Mazda has begun production of the new MX-5 RF in Hiroshima, Japan. The early batch of vehicles will head for North America and Europe where sales will begin in early 2017. Sales in Japan will start in late 2016.
The RF in the name stands for Retractable Fastback. This model features a powered roof, but remains true to its Jinba Ittai roots. The power roof can be opened or closed at speeds of up to 10 km/h with the press of a button, and the roof is stowed compactly and efficiently in a limited space. Despite featuring a powered roof, boot space is identical to the soft top variant.
Depending on the market, the Mazda MX-5 RF can be had with a SkyActiv-G 1.5 or 2.0-litre engine. North American models are powered exclusively with the SkyActiv-G 2.0 engine.
The new model is built alongside the Fiat 124 Spider and soft top MX-5 at Mazda’s Ujina Plant No.1.
