[zeaken]

I am sure I am not the only who has considered cross shopping the miata with this platform and they did an offical reveal on the car last night no formal specs out on it yet but quite a nice looking roadster and its weight isnt terribly far off from the ss (estimated 2200).

For me its all going to come down to feel behind the wheel but I must admit a car that starts at the same price point as the SL trim but has things like AC, and a roof will certainly factor in since i lose about 4 months out of the year due to snow alone and convertible/cycle weather is only about 4 months here.

 

[Bigfoot21075]

I did a quick search and saw the pics, yeah it is a nice little roadster - good on them for keeping that available. That said, I would drive the Miata over a Bug, but it in no way will have any where near the same thrill driving a SS will have.

 

[zeaken]

performance is probably going to be par, it sits lower and you can get wind in your hair (unlike the SS due to helmet laws). The only advantage the SS has is no doors which i am unsure how much thrill that will add.

I will admit i love the flashy looks of the ss.

 

[Ryder]

This is going to sound bad and I mean no offense... I've always thought of the Miata as a chick car. I've even picked on my co-worker for driving one. Agreed, it's a nice looking car. I bought the 2014 Mazda 6 and love it. Maybe I need to reconsider my preconception on the Miata.

 

[Cameron Roberts]

I'm with you, Ryder. I'm to tall to look cool driving a Miata. I've always considered it a chick car.

 

[Bigfoot21075]

performance is probably going to be par, it sits lower and you can get wind in your hair (unlike the SS due to helmet laws). The only advantage the SS has is no doors which i am unsure how much thrill that will add.

I will admit i love the flashy looks of the ss.

Performance of the Miata will be no where near the SS. Close to the same HP but almost 1,000 lbs more weight.

 

[evomind]

The Miata is a good car I guess, but Id never buy one.
That said, Ive brought up before there are some nice convertibles out there for little money.
I have a pristine 99 Boxster I bought last spring with 38k miles for 11K. The car is like brand new and half the price.
Im getting a SS anyway pending the test drive.
I cant figure out why the SS weighs over 1700 lbs though.

 

[zeaken]

the 2016 miata is far more "manly" then previous generations. That said almost everyone who calls the miata a chic car almost never can fit in one nor have ever driven one. Its just a common conception because its a smaller lower hp roadster and here in america its hell cat tire burning action or bust.

Actually the Miata is very likely to be faster round the track pending numbers. The SS is not a turn devouring monster. Will it be really fun in the curves? Absolutely! Will it beat a traditional 4 wheel vehicle with independent suspension. nope. Even a basic ford focus for example generates higher skid pad numbers then the SS.

I learned my lesson the hard way on german luxury brands and to avoid them. I had a 328 eat up nearly $4,000 worth of labor in less then 2 years and I have family with a 911 that has seen comparable woes. I will stick with cars that are are at least reliable!

 

[Ryder]

Interesting on the skid pad numbers. I did a little research and shockingly the SS has close to the same numbers as a Focus. Car and Driver says the Focus has .86 and the Focus ST has .91. I believe the SS rated at .88.

 

[p120ud213azn]

didnt polaris claim 1g?

 

[zeaken]

polaris claims both .87 and .88 whatever that means. A third party claimed 1.1. I will stick with manufacturer claims though as that article had other mistakes in it as well. That is unless of course polar wants to let some one actually do a review...hint hint polaris.

 

[Ryder]

Car and driver says my 2014 Mazda 6 has a rating of .87. I can tell you from first-hand experience that it hugs the road like crazy. I took it through the mountains of West Virginia a few months back and had a blast. If the slingshot grips the road at least this much, good times are ahead!

 

[Bigfoot21075]

Speaking of Skid Pad, it looks like Miata can pull a .89. From that it will not handle much better than a SS at .88 (other factors do contribute). I love the old Brit cars like the TR6 and such, they are low power but a true blast. No one is saying the Miata is not fun either - it just "seems" that it can't possible be as exhilarating as the SS will be.

 

[Code]

I see Miata's embarrass dick-swinging cars like vettes, vipers, mustangs, and camaro's(and admittedly my modified Subaru) every time I go to the track (PIRC in PA). People who consider them "chick" cars are uneducated about the platform. With an experienced driver there are very few cars that can hang with a Miata through the twisty stuff.

That said, I expect that the driving experience will be very different between the SS and Miata. I'll reserve any further comment until I have taken a drive in the SS.

 

[Noah Katz]

Replacing the cheap Kenda's with something stickier should have the SS leapfrog the other cars mentioned in cornering G's, and if there are any straightaway's its higher power/weight will seal the deal.

 

[Cameron Roberts]

Replacing the cheap Kenda's with something stickier should have the SS leapfrog the other cars mentioned in cornering G's, and if there are any straightaway's its higher power/weight will seal the deal.

Hey Noah,

Did you see the price of those cheap Kendas? I was shocked all to pieces. There's no way they are kaisers unless they expect all slingshot owners to be fools. How could you justify a 230 dollar price increase by sticking "slingshot" in the side of a 70 dollar tire. There must be something else going on there.

 

[Ryder]

Hey Noah,

Did you see the price of those cheap Kendas? I was shocked all to pieces. There's no way they are kaisers unless they expect all slingshot owners to be fools. How could you justify a 230 dollar price increase by sticking "slingshot" in the side of a 70 dollar tire. There must be something else going on there.

Totally agree. It's worse for the guys getting the SL model their tires are even more expensive.

 

[Cameron Roberts]

Totally agree. It's worse for the guys getting the SL model their tires are even more expensive.

The answer we need is why. Kenda tires aren't expensive. I don't mind paying extra if it's a special compound that's worked out for the slingshot. If kenda just does the manufacturing I'm fine with that. If they're just a rebrand of an existing tire We will all be pissed.

 

[jdskycaster]

The 16' miata looks good in the photo's. When we bought my wife's mazda 6 a year ago I sat in a couple of miata's sitting on the showroom floor. Way too small for me at 6' 1" - just not enough leg room. If I was going the topless sports car route for reasonable cash a convertible vette would be the best option. I would rather have a toy and the SS will fit that bill nicely.

 

[evomind]

I see Miata's embarrass dick-swinging cars like vettes, vipers, mustangs, and camaro's(and admittedly my modified Subaru) every time I go to the track (PIRC in PA). People who consider them "chick" cars are uneducated about the platform. With an experienced driver there are very few cars that can hang with a Miata through the twisty stuff.

That said, I expect that the driving experience will be very different between the SS and Miata. I'll reserve any further comment until I have taken a drive in the SS.

Thats 98% driver. Ive owned every car you mentioned and then some and have never seen their tail lights once on a real race track.
The only place they can even hope to out perform those "dick swinging" cars is on a very tight autocross track, which even then the Corvettes have won as many titles as miatas and Lotus.
Im talking equal drivers here. Very possible you are a great driver and out run most everything on a track but you are beating them with driving skill, not because youre car is better.
And yeah, sorry, but its a hair dressers car.