Mazda MX-5 RF Enters Production. First Batch Bound for Europe and U.S

Mazda Motor Corporation today announced that it has started production of the Mazda MX-5 RF retractable hardtop (known as Roadster RF in Japan) yesterday at its plant in Hiroshima.

It is said that the first batch of the MX-5 RF produced are bound for North American and European markets where sales launches are expected to begin early 2017. In Japan however, the car will go on sale later this year.

As we mentioned before, the MX-5 RF’s retractable hard top, unlike the regular MX-5’s manually operated soft top, is powered; opening and closing at the flip of a switch, and operable at speeds up to 10km/h.

Mechanically, the MX-5 RF is mostly identical to the regular model, but featuring steering and suspension tweaks that Mazda claims to improve the vehicle’s refinement.  

Powertrain options remain unchanged, where globally, the MX-5 RF will be available with a choice of either a 1.5-litre SkyActiv-G or a 2.0-litre SkyActiv-G engine, paired to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Mazda claims that the RF, which is short for Retractable Fastback, ‘handles every bit as well as’ the regular model which most of us are highly enthused about.

The MX-5 RF will debut wearing Mazda’s latest signature colour – Machine Grey, the same colour painted on the all-new CX-9.

Like Mazda’s Soul Red signature colour, Machine Grey is used to intensify the contrast between light and shadow with a sleek, high-density finish, it gives the impression that the vehicle’s body was sculpted from a solid block of steel.

Meanwhile, there has not been any announcement on whether it will be headed to our shores yet. 

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