Again. A quick check of the calendar confirmed my disappointment, it is August. Summer in the England is rubbish. Just as the boss shouted “are you planning on doing anything today?” it came to me. The answer was driving past the window then closely followed by another one and yet again, another one. It seemed that every fifth or six car passing our office had something in common. They were all convertibles.

In the same way that sitting on a beach in Skeggy whilst enjoying sideways rain and a sand covered 99 cone embodies the “British Bulldog Spirit” we also see fit to spend a fortune on convertible cars in the vain hope that you may be able to chuck the roof down to enjoy 10 minutes of sun on a Sunday afternoon. Convertible cars – we just can’t get enough of them. In fact, we come a very close second only to the Germans when it comes to sheer numbers sold in the whole of Europe. Now, I have travelled extensively around Europe and I can report that most, if not all of our neighbours have less rain and more sunshine than us. The drop-top car that has taken good old blighty by storm is the Mazda MX-5 and has now been a regular sight on our roads for the past 20 years.

The Mazda MX-5 is one of my favourite cars. To be more specific, the MX-5 is actually one of my wife’s favourites cars as she is currently enjoying her second one. Once upon a time, my wife had her heart set on an old MG Midget. If any of you remember the MG Midget, you will remember that they were not really that good even when they were brand new. Anyhow, we test drove a couple of ‘fully restored’ Midgets and it was clear that time had not done these old cars any favours. They were all drafty, rattly and smelt of damp. Thankfully the idea of classic British car ownership was abandoned when I found that I had to drive the Midget with no shoes on thanks to my sizable feet. A couple of years (and more sensible cars) passed and a friend called to see if I knew anyone who would want to buy his Mazda MX-5. As I don’t know any hairdressers, my flippant reply was “no, but I will come and check it out”. Thank God I did. It was amazing. Rear wheel drive. A roof that came down in seconds. A roof that didn’t leak when it was up. A heater that worked. Head lights that popped up. Reasonable sized boot. Fantastic road holding. Perfect.

Mazda have seen fit to sharpen up the MX-5 recently so I had to check out a new one to see it still held true to the ethos of the original MX-5 that became an instant classic. And with a relatively affordable price tag and one of the best chassis in the business, it's not hard to see why.

I tested the Mazda MX-5 2.0i Sport, which comes with stiffened Bilstein suspension, and really makes a difference on the bends. Turn in seems much crisper, and there's very little bodyroll. And the new front end bodywork treatment is said to provide more high speed downforce, no doubt helping further.
But even with this new suspension – which is only available on the Sport and Powershift models – very little of the ride quality has been lost, although it's still a sports car, and still firm.

Another significant change is the addition of a semi-automatic gearbox. Although it's dubbed Powershift, it bears no relation to the identically-named unit found in several Fords. It’s the first time such a gearbox has been offered in the Mazda MX-5, and around 10 per cent of buyers are expected to choose the self-shifter.
The Mazda MX-5's appearance has been given a nip and tuck to follow the company's corporate look. It has new bumpers and lights front and rear, and although quite subtle add up to a more modern look.

Inside there have been a number of small tweaks, most noticeably a rev counter that features a 7,500rpm redline, reflecting the fact the 158bhp 2-litre model revs 500rpm higher than the old model. This engine is also fitted with an Induction Sound Enhancer for an improved engine note too.

Two engines are available, with a choice of five- or six-speed manuals or the six-speed Powershift auto. Both engines have been tuned to improve fuel consumption by up to eight per cent and reduce emissions by up to seven per cent. This means the 1.8 covers 40.4mpg – up from 38.7mpg, while emissions are down from 174g/km to 167g/km. Performance ranges from a 0-62mph time of 7.6 for the 2-litre, to 9.9 for the 1.8. Powershift equipped cars cover the same marker in 8.5 seconds. Top speeds are 131mph for the 2-litre manual and 120mph for the others.

Every model in the range features alloys, leather steering wheel, gearknob and handbrake and an MP3-compatible audio system with an input jack and iPod connection. The 2-litre models also feature stability and traction control, a limited slip differential and side airbags.

Sport models add 17-inch alloys, Bilstein dampers, front suspension bracing, heated leather seats, climate control, cruise control and a Bose stereo with 6-disc changer, seven speakers and Bluetooth connectivity. But despite the additional kit, the new car weighs the same as the previous one.