2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata is Here in Salem, VA Serving Blacksburg, Martinsville, Roanoke, and Lynchburg VA
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You've probably seen the TV ads touting Mazda's ubiquity on America's road-racing circuits and autocross courses. The message goes like this: On any weekend, more racers are driving Mazdas than any other brand. That's a big claim, but this little roadster makes it credible. The Miata is a favorite with amateur racers for essentially the same reasons it's perennially popular as a road car: affordability, low curb weight, high agility. This is not the kind of sports car that provokes acceleration brownouts. Mated to one of two manual transmissions (five- or six-speed), its 2.0-liter four generates 167 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque. (Opting for the six-speed automatic takes nine ponies from the corral, slows acceleration, eliminates the crisp-shifting manual, and adds $2,260 to the bottom line.) If 167 horsepower sounds tepid, keep in mind that it only has to propel some 2,450 pounds, which it manages smartly. And in any case, the Miata's magic lies in its eager responses and the unfiltered connection between car and driver. It doesn't hurt that the magic is wrapped in bargain pricing. A basic roadster with the five-speed manual starts at $23,905; the excellent folding-hardtop version (12 seconds up or down, and it preserves the softtop's trunk space) begins at $27,945. So it's easy to see why this is the world's best-loved roadster.?*
* 10 Best Cars for 2011 by Caranddriver.com
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