The Ride(s)
I've always been a fan of Japanese cars. My first car when I got my first real job was a bug-eye Subary WRX wagon. I loved that thing. After that I owned a Toyota FJ Cruiser, then added a Mazda MX-5 NC, which was replaced by a Scion FR-S as my family grew. After several years of faithful service in the face of overmodding and punishing abuse, the FJ gave way to a Toyota Tacoma. Finally, the FR-S, after backseats were no longer a requirement for our family, was replaced with a Mazda MX-5 30th Anniversary Edition: Matilda*.
Part of the reason for sticking with Mazdas and Toyotas is their mechanical simplicity. They are fairly straightforward to work on. There are also plenty of aftermarket parts for them (which can lead to getting carried away with mods, a matter I intend to expand on in another post). The budget Mazdas and Toyotas still have naturally aspirated engines, which is a bonus, in my opinion.
Evidently cost has been a factor as well. But also fun factor. That's the utilitarian, in a way, question that I ask myself whenever I think about a sports car's desirability–how much fun per dollar do they offer? A buddy of mine had a 302 Mustang he bought new. That car was very, very quick. Looked great, great handling, fantastic car overall. Sounded glorious. The problem with that car (and the reason he was looking to sell it within the first year of ownership) was that it was incredibly boring to drive at legal speeds! The cabin was too quiet, the gear ratios plus abundant low-end torque meant you didn't even need to shift that much. So, unless you were doing (admittedly, most awesome) burnouts all the time, or tracking it, the driving experience was downright disconnected. The FT-86s and MX-5s in my life on the other hand have been ridiculously fun to toss around in the backroads around where I live, without ever even coming close to risking jail time.
The MX-5 ticks all of these boxes. A used MX-5 would have been the most cost effective point of entry, but when I learned of the 30th Anniversary Edition, offered in an exclusive bright, non-metallic, orange color, I knew I couldn't pass it up. Refreshingly, the current generation of the model (ND, as this body style is referred to) not only has more horsepower than the last generation (NC), but actually weighs less. I can't think of any other vehicle designs in modern memory that have done that. OK, perhaps the Ford F-150 when they went with an Aluminum body, but I was shopping for a sports car.
Matilda will serve me well with the task at hand. She's competitive in autocross and is cheap to maintain. She looks amazing and is a blast to drive.
* I don't really give my cars names, but I thought it would be amusing to come up with a name, just for this write-up. Matilda is one of my (and my son's) favorite songs by Alt-J.