roadsters, they all had wheel-fender gap: MG B, TR4, 911 S, Lotus, 246gts, etc... not to say you can't have a zero gap if that's what does it for you... but for most people that have to deal with real roads, having some wheel travel is a plus.

- - - Updated - - -

I had an E89 Z4 (09-16). I've owned 30+ BMWs and that was the only one that ever put me through total hell. Body trim repeatedly fell off while driving, interior plastics fell off regularly, the seats faded within a year, the hardtop broke about ten times (yes ten, not a misprint) and various other things. I was beyond thrilled when I ditched it. I actually got rid of it to buy my 2016 Miata. Never look back, that Z4 was a total piece of crap. I have basically drawn my BMW line at E46 era and older being the best eras for me!

Given the number of people that I know that have cycled through recent bimmers - as soon as the lease is up, they get rid of them... very much unlike us driving 15-20 year old Z's... but yes, 2002 or 2003 is about the limit for me... I'll own more recent other brands, in that they seem to be able to make them work and last... but given the cost of keeping a modern bimmer alive, and the decreasing ability to shadetree mechanic them... I'll keep putting miles on the Z; but at the same time keep test driving other cars: I was impressed by the new mx5, and with a FI version in the works - that might be the way to go; otherwise, there are Lotuses; or even thinking about going back to a super 7 or building a factory five car. But I think bimmer if it weren't for all the new marque conscious monied Chinese, would be in trouble.

[jrkoupe]

saw my 2nd one on road today...

man that car is fugly seriously...they ruined it...really ruined it

[E36ic4Me]

100% disagree, but 'to each his own' as my grandmother used to say! If we're going for butt ugly roadsters, I throw the earlier E85 into the ring! Well, that and the 91-94 Mercury Capri (of which I actually owned one a million years ago) and the Honda Beat should also get a nod.

[jrkoupe]

sure its subjective.....

94 capri..ouch,....

so u own a 2016 maz, and a back to the future appliance...



alrighty

but lets be objective here:

its fugly..lol