In a surprise unveiling on the eve of the 2016 New York Auto Show, Mazda rolled out a "retractable fastback" version of the famous MX-5 Miata roadster.
And the result is gorgeous.
With the top folded away, the new Mazda MX-5 RF looks something like a targa model; the B and C pillars remaining in place after the roof has gone away.
The new design is necessary to accommodate the roof; unlike previous generation Miata hardtop-convertibles, the new car simply did not have room for the top. Thank Mazda's engineers for not simply sacrificing trunk space and instead coming up with such an elegant solution.
But as was the case with the previous generation, to the purist the standard MX-5 is still the way to go.
The car is, after all, the archetypal roadster. Look up the word "roadster" in the dictionary and you will likely find a picture of a happy Miata driver pulling the roof back over their head — executing that somewhat awkward maneuver which symbolizes an entire brand of motoring fun.
But on the other hand, the new MX-5 RF car could expose the very beloved MX-5 to a different segment of motorists — and that can only be a good thing.
Of course, it always helps when the car looks as good as it does.
SEE ALSO: The Mazda Miata is still the greatest car in the whole world
The newest-generation Mazda Miata...now with a roof.
... but it goes away ...
... turning the Miata MX-5RF into a sports car rather than a roadster.
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