MX-5 Special: NC RC
Enrico arrives at the wheel of his beautiful MX-5 featuring a mixture of colors that express both sportiness and elegance: “Highland Green Mica” with Tobacco leather interior, not bad as a glance. That’s a third series, badged NC, and is also the only Mazda Roadster Coupe version, ie with hard top instead of the classic canvas canopy. Enrico’s MX-5 is equipped with a 1.8-liter engine that outputs 126 hp. Unlike the sober color, Enrico opted for interesting technical modifications in order to make his Mazda even more racy: Bilstein suspension with Eibach springs and strut brace to reduce body roll, ECU remapping by Piasini and Remus Powersound exhaust system. All changes made with the clear intention to take advantage of drivability and increase the fun behind the wheel of an MX-5: this is the aspect that more than any other engages the senses of Enrico, making him feel at one with the car with such a direct and precise steering wheel, a perfect gearbox and a new stiffer handling. Sporty, but with an eye to exploitability, right? “Yes, in fact I chose the MX-5 because it is not an ordinary car, it’s fun and could entertain a lot, but at the same time could be used as a first car. I was not wrong: versatile, fun and stylish. And then traveling with the sky on your head is an experience you do not forget. In a few words, you have the pleasure of driving a sports car that at the same time has low running costs. ” Listening to Enrico, the MX-5 is the perfect car to share his desire for a sporty driving and also for everyday use: is there a particular episode related to your MX-5 that you remember with sympathy? “It was the end of September 2013, my girlfriend and I were taking part in the gathering organized by the Italian Mazda Register and Cabriomeeting. Arrived at Passo Rolle, we joined the convoy to return to Fiera di Primiero for lunch. At some point it started to rain, we were with the top down and we did not want to stop for closing it. Result: we started to overtake everyone speeding over 70 kph, speed above which the water does not enter into the cockpit! Obviously we finally apologized to the other participants, that providentially closed the roof before jumping on board!” Past and present mingle in the mind of Enrico when asked: where would you like to drive your MX 5? The response was immediate: “I’d go back where I drove it last August: at the Nürburgring. No other place has given me emotions as those experienced on the asphalt of the Green Hell. If we had to choose a place where I’ve never been with the MX-5, then I would say the winding roads of Corsica, maybe during a summer holiday.” Being car guys we look forward to you returning to the Nürburgring and to drive as soon as you can the twisty roads in Corsica … where you definitely won’t lack fun!
By Antonio Iafelice
Photo Credits: Davide Carletti